The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team trailed by 14 points with over seven minutes left in the game, but the East Grand Forks Green Wave finished the game on a 19-6 run while taking advantage of a bunch of Pirate turnovers to pull away for a 73-46 victory in the first round of the Section 8AA Girls Basketball tournament at the East Grand Forks Senior High School gymnasium.
FIRST HALF –
East Grand Forks started the game with a three-pointer from Camryn Adams and an offensive rebound and putback from Tatem Votava for a 5-0 lead. Crookston responded with 10 straight points with Joey Nesseth converting a three-point play, Grace Boll made a three-pointer, and Madi Bruggeman and Chloe Boll added baskets for a 10-5 lead. Crookston had a 12-7 lead when the Green Wave went on a 22-4 run with six points from Votava, Taylor Burgh added five points to lead the way for a 27-14 lead with less than five minutes left in the half. Crookston’s Naomi Johnson stopped the run with two free throws only to have EGF answer with a three-pointer from Emma Macott, two free throws from Adams, and a Votava free throw for a 33-16 lead. Crookston responded with a 6-0 run as Madi Bruggeman, Chloe Boll, and Brooklyn Waldal added two points apiece to get within a 33-20 deficit with 2:30 remaining in the half. East Grand Forks took a 36-25 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
The teams exchanged baskets for the first five minutes of the half until Crookston’s Naomi Johnson and Grace Boll had back-to-back baskets to get within a 41-33 deficit with 12:31 remaining. EGF answered with two Ellie Marcott free throws, a Camryn Adams steal, and a three-point play and then she added a basket, and Skyla Rustad capped the run with a basket for a 50-33 lead. Crookston tried to chip away at the deficit and got within a 54-40 deficit with 7:30 left in the game. Crookston struggled taking care of the ball the rest of the game and East Grand Forks took advantage the rest of the game as they finished the final seven minutes of the game on a 19-6 run to coast to a 73-46 victory.
Crookston ends the season with a 7-20 record and says goodbye to their two seniors, Joey Nesseth and Naomi Johnson. East Grand Forks improves to 18-9 on the year and will play at Menagha in the second round.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Crookston | 25 | 21 | 46 |
| ast Grand Forks | 36 | 37 | 73 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebounds | Assists/steals |
| Chloe Boll | 13 | 5 | 2 assists |
| Joey Nesseth | 8 | 4 | |
| Brooklyn Waldal | 8 | 2 | 1 assist/1 steal |
| Grace Boll | 7 | 4 | 1 steal/1 block |
| Naomi Johnson | 5 | 3 | |
| Madi Bruggeman | 5 | 7 | 2 assists |
| For East Grand Forks | Points |
| Camryn Adams | 20 |
| Tatem Votava | 16 |
| Ellie Marcott | 10 |
| McKaylee Fitzpatrick | 7 |
| Taylor Bergh | 5 |
| Emma Marcott | 3 |
| Karlee Walsh | 3 |
| Skyla Rustad | 2 |
| Lanee Hams | 2 |
| Ella Gerber | 2 |
