CROOKSTON PIRATE BOYS BASKETBALL BEATS CLIMAX-FISHER IN A THRILLER

The Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team won a hard-fought back-and-forth game by scoring the final four points of the game to beat the Climax-Fisher Knights 65-61 at the Crookston High School.

FIRST HALF-
Climax-Fisher had a solid start, with Ryan Morris scoring four of the first six points of the game for a 6-0 lead. Crookston stopped the run with a Hunter Nicholas offensive rebound and putback. Climax-Fisher built a seven-point lead (7-4) and later led 15-8 with 13:47 remaining in the half. Crookston responded with a 12-1 run, sparked by a Tyler Michaelson three-pointer. Reggie Winjum followed with a steal and a basket, and after a Knight free throw, Crookston responded with another Michaelson three-pointer and baskets from Boike and Michaelson for a 20-16 lead. Climax-Fisher answered with six straight points with a basket from Ethan Evitts and four points from Morris for a 22-20 lead. The game of runs continued as Crookston scored the next seven points after a Michaelson three-pointer and four points from Caden Boike for a 27-22 lead with 6:10 left in the half. Climax-Fisher took a 31-30 lead with 14 seconds left, but Crookston’s Brannon Tangquist was able to get the ball after three consecutive turnovers in a wild sequence and scored right before the buzzer to give the Pirates a 32-31 lead going into halftime.

SECOND HALF-
Climax-Fisher came out of the locker room ready to go as they started the half on a 7-2 run with four points from Morris and a three-pointer from Ethan Evitts for a 38-34 lead. Crookston responded with an 11-0 run, sparked by an Isaac Thomforde basket. Nicholas and Boike added baskets before Nicholas made a three-pointer. Rylan Lubarski capped the run with a basket, and the Pirates led 45-38. Climax-Fisher battle back and tied the game at 47 halfway through the half. Crookston led 54-52 when Climax-Fisher’s Gabe Wentzel made a three-pointer and Ty Torrence added two points and the Knights led 57-54.
Crookston bounced back with four straight points from Thomforde, and Winjum added a three-pointer to give the Pirates a 61-57 lead with 3:19 left.
Climax-Fisher’s Wentzel answered with a big three-pointer before Crookston’s Nicholas scored to give the Pirates a 63-60 lead. Nobody scored for two minutes, and Crookston had the ball, and Boike was fouled with 15 seconds left. He made both free throws, and Crookston held on to win 65-60.

Crookston improves to 3-8 on the year and will travel to Fertile-Beltrami on Tuesday. KROX will have the game on the radio. Climax-Fisher drops to 1-11 on the year.
J.V. – Crookston won 65-49

CLICK HERE to listen to Crookston Head Coach Greg Garmen’s comments.

For Climax-Fisher Head Coach Alex Wentzel’s comments, CLICK HERE.