The East Grand Forks Green Wave used a 16-0 run and a 21-0 run to beat the Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team in a Section 8AA matchup at the Crookston High School gymnasium.
FIRST HALF –
It was an offensive struggle for both teams early as Crookston’s Carter Fee made the first basket less than three minutes into the game. East Grand Forks picked things up, and it started with their defense, which forced several Pirate turnovers, as the Green Wave went on a 16-0 run over five minutes. Rafael Jones made a free throw, Carson McDonald had a three-point play, Brody Knutson and McDonald made back-to-back three-pointers. D’Aijalon Hall made a pair of free throws before McDonald stole the ball and went in for a big one-handed slam dunk, which was followed by two Spencer Larsen free throws for a 16-2 lead with 10:41 left in the half. Crookston stopped the run with a Reggie Winjum basket and a Fee three-pointer to get within a 16-7 deficit, only to have East Grand Forks respond with a 12-2 run for a 28-9 lead. Crookston’s Winjum made a basket before the Green Wave responded with a McDonald three-pointer and baskets from Larsen and Jezrael Jones for a 35-11 lead. Crookston’s Nolan Cassavant converted a three-point play to bring the Pirates within a 38-19 deficit with 2:46 remaining, but East Grand Forks ended the half on an 11-0 run to take a 49-19 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
East Grand Forks carried the 11-0 run at the end of the first half into the second half as the Green Wave started on a 10-0 run. McDonald scored four points, and Alexander Link, Rafael Jones, and Knutson added a basket each for a 59-19 lead. Crookston stopped the run with two points apiece from Cassavant and Beau Smith. After an EGF basket, Smith added a free throw, and Winjum rattled home a three-pointer to get within a 61-27 deficit six minutes into the half. The teams exchanged baskets, and East Grand Forks led 71-33 halfway through the half, and running time started as the Green Wave went to the bench for the rest of the game. The final nine minutes flew by with running time, and Crookston freshman Nolan Johnson scored eight of his 10 points in the final five minutes of the game, but East Grand Forks held on for a 79-44 victory.
Crookston drops to 0-6 on the year and will travel to Warren-Alvarado-Oslo on Thursday. EGF improves to 7-2 on the year.
J.V. – EGF won 75-28 C Squad – EGF won 53-18
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| East Grand Forks | 49 | 30 | 79 |
| Crookston | 19 | 25 | 44 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebounds | Misc. |
| Reggie Winjum | 11 | 4 | 1 steal/1 assist/1 block |
| Nolan Johnson | 10 | 3 | 1 steal |
| Carter Fee | 7 | 7 | 1 assist |
| Beau Smith | 7 | 2 | 1 steal |
| Nolan Cassavant | 6 | 4 | 1 assist |
| Joshua Hesby | 3 | 2 |
| For East Grand Forks | Points |
| Carson McDonald | 24 |
| Spencer Larson | 14 |
| Brody Knutson | 9 |
| Jezrael Jones | 8 |
| Rafael Jones | 7 |
| D’Aijalon Hall | 4 |
| Jakob Stassen | 3 |
| Traysen Van Camp | 3 |
| Wyatt Svendsen | 3 |
| Alexander Link | 2 |
| Nathan Dauksavage | 2 |
