Warroad uses big second half run to beat Pirate Boys Basketball

The Warroad Warrios used a 25-2 run in the second half to open up a big lead and cruised the rest of the way to beat the Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team 89-71 in a Section 8AA matchup at the Crookston High School gymnasium.

FIRST HALF –
Crookston started the game on an 8-3 run that started with a Reggie Winjum steal and basket, followed by a Carter Fee three-pointer. After three Warroad points, Zach Ali buried a three-pointer for an 8-3 lead just shy of four minutes into the game. Warroad battled back with a Hudson Adams three-pointer and after a Pirate basket, they responded with a Doot Boucher (grandson of THE Henry Boucher) to get within a 10-7 deficit. Crookston answered with a Fee three-pointer and a Winjum basket for a 15-7 lead. The back-and-forth battle continued the rest of the high-scoring first half. Boucher responded with back-to-back three-pointers. Crookston Ali made another threepointer before Warroad’s Luke Billingsley added a basket to bring Warroad within an 18-15 deficit. Warroad kept chipping away at the deficit and tied the game at 24 with a Brady Fast three-pointer and that shot sparked a 10-0 run. Adams added four points, Andrew Mayfield made a basket and Fast capped the run with a free throw to take a 31-24 lead with 7:09 left in the half. Crookston trailed 33-26 when Winjum hit a three, Gunnar Groven made a layup to bring Crooskton within a 33-31 deficit. Warroad answered with six points for a 39-31 lead with four minutes to go. Warroad built a 45-36 lead with 52 seconds remaining when Winjum made a free throw and Nolan Johnson made a three-opointer to close the deficit to 45-40 going into halftime.

SECOND HALF –
Warroad started the second half with a Fast three-pointer before Crookston’s Winjum responded with five points to get within a 48-45 deficit. Warroad blew the game open with a 25-2 run over a seven minutes span. The Warriors were led by Fast’s 11 points, Adams had six points, Boucher added four points, Billingsley and Mayfield had a basket apiece for a 73-47 lead halfway through the half. Crookston final stopped the run as Beau Smith made a basket and Fee hit another three-pointer to get within a 73-52 deficit. Warroad had a 77-54 lead when Ali made a basket and Fee made a three-pointer to get within a 77-59 deficit with six mintues to go. Crookston would continue their attempt to chip away at the deficit, but Warroad had an answer every time and held on to an 89-71 victory.

Crookston drops to 0-2 on the year and will host Park Rapids on Tuesday at 7;00 p.m. Warroad improves to 1-4 on the year.
J.V. – Crookston won 45-28

Reggie Winjum

Carter Fee

Peter Wiersma

Beau Smith

Reggie Winjum

Reggie Winjum

Zach Ali

Reggie Winjum

Carter Fee

Peter Wiersma

Beau Smith

Reggie Winjum

Reggie Winjum

Zach Ali

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