The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team turned the ball too many times and struggled to rebound as the Menagha Braves cruised to a 63-42 victory in a Section 8AA game played in Crookston on Saturday afternoon.
FIRST HALF-
Crookston had a solid start to the game and took a 7-4 lead behind two Isabelle Smith baskets, a Naomi Johnson basket, and a Chloe Boll free throw. The lead didn’t last long as Menagha picked up the defensive pressure and went on a 9-0 run with five different players scoring for a 13-7 lead with 11:42 left in the half. Crookston’s Johnson stopped the run with an offensive rebound and basket, but Menagha answered with a Dreah Christiansen steal for a layup. On the next Brave offensive possession, Christianson crashed the boards, grabbed the rebound, and scored. The Braves forced a Pirate turnover, and Anna Pietila scored for a 19-9 lead halfway through the half.
Grace Boll converted a three-point play to get Crookston back within a single-digit deficit. The teams exchanged points for a few possessions before Menagha picked up the full-court pressure and ended the final minutes of the half on an 8-0 with all four baskets coming off Pirate turnovers and the Braves took a 33-21 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Menagha continued the full-court pressure to start the second half, and Crookston continued to turn the ball over as the Braves’ Leah Weaver scored the first six points of the half for a 39-21 lead. Crookston’s Katelyn Christensen stopped the run with a banked-in jump shot, and the teams played even for several minutes, and Menagha led 45-30. After a Crookston free throw, Menagha scored the next five points behind another Weaver basket and a Drea Christiansen three-pointer for a 50-31 lead halfway through the half. The teams played even the rest of the game, and Menagha won the game 63-42.
|
1st
|
2nd
|
Final
|
Menahga
|
33 | 30 | 63 |
Crookston
|
21 | 21 | 42 |
For CROOKSTON
|
Points
|
Rebounds
|
Assists/Steals
|
Chloe Boll | 15 | ||
Naomi Johnson | 8 | ||
Grace Boll | 5 | ||
Isabelle Smith | 4 | ||
Katelyn Christensen | 4 | ||
Brooklyn Waldal | 3 | ||
Joey Nesseth | 2 | ||
Emma Gunderson |
1
|
For Menahga
|
Points
|
Dreah Christiansen Leah Weaver |
14 13 |
Kenzie Anderson | 10 |
Erica Tormanen | 8 |
Taija Pinoniemi | 6 |
Anna Pietila | 5 |
Janelle Hendrickson Kylie Anderson |
4 2 |
Maddie Hendrickson | 1 |
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