The Perham Yellowjackets used a late 13-3 run to build a 13-point lead and held off a late Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball rally to win the game 68-60 in a Section 8AA game played in Crookston. “The difference tonight was that Perham’s runs were a little bigger than ours,” said Pirate Coach Darin Zimmerman.
FIRST HALF-
Perham started the scoring with a Sydney Anderson three-pointer for a 3-0 lead 24 seconds ino the game. Crookston responded with a 6-0 run with baskets from Abby Borowicz with an offensive rebound and putback, a Halle Winjum drive for a basket, and a steal and basket for Hayden Winjum for a 6-3 lead three minutes into the game. “It was a strong start for us,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We had some strong passing and it was a good fundamental start for us.”
Perham battled back to take a 9-8 lead after four straight points from Willow Thiel. “She had a really good game,” said Coach Zimmerman. “Usually the word bully has a negative connatation to it, but in this case it is a compliment, but she bullied us inside and we struggled to stop her physcial and athletic play inside. She took our kids out of the game right away and was making shots at the rim and applaud her on a very strong game.” Perham would continue to have the hot hand on three-pointers and they slowly built a 27-17 lead with 4:40 left in the half, forcing Crookston to call a timeout. Whatever Coach Zimmerman said in the time out worked because the Pirates finished the half on a 12-2 run with Emma Osborn scoring five straight points to get the run started. After a Perham basket, Libby Salentine scored with a solid move in the paint, Osborn followed with a three-pointer and then Emma got a steal. Crookston had the ball and worked the clock down and missed a shot, but Libby Salentine grabbed the rebound and put it back up for a basket and Crookston tied the game at 29 going into halftime. “The message during the time out was that we had to play with more urgency,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We needed to rotate better and I thought we did a good job of that and we were making some shots at the end of the half. We were happy with the score at halftime because we ended the half playing good basketball. I thought Libby had a great end of the half for us. She had a nice move in the post and she is a competitor and she might have played one of best all-around games this year.”
SECOND HALF –
Crookston took the first lead of the half when Halle Winjum scored over a minute into the half. Perham, as they did all game long, answered with a 9-3 run with the only Pirate points on an Osborn three-pointer and the Yellowjackets led 38-34. “We settled into the game a little bit and had good intensity,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We were playing good basketball.” Crookston trailed 41-37 when they scored five straight points with a basket from Borowicz and another Osborn three-pointer for a 42-42 lead with 10:55 left in the game. Perham scored the next seven points with Anderson making a three-pointer and Willow Thiel scoring four points for a 48-42 lead. Crookston’s Halle Winjum stopped the run with a three-pointer to bring Crookston back within three points halfway through the half. Crookston struggled on the offensive end for the next six minutes and Perham went on a 13-3 run including two three-pointers and a Thiel three-point play for a 63-50 lead with 2:48 remaining. “That isn’t where we wanted to be, obviously. What started the run is when we missed a point-blank layup and they came back and made a three-pointer.” Crookston battled back to make things interesting in the final minutes as Halle Winjum made two free throws and after a Perham free throw, Halle made back-to-back three-pointers and 40-seconds later Halle tipped a rebound to her older sister, Hayden, for a layup and the Pirates trailed 64-60 with 41 seconds left in the game. “Down the stretch with a lot of tough section games I think the key for us is to have Halle let loose and take over some games,” said Coach Zimmerman. “That tipped rebound was a great play and she got us back into the game.” Three seconds later, Crookston fouled Perham’s Anderson and she made both free throws for a six-point lead. Crookston had three open three-pointers but missed all three and Perham’s Anderson grabbed a rebound and was fouled and made both free throws to solidify a 68-60 victory. “We were litterlly fighting for our lives and the sense of urgency late was great, but we needed it more throughout the game,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We have to tip our hat to Perham, they were a little better tonight. Now we regroup and learn from this game and get ready for what is going to be a fun month, a tough month.”
Crookston drops to 17-3 on the year and 10-2 in Section 8AA play and will host Pelican Rapids in another Section 8AA game at UMC on Tuesday. Perham improves to 16-5 on the year.
1st | 2nd | Final | |
Perham | 29 | 39 | 68 |
CROOKSTON | 29 | 31 | 60 |
For CROOKSTON | Points | Rebounds | Assists/Steals |
Emma Osborn | 20 | 3 steals/2 assists | |
Halle Winjum | 17 | 5 | 5 steals/4 assists |
Abby Borowicz | 8 | 6 | 4 steals/3 assists |
Hayden Winjum | 8 | 7 | 5 steals/2 assists |
Libby Salentine | 7 | 3 |
For Perham | Points |
Sydney Anderson | 25 |
Willow Thiel | 22 |
Greta Hillukka | 9 |
Olivia Pilgrim | 8 |
Kennedy Pilgrim | 2 |
Ryleigh Michelson | 2 |