The Crookston Pirate Boy’s Basketball team picked up its first win of the season with a 61-52 victory over the Warroad Warriors in a Section 8AA matchup in Warroad.
FIRST HALF –
Crookston scored the first point of the game when Tanner Giese made a free throw for a quick 1-0 lead. Warroad wasn’t able to score on their first possession, but Gage Thompson had back-to-back steals for layups, and the Warriors led 4-1. Warroad continued to build on their lead with another steal for a layup, and five minutes into the game, they led 8-3.
Crookston settled down and answered with a 9-2 run to take a 12-10 lead with back-to-back baskets from Caden Boike. The game was tied at 12 before Crookston built a 20-14 lead behind a Hunter Nicholas rebound and putback, a Pirate steal that led to a Gavin Winger basket, and a Giese free throw.
Warroad battled back to tie the game at 22-22 with 6:47 left in the half. The teams exchanged baskets for several minutes, and with 1:15 remaining, Crookston led 29-28. The final minute-plus belonged to Crookston’s Hunter Nicholas as he scored the final seven points of the half, and the Pirates led 36-28 at halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Crookston had a solid start to the second half as Ryan Abeld buried a three-pointer, and Caden Boike had a basket for a 41-28 lead. Warroad stopped the run with back-to-back baskets before Abeld scored five straight points for a 46-32 lead less than four minutes into the half.
Warroad slowly chipped away at the deficit and forced Crookston into some turnovers and converted them into easy points, and got within a 52-45 deficit with less than seven minutes left in the game. Crookston responded with four straight points from Nicholas before Warroad responded with a Thompson basket, a Logan Kvarnlov steal for a basket, and a Zachary Rose free throw and the Warriors trailed 56-50. Crookston’s defense was stellar in the final four minutes of the game as they only gave up two points and pulled away for a 61-52 victory.
Crookston improves to 1-2 on the year and will host Hawley on Monday. Warroad drops to 0-3 on the year.
FOR COACH GREG GARMEN’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
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1st
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2nd
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Final
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CROOKSTON
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36
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25
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61
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Warroad
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28
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24
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52
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CROOKSTON
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Points
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Rebounds
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Assists/Steals
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Hunter Nicholas
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23
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16
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2 blocks
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Ryan Abeld
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11
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5
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4 steals
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Caden Boike
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9
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Tanner Giese
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7
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5 assists/2 steals
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Reggie Winjum
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6
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Gavin Winger
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5
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5
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For Warroad
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Points
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Gage Thomas
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19
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Kason Pietruzewski
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11
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Tedd Eastvold
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11
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Logan Kvarnlov
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6
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Zachary Rose
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5
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