The Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team scored four points in the final 52-seconds of the game to beat the Roseau Rams 73-70 on Senior Night in a Section 8AA game played in Crookston.
FIRST HALF –
Crookston had a great start to the game by going on a 5-0 run with a steal and a basket from Hunter Nicholas, a free throw from Jack Garmen, and a basket by Jacob Hesby to start the game. Roseau finally scored their first points of the game when Gunnar Lund got a nice pass from Jordan Borowicz for a layup to get within a 5-2 deficit with 13:34 left in the half.
Roseau would continue to battle back and took a 9-8 lead after a Lund three-pointer almost halfway through the half. The teams started to pick up the offense for the rest of the half. Crookston regained the lead with a Ryan Abeld layup and a Garmen basket. Roseau battled back to tie the game at 15 with 5:30 remaining in the half. Crookston’s Hesby made a three-pointer to give Crookston the lead for the rest of the first half. Crookston led 18-17 when Hunter Nicholas scored in the paint, and Hesby added five points for a 25-17 lead. The Pirate kept the lead the rest of the half and took a 32-27 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Roseau scored the first points of the second half with a Lund three-pointer to get within a 32-30 deficit in the first minute of the half. Crookston responded with an 8-2 run with four points apiece from Garmen and Ryan Abled for a 40-32 lead over four minutes into the half. Roseau slowly chipped away at the deficit and got within a 49-46 deficit halfway through the half, but Crookston would slowly pull away for a 69-59 lead with three minutes left in the game, and things were looking good for the Pirates. But, Roseau had different ideas as Wyatt Aronson scored five straight points, and seventh-grader Jordan Borowicz made four straight free throws to bring Roseau within a 69-68 deficit. Borowicz made all 12 of his free throw attempts, and Roseau made 20 of 21 attempts. Roseau forced a Crookston turnover, and Aronson scored with 59-seconds remaining for the Ram’s first lead of the second half, 70-69. Crookston’s Hesby got a pass and went coast-to-coast for a layup to give the Pirates a 71-69 lead with 52 seconds remaining. Crookston was able to get the ball back and worked the ball around against Roseau pressure, and Ryan Abeld found a wide-open Hunter Nicholas under the basket, and he laid it in for a 73-70 lead with 11 seconds left in the game. Roseau’s Jordan Borowicz brought the ball up the floor along the far sideline and was able to get a three-point attempt off, but it fell short, and Crookston held on for the 73-70 victory.
Crookston improves to 4-18 on the year and will travel to Wadena-Deer Creek on Friday night. You can hear the game on KROX Radio with the RiverView Health pre-game show at 7:00 p.m. Roseau drops to 4-18 on the year.
J.V. – Roseau won 51-33
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Roseau | 27 | 43 | 70 |
| CROOKSTON | 32 | 41 | 73 |
| For CROOKSTON | Points | Rebounds | Assists/Steals |
| Jack Garmen | 26 | 5 | 3 steals/2 assists |
| Jacob Hesby | 18 | 5 | 5 steals/3 assists |
| Hunter Nicholas | 13 | 6 | 3 steals/2 assists |
| Ryan Abeld | 9 | 3 | 3 steals |
| Tanner Giese | 5 | 3 steals | |
| Evan Christensen | 2 |
| For Roseau | Points |
| Wyatt Aaronson | 22 |
| Wyatt Lund | 21 |
| Jordan Borowicz | 16 |
| Max Wilson | 7 |
| Steele Walsh | 4 |
