The Hawley Nuggets used several big runs throughout the game to beat the Crookston Pirate boy’s basketball team 76-40 in the first round of the Section 8AA tournament in Hawley.
First Half –
Crookston scored the first points of the game with a Tanner Giese three-pointer for a 3-0 lead. Â Hawley answered with five straight points before Giese recorded a three-point play to give Crookston a 6-5 lead. Â The Nuggets’ Noah Nelson responded with a three-pointer before Crookston’s Hunter Nicholas scored two straight baskets on nice assists from Ryan Abeld for a 10-8 lead with 13:45 left in the half. Â Crookston, as they have all season long, went into an offensive drought after Hawley picked up the defensive pressure and went on a 12-3 run to take a 20-13 lead halfway through the half. Crookston stopped the run with a Giese three-pointer for his ninth point of the game to get within a 20-16 deficit. Â Hawley responded with a 9-0 run, with three different players scoring for a 29-16 lead with five minutes left in the half. Â The Pirates stopped the Hawley run with a Ryan Abeld reverse layup, but Hawley slowly built a 37-18 lead late in the half. Â Crookston finished the half strong by scoring the final five points, with Jack Everett scoring a basket and Reggie Winjum recording the final three points to bring the Pirates within a 37-23 deficit.
Second Half –
Crookston had a solid start to the second half as Nicholas made a basket in the paint, and Winjum made a three-pointer from the corner to cap a 10-0 run from the end of the first half into the start of the second half to get within 37-28 deficit two minutes into the half. Â Hawley answered with an 11-2 run for a 48-30 lead. Â Crookston’s Giese made a three-pointer to bring his team within a 48-33 deficit six minutes into the half. Â Hawley used tough defense and turned Pirate turnovers into easy points on an 11-2 run for a 59-35 lead. Â Giese stopped the run again, this time with a basket, only to have Hawley respond with a 17-0 run for a 76-37 lead with 1:26 left in the game. Â Both teams went deeper into the bench, and Crookston ended the game with five seniors on the floor, Gavin Winger, Omar Petithomme, Ryan Abeld, George Widman, and Elliot Bartrum. Â Winger scored two points, and Petithomme made one free throw. Â Widman had a three-pointer at the buzzer go halfway down and pop out, and Hawley won the game 76-40.
Crookston’s season comes to an end with a record of 8-19 on the year, and will say goodbye to six seniors. Â Tanner Giese, Gavin Winger, Omar Petithomme, Ryan Abeld, George Widman, and Elliot Bartrum.
Hawley improves to 16-9 on the year and will host Wadena-Deer Creek on Saturday in the Section 8AA quarterfinals.
FOR COACH GREG GARMEN’S POST-GAME COMMENTS CLICK BELOW-
Â
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1st
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2ndÂ
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Final
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Crookston
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23
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17 | 40 |
CROOKSTON
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37
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39 | 76 |
For CROOKSTON
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Points
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Rebounds
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Assists/Steals
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Tanner Giese
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16 | 5 |
2 assists/2 steals
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Reggie Winjum
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8 |
2
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Hunter Nicholas
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6
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4
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Isaac Thomforde
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3 |
2
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Ryan Abeld |
2
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5
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3 assists/3 steals
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Jack Everett
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2
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4
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Gavin Winger
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2
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Omar Petithomme
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1
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For Hawley
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Points
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Derek Tibbits
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18
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Sam Senske
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15
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Brevin Stoa
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14
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Noah Nelson
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14
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Mason Graaton
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6
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Jack Justesen
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5
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Landon Bakke
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4
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