PIRATE GIRLS BASKETBALL LAST-SECOND SHOT BLOCKED IN LOSS TO #3 RANKED GRAFTON

SECOND QUARTER–
Chloe Boll continued her impressive play in the second quarter as she scored two more points with a nice drive to the lane and followed on the next possession with another basket to give the Pirates a 15-13 lead less than a minute into the quarter. Crookston’s offense went cold, and the defense struggled boxing out as Grafton went on an 8-0 run over three minutes for a 21-15 lead. Crookston’s Grace Boll scored in the paint to stop the run before Grafton added another basket for a 23-19 Spoiler lead with 3:15 left in the half.
Crookston picked up the defense in the final minutes, and Chloe Boll took over on the offensive end and scored a basket after a Pirate offensive rebound. With four seconds left in the half, she added another basket to bring the Pirates within a 23-21 deficit at halftime.

THIRD QUARTER-
The teams exchanged baskets for the first four minutes before Grafton hit a three-pointer to take a 31-27 lead. Crookston finished the final three minutes of the quarter strong with a Naomi Johnson rebound and putback to get within a 31-29 deficit. Grafton responded with another three-pointer for a 34-29 lead with 2:11 remaining. Crookston’s Christensen buried a three-pointer to spark a 7-0 Pirate run to end the quarter. Chloe Boll added a basket before Isabelle Smith scored with 30 seconds left to give the Pirates a 36-34 lead at the end of the quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER-
Crookston carried the run from the third quarter over to the fourth as Brooklyn Waldal scored 40 seconds into the final quarter for a 38-34 lead. Grafton battled back with a 5-1 run to tie the game at 39. Trailing 42-40, Crookston tied the game with a free throw apiece from Nesseth and Gunderson for a 42-42 tie. The rest of the game turned into a free throw shooting contest as Grafton made three of four free throws. Crookston missed two over the next two minutes, and the Spoilers led 45-42 with two minutes left in the game. Crookston turned the ball over before Grafton scored on a layup for a 47-42 lead before Christensen tracked down a rebound and brought the ball up the floor before she made a three-pointer to bring the Pirates within a 47-45 deficit with 51 seconds remaining. Grafton ran the shot clock down, and with 17 seconds left on the clock, they were called for a travel, giving Crookston the ball for a chance to tie the game or possibly win with a three-point play or three-pointer. Crookston tried a three-pointer with four seconds left, but it was partially tipped, and Grafton held on for a 47-45 victory.

Crookston drops to 0-1 on the year and will play at Theif River Falls on Friday. Grafton improves to 1-0 on the year. 

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