PIRATE GIRLS BASKETBALL SENIORS LEAD THE WAY TO A PLAYOFF WIN OVER HAWLEY

It was a tale of two halves as Crookston struggled offensively in the first half, but blew the game open with 41 second-half points on their way to an impressive 62-49 victory over the Hawley Nuggets in the Section 8AA Quarterfinals played in Hawley. 

FIRST HALF 
Crookston scored the first points of the game when Ally Perreault scored in the paint. for a 2-0 lead.  Hawley responded with 10-1 run over the next several minutes for a 10-3 lead with about 11 minutes left in the half.  “Offensively we were struggling and they were taking us out of things we wanted to do,” said Coach Darin Zimmerman. Crookston answered with back-to-back baskets from Perreault who scored the first seven Pirate points to get within a 10-7 deficit. “Ally had the best game of her career today,” said Coach Zimmerman. “Offensively, defensively and she was rebounding and she had a great game.” Hawley would slowly pull away for a 19-12 lead with six minutes left in the half and things weren’t going well for Crookston on the offensive end.  That all changed when Crookston senior Emma Osborn made a three-pointer with five minutes left in the half.  All of a sudden it looked like the Pirates flipped the switch and started playing a lot better on both ends of the floor.  Crookston didn’t allow a point in the final six minutes of the half while Madison Hoiland and Halle Winjum added baskets to tie the game at 19 going into halftime. “I think we had settled in a little bit and defensively we dug in a little bit,” said Coach Zimmerman. “It allowed us to get back into it one possession at a time.  We were happy to be tied, but I think the girls were a little peeved at the same time because we didn’t play as well as they could have.”

SECOND HALF 
Crookston started the second half like the finished the first half.  Osborn buried a three-pointer 13 seconds into the half and Perreault added two free throws.  After a Hawley basket, Perreault added another basket for a 26-21 lead.  “That was so important,” said Coach Zimmerman. “That shot by Emma was big right away and it was the start we needed.” Hawley battled back to get within a 29-27 deficit before the Pirates went on a 7-0 run with five points from Osborn and a basket from Perreault for a 36-27 lead. “Our adrenaline was going at that point and really got us going,” said Coach Zimmerman. Once again, Hawley battled back to get within a 38-34 deficit after a Kaylie Crabtree three-pointer with 10:47 remaining.  Once again, Osborn wasn’t going to allow the Nuggets to think they were going to come back as she made a three-pointer, and another senior, Hayden Winjum added a basket after a pass from her younger sister Halle for a 43-34 lead halfway through the half.  “We found a way to answer them every time they tried to make a run and that was great to see,” said Coach Zimmerman. After a Hawley free throw, Osborn buried another three-pointer for a 46-35 lead.  The teams exchanged baskets before Perreault scored in the post and on the next possession, Perreault got a pass in the post and was triple-teamed.  She kicked a pass to Osborn in the corner and instead of Emma shooting the ball she made the extra pass to a wide-open Halle Winjum and she made a three-pointer from the wing for a 53-40 lead with 5:12 left in the game.  Crookston led 56-41 after the seventh three-pointer of the game from Osborn, the Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball career three-point leader and it proved to be important.  Hawley scored the next eight points while the Pirates tried to slow things down and all of a sudden the Nuggets were within a 56-49 deficit with 2:22 left in the game.  The Nuggets had a chance to get closer but missed the free throws.  Crookston grabbed the rebound and worked the ball around the perimeter and Halle Winjum was double-teamed and saw a wide-open Perreault in the paint and Ally scored for a 58-49 lead.  Winjum added two free throws with one minute left for a 60-49 lead and they would hold on for a 62-49 victory.  “We didn’t play a great first half, but we played like we are capable in the second half and that was great to see and it is where the two losses at the end of the regular season has helped us,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We made big shots and our seniors were awesome tonight.”

Crookston improves to 23-5 on the year and will play Fergus Falls on Wednesday, March 9 at Detroit Lakes High School in the Section 8AA semi-finals.  Hawley ends the season with a 20-5 record.

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