The Roseau Rams used a 14-0 run in the final minutes of the first half to beat the Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team in a Section 8AA play-in game at the Roseau High School gymnasium.
FIRST HALF
Crookston had a great start. They were playing good defense, moving the ball around, and making shots while jumping to a 10-4 lead. Carter Bruggeman scored six points, Jack Garmen and Tristan Luckow added two points apiece. “The guys came out with some urgency tonight and that was good to see,” said Pirate Coach Greg Garmen. “We were shooting well and came out strong and that was what we wanted to see.”
Roseau answered with a 16-3 run to take a 20-13 lead eight minutes into the game. Crookston’s Jacob Hesby stopped the run with back-to-back three-pointers, and after a Roseau basket, Hesby made another three-pointer to tie the game at 22. Jack Garmen kept the run going with five straight points for a 27-22 lead with 6:24 left in the half. “Jacob has been absolutely on fire the last five games or so,” said Coach Garmen. Crookston led 34-30 with 2:45 left in the half when Roseau went on a 14-0 run behind Jed Dunham’s 11 points for a 44-34 lead at halftime. Dunham scored 24 of Roseau’s 44 first-half points. “That bad stretch really hurt us. That was about the same time we took Carter Bruggeman out because he was in foul trouble,” said Coach Garmen. “Instead of going into halftime down four we were down by 10 and that hurt us. Dunham has had 24, 24, and now 28 against us this year and he has been a battle for us and we didn’t hold him in check like we needed to.”
SECOND HALF
Crookston had a good start to the second half with Jack Garmen scoring five points and Luckow adding a basket for a 7-0 run to get within a 44-41 deficit less than four minutes into the half. “That was a good start and we were making some shots,” said Coach Garmen. “We were also playing some pretty good defense to shut them out early.”
The teams exchanged baskets before Roseau went on a 9-0 run behind five straight points from Clive Gordon for a 55-43 lead halfway through the half. Roseau kept the lead around 10-points for the next six minutes. Crookston trailed 65-51 with 2:30 left in the game when they mounted a comeback. Carter Bruggeman and Brooks Butt made back-to-back three-pointers. After Roseau made two free throws, Butt made another three-pointer. Roseau made another free throw before the red-hot Butt made his third three-pointer in 69 seconds to get within a 69-63 deficit with 51-seconds left in the game. That was as close as Crookston would get, as the Rams held for a 74-65 Victory. “We came back a couple of times, but we couldn’t stop guys when we needed to,” said Coach Garmen. “I thought we shot well and had some different guys step up. Jacob Hesby continued to make some shots, Jack made some shots, and Brooksy (Brooks Butt) came in and made some three-pointers and we told him he needed to shoot more.”
Crookston’s season comes to an end with a 2-17 record. The Pirates say goodbye to five seniors, Easton Tangquest, Carter Brugamen, Jacob Miller, Lucas Winger, Karsten Isaacson, and manager Jasmine Haglund.
Roseau improves to 7-11 on the year and will travel to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on Thursday.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| CROOKSTON | 34 | 31 | 65 |
| Roseau | 44 | 30 | 74 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebounds | Assists/Steals |
| Jack Garmen | 19 | 6 | 4 assists/2 steals |
| Jacob Hesby | 12 | ||
| Carter Bruggeman | 11 | 6 | 2 assists |
| Brooks Butt | 9 | ||
| Tristan Luckow | 8 | 5 | |
| Easton Tangquist | 6 | 5 | 4 assists |
| For Roseau | Points |
| Jed Dunham | 28 |
| Wyatt Aronson | 16 |
| Steele Walsh | 14 |
| Clive Gordon | 9 |
| David Nelson | 5 |
| Peter Vandewege | 2 |
