A quick start propelled the Park Rapids boys basketball team to a 53-47 win over Crookston Friday night at the Area High School gym.
A layup by Tom Juberian, four baskets by Grant Dierkhising and a jumper by Andrew Larson expanded a 10-7 lead for the Panthers to 24-11 with 4:40 to play in the first half.
Crookston went on a 14-2 run to cut the deficit to 26-25 early in the second half, but Dierkhising sparked a 10-2 run by the Panthers to push the lead to 36-27.
The Pirates would close the deficit to 38-35, but Park Rapids would not relinquish the lead in this battle of Section 8AA teams.
Dierkhising led the Panthers with 28 points and six steals. Kevin Vaadeland had eight rebounds, Juber-ian had six rebounds and five assists, Cody Boterman had six rebounds and Dylan Walsh had five assists.
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The win gave Park Rapids a 4-3 record while Crookston fell to 3-4 on the season.
Crookston won the early games, defeating the Panthers 43-39 in the B squad game and 61-41 in the C squad game.
CROOKSTON: Wolpert 19, Kalin 9, Thompson 9, Maiga 8, Crawford 2. Totals: 15 for 43 (FG), 15 for 26 (FT).
PARK RAPIDS: Boterman 3 0-0 6, Dierkhising 11 5-6 28, Juberian 3 1-3 7, Larson 2 1-2 5, Sievers 0 0-2 0, Vaadeland 1 3-3 5, Walsh 1 0-0 2, Dirks 0 0-0 0, Jorgenson 0 0-0 0, Long 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 for 46 (FG), 10 for 16 (FT).
Halftime: Park Rapids 26, Crookston 21. Three-point field goals: Dierkhising 1. Total fouls: Crookston 15, Park Rapids 21. Fouled out: Boterman, Juberian. Rebounds: Park Rapids 28 (Vaadeland 8, Boterman 6, Juberian 6, Dierkhising 4, Sievers 3, Walsh 1). Assists: Park Rapids 17 (Juberian 5, Walsh 5, Dierkhising 3, Vaadeland 3, Sievers 1). Steals: Park Rapids 19 (Dierkhising 6, Juberian 3, Vaadeland 3, Boterman 2, Sievers 2, Walsh 2, Larson 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 1 (Vaadeland 1). Turnovers: Crookston 22, Park Rapids 22.
