MITCHELL — Freeman’s second-quarter surge flipped a tight top-10 Class B matchup into an 18-point boys basketball win on Monday.

Class B No. 8 Freeman used a 26-16 second-quarter margin, sparking a 75-57 win over Class B No. 10 Lyman at the Hoop City Classic. 

It was the nightcap of the classic, and featured a pair of 2025 Class B state boys basketball tournament teams. 

“We were looking forward to it,” Freeman sophomore David Walter said about the matchup. “We were hyped the whole week. Because this is a ranked team and we need to start beating more ranked teams if we are going to up in the rankings.”

Freeman (2-1) showed off its balanced scoring, with Walter (17 points), Luke Peters (16), Tayden Kerrigan (12) and Luke Miller (10) reaching double-digit scoring. Tate Sorensen added eight points and scored his 1,000th career point in the game. 

The Flyers shot 31-of-55 from the field, 8-of-23 from the 3-point line, dished out 20 assists and outrebounded the Raiders (37-21). 

“We played well tonight and Lyman is a really, really good team,” Freeman coach Lance Friesen said. “So I just thought our effort and our togetherness was a lot better than it’s been all year.”

The Flyers and Raiders (2-2) traded baskets in an entertaining first quarter, with Freeman holding an 18-17 advantage. Freeman then surged ahead for a 44-33 halftime lead, and shot 18-of-26 from the field in the first half. 

“We were pressing and they got a few good looks early on and (Lyman guard MJ) Diehm kind of did his thing,” Friesen said. “He’s fully capable and we just tried to keep it in front of us, and then we got hot. We ended up getting a lot of offensive rebounds, some putbacks. The shot chart showed we were just getting really close shots, and you win a lot of games doing that.”

The Flyers stretched the cushion in the second half, leading by as many as 26 points midway through the fourth quarter. 

Diehm led Lyman with 21 points. Cole Kieffer (14 points) and Chase Seaboy (10 points) also scored in double figures.

The Flyers and Raiders both matched up size-wise and athletically, said Friesen. 

“They’re a really good team,” Friesen said. “Very well coached and I thought it would be a great matchup. I know if we ever play them again they will be up for it and they will probably play a little better and we will have to keep getting better ourselves.”

Walter, a 6-foot-4 rising sophomore forward, shined in the contest featuring multi-sport athletes. Walter finished 7-of-8 from the field, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists. He also threw down three slam dunks, including a breakaway jam in the second-quarter spurt and two baselines dunks in the second half. 

“He did his thing,” Friesen said. “He loves going baseline and he can get up. That’s for sure.”

Walter said the Flyers gained even more confidence after the win, and will face Class A Pine Ridge at the Midwest Miracles Classic on Jan. 3 in Mitchell in another marquee game. 

“They’re a good team,” Walter added about Lyman. “So it will help us find the things we need to work on so we can be even better.” 

Lyman will play Bridgewater-Emery at the Midwest Miracles Classic on Jan. 3.