Two dominant guards in Rocky Ammann and Lane Gray are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Freeman Flyers will take on the Lower Brule Sioux at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Even though Freeman has not done well against Corsica/Stickney recently (they were 0-8 in their previous eight matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. Freeman breezed by Corsica/Stickney at home to the tune of 64-32.
Freeman's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Ammann led the charge by scoring 14 points along with four steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Tate Sorensen, who scored 14 points along with seven rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, Lower Brule unfortunately witnessed the end of their five-game winning streak last Thursday. They took a 73-65 hit to the loss column at the hands of Wessington Springs. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their prior game last Tuesday (56), Lower Brule still had to take the loss.
Despite their loss, Lower Brule saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Gray, who scored 21 points along with five rebounds and two steals, was perhaps the best of all. Gray is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last six games he's played. Another player making a difference was Payton Palmier, who almost dropped a double-double on 15 points and nine rebounds.
Freeman pushed their record up to 11-5 with that victory, which was their seventh straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.9 points per game. As for Lower Brule, their defeat ended a seven-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 9-7.
Saturday's contest is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Freeman have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 42.9% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Lower Brule struggles in that department as they've made 43% of their threes this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
