On the opening possession of the third quarter of Freeman Academy/Marion’s game against Castlewood on the consolation side of the State B bracket Friday afternoon, March 18, senior Quincy Blue got a good look at a three-pointer from the elbow. The ball rattled in and out of the iron.

The 70 points posted by Freeman Academy/Marion in its opening game of the State B Basketball Tournament Thursday night, March 18 were more than any of the six teams who played before them produced. But White River scored 75, and 43 of those came from junior sensation Joe Sayler.

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In the same way the Region 5B final of last year sticks with the Freeman Academy/Marion basketball community, so will the Region 5B final of Friday night, March 4, 2022 — this one for an entirely different reason.

When Freeman Academy/Marion takes the court against Irene-Wakonda at Freeman Public Friday night, March 4, they will be playing with both a chip on their shoulder and deep motivation in their heart.

For the third year in a row, the Freeman Academy/Marion boys will be playing in the final round of the Region 5B Tournament. But this time they’re the favorite to win. The Bearcats are the region’s top seed and will square off against No. 4 Irene-Wakonda Friday night, March 4 in a game scheduled to tip at 6 p.m. at Freeman Public. Freeman Public is hosting both Region 5B finals on Friday; No. 2 Viborg-Hurley will face No. 3 Centerville in the second game. The winners of Friday’s games will play in the SoDak 16 next Tuesday.

REGION 5B BOYS BASKETBALL Cubs spoil Flyers’ bid for revenge The Freeman Public boys wanted payback against Alcester-Hudson for a 2-point loss during the regular season. Instead, they were dealt an excruciating defeat JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER Riley Tschetter went to state to win, and win he did — not once, not twice, but three teams. The result? Seventh place for an eighth grader who was among the youngest medal-winners there. Competing in his second State Wrestling Tournament at the Denny Sanford Premeir Center in Sioux Falls last Thursday and Friday, Feb. 24 and 25, Tschetter finished 3-2 in the 132 lb. weight class and won key matches en route to his spot on the podium.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER All the big shots, defensive stands and never-give-ups the Flyers could muster weren’t quite enough to score a memorable upset that would have stunned a peppy Centerville team that in no way, shape or form expected to lose.

A game that looked like it might go down to the wire ended up swinging in favor of Freeman late and the Flyers emerged from a physical battle with Scotland claiming a win in the second round of the Region 5B Tournament Tuesday night, Feb. 22.