Freeport boys win section opener over visiting Deer Lakes

By: Josh Rizzo
Friday, December 12, 2025 | 10:00 PM

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Freeport guard Bryson Paga didn’t want to wilt when the Deer Lakes boys basketball team turned up the heat. Paga and his teammates weren’t perfect — the Yellowjackets had their fair share of passes deflected and stolen — but were crisp enough to build a 16-point halftime lead.

Freeport survived three missed free throws late and held off a charge by the Lancers to open Section 1-4A play with a 71-67 win Friday night at Freeport Middle School.

“We were worrying about the trap and how we are going to get into it,” Paga said. “Carson Kane, Gavin Tola and I were able to handle the ball. It was important to do that against a high pressure team.”

The Yellowjackets (2-3, 1-0) broke things open early in the second quarter. Freeport, which turned in a season high in points scored, opened the quarter on a 10-1 run stretching its lead to 22-11. Owen Westerndorf made a jumper, Tola added five points and Kane had a 3 for the Yellowjackets.

“It was our best game sharing the ball for a full game,” Freeport coach Richard Macura II said. “We’ve had a quarter here or a quarter there. We put it together tonight. When you trust your teammates it’s better against a pressing team like that.”

Tola made five 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 21 points. Kane finished with 20 points, and Paga added 16.

“I thought they shared the ball well, they hit the open guy and they were unselfish all night long,” Lancers coach Albie Fletcher said. “We didn’t do that. They played as one unit that was hungry.”

To combat Deer Lakes’ press, the Yellowjackets turned up the intensity themselves.

It was a physical game with most of the first quarter featuring players from both sides jumping on any ball that hit the deck.

“We had to come out strong with our energy,” Paga said. “That led to us coming out and diving on the ball and getting on every loose ball.”

The Lancers (2-3, 0-1) have lost three straight games. Deer Lakes’ offense has struggled to get into rhythm.

Though the Lancers led 6-2 early in the game, they didn’t make any 3-pointers in the first half.

“We’ve been using our defense to create offense,” Fletcher said. “Teams know that. They scout. They do their homework. We have to get better on offense.”

That didn’t mean the Lancers were totally dormant. Deer Lakes scored 51 points in the second half.

After trailing by double figures for much of the third quarter, the Lancers were able to close the gap quickly late. Collin Rodgers, who scored a game-high 29 points, did much of the damage.

Evan Moore added 15 points for the Lancers, but he fouled out with 3 minutes, 9 seconds remaining.

Rodgers made a pair of free throws late to cut the lead to 70-66, and Deer Lakes forced a turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass. However, the Lancers missed a 3-point shot and Freeport was able to add a free throw on at the end to close out the win.

“We’ve seen Deer Lakes. We know they are well-coached, high energy and are going to make a run,” Macura said. “It came during crunch time, and it brought the crowd back into the game.”

Tags: Deer Lakes, Freeport