• Video: Highlights from the Freeman and Emerson-Hubbard game:
• Photo Showcase: Friday's semifinals
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Adam Frerichs looked, waited, and then shot the three.
With only 2:45 left in Freeman's Class D-1 semifinal matchup against Emerson-Hubbard, Frerich's shot was the beginning of the end. The Falcons took the lead and never relinquished it on their way to the 43-36 win.
“I thought that was the point of the game, and I kind of knew that at the time,” Emerson-Hubbard coach Dan Bormann said. “I thought if we could just come down and at least answer, it would have been huge. When we didn't, you could see our kids deflate a bit.”
Frerich's three was the second of two, back to back, for the Falcons. Kellen Unvert scored the first, sparking his own 7-point fourth quarter. Unvert's next four points opened the lead and put his team ahead 36-30.
Unvert's 11 points lead all Freedom scorers, while Eric Rapp put up 10 and Kyle Schlake scored nine. The Falcon's ability to spread the ball and hit crucial shots in the second half proved too much for Emerson-Hubbard's defense.
A 6-9 senior, Schlake was limited by a physical Emerson-Hubbard defense. For Schlake, though, that didn't matter.
“If they take away me, there's plenty of shooters out there on our team,” Schlake said. “They can take me away all they want. They'll knock down the three's”
Emerson-Hubbard jumped out to a fast start in the game, thanks to Max Renning's opening three. The Pirates scored the first 8 points of the game, but then allowed Freeman to string together 11 straight points.
The Falcon's ability to make free-throws ultimately sealed the victory, going 10-12 in the fourth quarter.
“We've been shooting free throws well, and sometimes not so well,” Freeman coach Jim McLaughlin said. “I was real proud to see our kids step up.”
Freeman (24-2) ………………4 13 8 18 -- 43
Emerson-Hubbard (21-6)….…. 8 7 8 13 -- 36
• FR: Kellen Unvert 11, Eric Rapp 10, Kyle Schlake 9, Jordan Pella 6, Adam Frerichs 5, Dallas Ashelford 2,
• EH: Max Renning 11, A.J. Borman 8, Austin Gutzmann 8, Scott Servine 7, Derick Lux 2,
• Officials: Jamie Aren, Doug Hartner, Chris Mustard
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