Estherville, Iowa — January 14, 2026 — Despite a furious second‑half surge, the Iowa Lakes Community College men's basketball team came up just short in a 78–72 home loss to #6 Ellsworth Community College on Wednesday night at the Iowa Lakes Gymnasium.

Ellsworth (16–2, 7–2) built a 10‑point halftime advantage, leading 38–28 at the break. Iowa Lakes (2–16, 0–9) responded with a strong second half, outscoring the Panthers 44–40, but could not fully overcome the early deficit.

Lakers' Offensive Leaders

Freshman guard Jermaine Freeman paced Iowa Lakes with 24 points, adding 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Germaal Forde provided a spark off the bench, scoring 16 points on an efficient 7‑of‑9 shooting performance. 

Sharpshooter Cooper Harris added 15 points, knocking down four threes (4‑of‑6 from deep), while Byron Maina chipped in 6 points and 3 rebounds in reserve minutes. 

Team Performance

Iowa Lakes shot 38.0% from the field and 23.8% from three‑point range while finishing 13‑of‑20 at the free‑throw line. The Lakers collected 33 total rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass, and recorded 7 assists, 6 steals, and 5 blocks.

Ellsworth's offensive balance proved decisive, led by Jayden Pretty's 21 points and 18 rebounds, which helped the Panthers maintain control on the boards with a 51–33 advantage.