Iowa Falls, Iowa — February 4, 2026 —
The Iowa Lakes Community College men's basketball team was unable to keep pace with sixth-ranked Ellsworth Community College, falling 89–59 Wednesday night at Dittmer Gym.

Ellsworth built momentum early, taking a 43–29 lead into halftime, and continued to extend the advantage in the second half by outscoring the Lakers 46–30 over the final 20 minutes. Iowa Lakes battled throughout but struggled to find consistency on the offensive end against the Panthers' pressure and depth.

Iowa Lakes had balanced scoring, with Jermaine Freeman, Steven Martinez, Timothy Ofesi, and Germaal Forde each finishing with 12 points. Freeman added five assists, while Martinez recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Lakers on the glass.

Ofesi shot 6-of-12 from the field and added three blocks, while Forde provided a spark off the bench, knocking down 6-of-8 free throws. Jorge Castro finished with seven points, and Byron Maina chipped in four points.

As a team, Iowa Lakes shot 33.9 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from three-point range (4-of-18), while converting 13-of-19 free throws (68.4 percent). 

Looking ahead, Iowa Lakes will take on #2-ranked Des Moines Area Community College at home on Saturday, February 7th at 3 p.m.