Estherville, Iowa — February 18, 2026 — The Iowa Lakes Community College men's basketball team earned a strong conference win Wednesday night, defeating North Iowa Area Community College 94–84 inside the Iowa Lakes Gymnasium.

Iowa Lakes (5–23, 3–15) led 44–42 at halftime and created separation in the second half behind efficient offense and strong execution. The Lakers shot 49.3 percent from the field and converted 17-of-22 free throws, including 83.3 percent in the second half, to secure the 10-point victory.

Jermaine Freeman led all scorers with 30 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range while adding three assists. Cooper Harris provided a major lift off the bench with 16 points and seven rebounds.

Dominic Preiser controlled the paint with 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, while Steven Martinez added nine points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Jack Wadlington contributed eight points and five assists to help guide the offense.

Iowa Lakes held key advantages inside, outscoring NIACC 46–36 in the paint and outrebounding the visitors 38–26. The Lakers also added 11 second-chance points and received 28 points from the bench in the win.

North Iowa Area (15–13, 7–11) was led by Lance Helming with 20 points, Cameron Reigard with 18 points, and Jacob Martin with 17 points off the bench.

Up Next
Iowa Lakes travels to Iowa Central Community College for a 3 p.m. matchup on Saturday as the Lakers continue conference play.