Boys Basketball State Tournament 2024: Class AA Championship

Making history was perilously close to not happening for the Breck Boys Basketball Team. This season of destiny was on the verge of ending up like the Golden Valley-based school’s only other state tournament trip, a runner-up finish in Class AA in 2006. A large lead over No. 3-seeded Lake City had dissipated to one point with just more than two minutes remaining in the Class AA championship game Saturday, March 23 at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.

Senior guard Daniel Freitag, a University of Wisconsin recruit, sensed it and seized the moment and made sure the Mustangs’ dream became a reality.

He scored 33 points, including six down the stretch as Breck held off Lake City to record a dramatic and tense 76-72 victory. Junior guard Miles Newton had 16 points and seven rebounds while sophomore guard Deangelo Dungey chipped in 12 in helping the Mustangs (31-1) secure the first state championship in boys basketball.

Breck finished the season on a nine-game winning streak. The Mustangs’ only loss came to Minneapolis Washburn in a 66-64 setback on Feb. 10. In assembling a 22-game winning streak to open the year, many of those victories came against schools in either Class AAA or Class AAAA.

Perhaps just as valuable as his offense was a key defensive play turned in by Freitag and his teammates that prevented the Tigers (26-6) from either tying the score or clinching an upset with a three-pointer. With 9.3 seconds remaining in regulation time, Lake City had an inbounds under its own basket. Following a time out to draw up a play, the Tigers were unable to convert, in part, to a deflection by Freitag. When the play was foiled, Lake City was forced to foul.

Freitag promptly made two free throws to set the score with 2.4 seconds left in regulation.

Lake City gave Breck fits throughout. Although the Tigers trailed by as many as 12 with 7:03 left in the second half, Lake City didn’t wilt. They kept charging and put pressure on the Mustangs to make plays.

Senior guard Hunter Lorenson scored 19 points and had seven rebounds for the Tigers. Senior forward Rylee Fick was next with 15.

Third place

• Albany 70, Minnehaha Academy 53: Albany turned a narrow halftime lead into a convincing victory with an impressive second half en route to recording a victory over Minnehaha Academy for the third-place trophy at the Gangelhoff Center on the Concordia (St. Paul) campus. Junior guard Zeke Austin, who reached the career 1,000-point milestone in Friday’s semifinals, starred again with 28 points, including making 5 of 10 three-pointers. Junior forward Sam Hondl had 17 points for the Huskies (30-3). Senior guard Lorenzo Levy had 21 points for the Redhawks (15-16).