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Second-half surge helps Fremd past Mundelein

Any player or coach will stress how important the first three minutes are when starting a game, as the tone and momentum start taking shape.

For the Fremd boys basketball team Saturday, the first three minutes of the second half were perhaps even more important.

That's when the Vikings broke open a close game on the way to a 64-42 victory over host Mundelein in the final game of the Mustang Thanksgiving tournament.

Fremd finished second at 4-1 in the six-team round-robin event, while Mundelein was 3-2. Lake Forest Academy won the tournament after going 4-1 with a head-to-head win over Fremd.

"We started slow the first couple of games and it was nice to bounce back after that loss (to Lake Forest Academy)," said junior forward Bryce Hopkins, who popped in 12 points and was named to the all-tournament team. "We shot the ball well. Just whoever was open, take the shot."

Fremd took 37 field goal attempts and made 26 of them, including 12 from behind the 3-point arc.

"It was so important coming out aggressive, especially to start the second half," said Fremd senior forward Ryan Martin, who tied for game-high scoring honors with senior guard Isaiah Turner at 17 points. Martin was also named to the all-tournament team. "We moved the ball around well and were very unselfish."

After muscling its way to a 31-27 halftime advantage, Fremd opened that second half with a 9-0 spurt. The run was capped by a Martin free throw, making it 40-27 in Fremd's favor with 5:20 left in the period.

The Vikings ended up outscoring the Mustangs 19-4 in the frame to take a 50-31 lead heading to the fourth. The lone Mundelein points in the third quarter came on a pair of free throws by both senior forward James Willman (4 points) and senior center Andrew Silva (6 points).

"They hit their 3s, but we never packed it up," said Mundelein first-year coach Matt Badgley, who team plays at Vernon Hills next Friday night and will be looking for its fourth win, which would match last year's total.

"We're still very upbeat," said Badgley. "A little dejected - but that's good, because there are new expectations here.

"We just had a hard time getting going tonight. But I like the spot we're in. We have good size and that's one of our strengths we need to keep building on."

Both teams came out on a torrid pace, with Fremd grabbing a 19-15 lead after the first quarter. Martin had 7 points for Fremd, while Mustangs senior forward Jeff Bikus scored 9 of his team-high 11 points in the first. Freshman guard Conor Enright (8 points) also chipped in 4 points in the first to keep Mundelein close.

Enright scored 4 more in the second quarter, as did senior guard Tommy Marcotte, who finished with 5 points.

But Martin, Turner and Hopkins all hit treys to help preserve the lead heading into the locker room.

Bikus and Marcotte were named to the all-tournament team for Mundelein.

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