Flandreau's Jacob Patterson drives to the basket as Sioux Valley's Tyler Christensen applies defensive pressure in the third quarter of the Fliers? 65-60 Big East/Lake Central Conference win over the Cossacks on Thursday in Volga. Chris Mangan/Register

VOLGA The Sioux Valley boys' basketball team suffered a rare home loss Thursday evening falling to the visiting Flandreau Fliers 65-60 .

Sioux Valley started the game hoping for a win that would help the Cossacks prepare for postseason play and also even things with Flandreau, which had beaten Sioux Valley by 32 points in the Big East Tourney.

The game started well for the Cossacks as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead and midway through the first quarter bumped the lead to eight points.

Flandreau fought back and at the end of one it was 18-16 , Sioux Valley.

The second quarter was even closer with three ties and seven lead changes. At the half Sioux Valley was on top by one. Both coaches said it was the type of game they had been expecting.

"We knew to keep it close to give ourselves a chance," said Sioux Valley head coach Bill Vincent.

Flandreau head coach Eric Bass said, "I was telling our players this game was not going to be as easy as the first one against Sioux Valley. I also told them the first four minutes of the second half were going to be very big." Bass' prediction was on the money.

Flandreau outscored the Cossacks 16-7 in the third quarter to take an eight-point lead.

According to Bass, "We were a lot better at getting to the rim in the third quarter and defensively we were able to get some turnovers. If we don't get some turnovers, we're going to struggle ."

The fourth quarter was a high-scoring affair with the Cossacks going all out.

Near the end Tanner Thompson-Moad hit three straight treys for Sioux Valley to bring the Cossacks within five points.

That was as close as the game would get as Flandreau held on for the win.

Vincent said, "I thought both teams came out with a lot of energy, but obviously we came out flat in the third quarter. They got things going; got the lead that they could maintain and held us off down the stretch."

Bass, meanwhile, called the win a big one for the Fliers.

"Our kids kind of validated some things," he said.

Thompson-Moad was the top scorer for Sioux Valley with 14 points.Nathan Kramer was right behind with 12.

For the Fliers, Luke Gassman hit for 18 points and Russ Hendrickson added 15. Both teams will be back in action Saturday. Sioux Valley is on the road at Parker. "We've got to continue to improve and get ourselves ready for post-season play," Vincent said. Flandreau, meanwhile, hosts Hamlin. "We've now won two in a row. A win against Hamlin will get us back to .500 and maybe we can keep going from there," Bass said. FLANDREAU 65, SIOUX VALLEY 60 Flandreau (6-7 ) Jacob Patterson 4-7 0-0 9, David Parsley 0-0 0-0 0, Russ Hendrickson 6-14 2-2 15, Garrett Carr 2-3 2-3 7, Nic Behrens 3-6 1-2 8, Luke Gassman 7-12 0-1 18, Joe Parsley 4-7 0-0 8, Add New Player 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-51 5-8 65 Sioux Valley (10-4 ) Tanner Thompson-Moad 5-11 1-2 14, Tucker Antonsen 1-3 0-0 2, Garrett Schmidt 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Christensen 3-4 0-0 6, Jesse Schilling 4-10 0-0 9, Nathan Kramer 5-10 1-2 12, Donovan Koerlin 0-0 0-0 0, Brady Will 3-5 3-6 9, Tyler Hanson 4-8 0-0 8, Dane Larsen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-51 5-10 60 Flandreau 16 15 16 18 65 Sioux Valley 18 14 7 21 60 3-point goals F 8-23 (Patterson 1-4 , Hendrickson 1-3 , Carr 1-2 , Behrens 1-4 , Gassman 4-8 , Add New Player 0-2 ), SV 5-17 (Thompson-Moad 3-8 , Schilling 1-3 , Kramer 1-4 , Will 0-2 ). Rebounds Flandreau 20, SV 34 (Kramer 7). Fouls Flandreau 8, SV 14. Fouled out none. Technical none. Assists F 16 (Hendrickson 7), SV 17 (Christensen 6). Steals F 12 (Hendrickson 5), SV 8 (Thompson-Moad 2, Christensen 2, Will 2). Blocked shots F 4 (Hendrickson 3), SV 2 (Kramer, Hanson). Turnovers F 12, SV 20.