The highlight of the game came to end the third quarter as Friery knocked down three free throws with under 2 seconds left and then knocked down a half court heave at the buzzer for an individual 6-0 run to end the quarter and give the Wildcats a huge boost of momentum. After a slow first half offensively, the duo of Friery and Quinn Woidke Quinn Woidke 6'1" | CG Saint Ignatius | 2025 State OH came up huge in the second half with numerous big time plays. Friery had some huge finishes at the rim with an and-1 lefty layup in transition being another crucial turning point in the game. Despite coming up short, Friery and the rest of the Wildcats showed the heart of a champion that helped them win the 2024 state title.

Friery showcased his offensive versatility all throughout this teams win. He scored around the blocks frequently and is very slippery which can make it hard for defenders to contain him. He made a living at the foul line going 8 of 10 from the charity stripe. He had a game high 25 points. He did a great job of running the floor and making the game look easy. Friery flashed from behind the arc with a three. He continues to get better with time and has some upside.

My first viewing of Friery and the Wildcats this season, I was impressed with what he showed me in a high intensity contest. Friery is one of the elite shooters in the 2025 class with the ability to catch fire from downtown and space the floor at 6’9. Friery also scored at the rim efficiently with a couple drives and finishes with his left hand and Friery executed BLOB plays to score. In the second half Friery had a transition dunk where he really extended to throw it down. An improving athlete, Friery is one of the most intriguing players in the Midwest from the class of 2025 and has a ton of long-term upside.

The defending state champions have another loaded roster and Friery is their top prospect. We’ll feature one of his teammates in a later article on this topic but the Wildcats have become a dominant force in Ohio basketball and nobody would bat an eye if they ran it back to Dayton this season. Dayton fittingly is where Friery is committed to play his college basketball at. No Dayton Flyer has ever won the award, could Friery be the first?

One of the top big man shooters in the Midwest, Friery made the New York Gauchos pay for their zone trapping style of defense time and time again. His guard teammates did a nice job of finding Friery in the corner and he knocked down a high percentage of time and space 3-pointers. DePaul offered Friery in the spring and was at his game on Thursday morning, with recent offers from Loyola (Chicago) and Creighton, Friery’s recruitment remains open with a handful of programs keeping close tabs on him.