Lakeville North Forward Tyler Flack To Sign With South Dakota Wednesday

Tyler Flack, a 6-foot-6 senior forward from , signed his letter of intent with South Dakota Wednesday. This will make him the first Lakeville player to ever sign with a Division I school.

Flack averaged 11.2 points per game last season for the Panthers who finished 12-15, losing to . He was the team’s second leading scorer and reached double figures in 16 of 26 games. Flack had 20 or more points three times, including a season-best 21 points.

The Panthers were a young team last season with just two seniors, Adam Petterson (who averaged a team-best 13.5 points per game) and Al Erickson. They are expected to be one of the top teams in the South Suburban Conference and with the move from Section three to one, they have a good chance of making the state tournament.

Patch.com recently caught up with Flack to learn the latest on his college choice and upcomnig season.

Lakeville Patch: What was it about South Dakota that made you decide that was where you wanted to be?

Tyler Flack: I liked the players. I felt that I fit with a lot of the players there. My position was needed there and I felt that I could get playing time as a freshman. My family and friends can come to game, too.

Lakeville Patch: You also visited Bowling Green. What was that like?

Tyler Flack: It was good. I liked all the coaches and the players. They have some brand new facilities that are very nice.

Lakeville Patch: Did you feel like a weight was lifted off your shoulder when you made your college choice?

Tyler Flack: Yes. It is a lot better because I can focus on my high school season.

Lakeville Patch: You have to feel pretty proud that you are the first Lakeville player to ever sign with a Division I basketball program?

Tyler Flack: I am pretty proud about it. It is nice. 

Lakeville Patch: You had a strong AAU season with the Minnesota Select program. How pleased were you with your team’s play this spring and summer?

Tyler Flack: It went really well. We like to play with each other a lot. We all hang out together and we get along really good.

Lakeville Patch: Do you think that helped in terms of team chemistry that you got along so well?

Tyler Flack: Yes, because we liked to pass the ball to each other. We didn’t care who got the basket. We just wanted the team to win a lot more than other AAU teams.

Lakeville Patch: What was it like traveling so much this summer. You played in Indianapolis, Louisville, Las Vegas and Los Angeles in July.

Tyler Flack: It was pretty crazy to see all those different teams. I had only played in Minnesota mostly as an AAU player. This was the first time, I traveled to all these other places. There are a lot of kids who are really good.

Lakeville Patch: How much did you gain from that experience playing all over the country against great competition?

Tyler Flack: A lot. When you are playing against high school teams, there are not a lot of players that are that great, but we played against players from other states that are just ridiculous. Playing against them really helps me grow as a player. I played on the wing a lot more this summer and gained the experience of handling the ball.

Lakeville Patch: What types of things have you been working on to get ready for your senior season and continue to improve yourself as a player?

Tyler Flack: I have been playing post a lot and I am trying to work on the wing more. I have been working out with a trainer (former Minnesota Gopher guard Mitch Ohnstad) who helps me with my dribbling, driving and outside shooting. He has been helping me a lot. We are also playing in the fall league.

Lakeville Patch: What are the expectations for your team at Lakeville North? You lost two seniors, but you have most of the team back this season.

Tyler Flack: I think that we can definitely win a state championship. We have a lot of good players on our team and we have a lot of experience, so I think that we will do pretty good. We have a lot of players who have been practicing a lot and they have gotten so much better. We have every position filled, so we should be really good. Our goal is to win the conference and see how far we can go in the state.

Lakeville Patch: You have a lot of football players who are still playing that sport. Does that make in tough in open gyms and fall leagues to not have them with you?

Tyler Flack: It is a little bit tough when a lot of the guys aren’t getting the reps that the other players are getting, but I think it will work out in time. A lot of players that just play basketball are getting more time playing with the varsity.