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Free State players erupt in celebration on the court after pulling off a comeback victory in a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
When freshman hoops guard Morgan McClorey stepped to the charity stripe with 4.3 seconds remaining and the score deadlocked at 48, the fate of Free State girls’ five-year winless drought in Sunflower League-play hung in the balance.
Undeterred by the intense atmosphere inside the Firebirds’ gymnasium Thursday night, McClorey calmly swished both free throws. A last-gasp attempt by the visiting Olathe East Hawks to tie the game was thwarted by a defensive stop, sending the Firebirds to an improbable 50-48 comeback victory.
“I just kept my cool, knowing that those were pretty big shots for the program,” McClorey said.
The sheer jubilation among coaches, players, parents, cheerleaders, and a raucous student section echoed through the building well after the final horn sounded. Spectators were left mesmerized by what had just unfolded after the Firebirds erased a 12-point second-half deficit — and in the process, overcoming an adversity-filled scenario that has eluded the program during its extended winless drought in league play.
Free State earned its first league win since defeating Lawrence High in the City Showdown back on Feb. 19, 2021.
The Firebirds’ furious fourth quarter rally featured a bit of everything: clutch 3-point shooting, myriad loose ball scrums and defensive hustle plays, a hard foul that resulted in the ejection of one of Olathe East’s key cogs — all leading to a frenetic 16-4 run to close the contest.
“We didn’t play well early, but we stayed together and just kept chipping away,” Free State head coach Summer Frantz said. “I thought we had the tougher team down the stretch, and we played in a composed manner.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Sarai Preston secures a jump ball call during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
The Firebirds trailed 39-27 late in the third quarter, but began to thaw out offensively soon after. Senior guard Addie Fulscher opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, followed by a triple from McClorey. Fulscher wasn’t finished, connecting on another 3, but the Firebirds still trailed 46-37 midway through the frame.
McClorey’s score on a physical drive into the lane, followed by a silky-smooth transition lay-in from freshman guard Taylor Hulcher, sliced the deficit to 46-41 with 3:40 remaining.
Showing off her full offensive repertoire, McClorey splashed a tightly defended step-back jumper to whittle the deficit to three.
With Free State back in possession after a defensive stop, Olathe East’s unraveling continued after Katie LeFever was whistled for an intentional foul and ejected from the contest.
The play started with an inbounds pass from Hulcher near midcourt. She tried to lead McClorey into a fastbreak opportunity, only for her pass to go too far and nearly out of bounds along the baseline. Instead, LeFever reeled in the ball, only for an airborne McClorey to desperately swipe the ball away from LeFever.
Hulcher recovered the loose ball and quickly went up for a layup, only to be blocked by Olathe East’s Cameron Hall and the ball rebounded by Hall’s teammate Yasmeen Osman. But Osman only retained possession for a split second before Free State’s Sarai Preston knocked the ball away and tracked it down for the steal.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Sarai Preston absorbs excessive contact on a foul during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
When Preston gained possession, she saw LeFever charging toward her. Preston turned away to protect the ball, only to have LeFever slam into her back, sending Preston bouncing off Osman and heading towards the floor.
That contact might have been enough to draw the technical, but it was likely the small additional shove from a frustrated LeFever to an already falling Preston that ultimately led to her ejection from the game.
Hulcher then knocked down both free throws, leaving the Hawks clinging to a 46-45 lead with 2:30 remaining.
With just under two minutes to play, McClorey was back at the line, sinking a pair of free throws to hand Free State its first lead of the contest at 47-46. Trailing by two with under a minute remaining, Olathe East ended a three-minute scoreless drought via Millie Dermer’s driving lay-in to knot the contest at 48.
Looking to etch her name in Firebird lore, McClorey earned another trip to line with just 4.3 seconds left to play. She knocked down the first free throw, followed by an Olathe East timeout. After emerging from the huddle, McClorey netted the second attempt, staking Free State to a 50-48 advantage.
Needing to go the length of the court, Olathe East managed to get off a clean look from around eight-feet out, but the shot carommed high off the backboard as time expired — sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
“It means a lot to have a good crowd here,” Frantz said. “That’s not something we’ve always had, but I think we’re getting more people behind us.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State fans celebrate a big play late in a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
The Firebirds trailed 12-7 at the conclusion of the opening frame after a turnover-laden start to the game. Freshman Quinlynn Vail accounted for five points, including a 3-pointer.
Despite struggling mightily on the glass, the Firbirds remained within striking distance, trailing 23-17 at the half. McClorey and Fulscher did the heavy offensive lifting, combining for all 10 of the Firebirds’ points in the second quarter.
A balanced scoring attack and continued dominance on the glass enabled Olathe East to stretch its advantage to 39-28 through three quarters of play. In addition to the double-digit deficit, the Firebirds were also grappling with foul trouble as Vail was saddled with four fouls.
“Quin is maturing quickly,” Frantz said. “We told here when she got that fourth foul to keep her head up because we needed her down the stretch.”
Frantz said the late-game strategy centered on getting Olathe East outside of its comfort zone on the offensive end. Through the first 24 minutes, the Hawks dictated the tempo using a slower-pace that allowed them to get into their half-court sets.
“We definitely needed to speed up the pace of the game,” Frantz said. “Letting them get into their half-court set wasn’t working for us.”
For Free State (4-6, 1-4 Sunflower League), McClorey poured in a career-high 24 points, with 11 of those coming in the final frame. Fulscher added 12 points, including two crucial 3-pointers in the fourth quarter — while Hulcher and Vail chipped in seven points apiece.
“We stuck together and maintained our composure,” Fulscher said, “and I think that’s what ultimately got us the win.”
Fulscher added that Thursday night’s triumph ranks at the very top of her list of most exciting victories during her career, noting that her first Sunflower League win tasted sweet.
Free State will return to action on Jan. 22 when the Firebirds go on the road to face a 1-11 Wyandotte team.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s student section wait with anticipation for a free-throw attempt that would put the Firebirds into the lead late during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Morgan McClorey battles for possession of the ball while going to the floor during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Addie Fulscher dribbles toward the basket during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Quinlynn Vail looks to pass the ball before getting trapped along the baseline during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Morgan McClorey goes up for a layup during a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Quinlynn Vail let’s out a roar as her and teammates celebrate the Firebirds’ comeback victory in a girls basketball game against Olathe East on Jan. 16 at Free State High School in Lawrence.
