Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Jadon Clock (No. 10) leads the charge of Firebirds players running over to celebrate with school’s student section as the latter storms the court after a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
The Free State boys basketball team rode a blistering offensive pace in the early going, coupled with timely shooting late, to propel the Firebirds to a 63-49 victory over visiting rival Lawrence High in Friday night’s City Showdown.
With a packed gym at Free State providing a rowdy backdrop, the Firebirds stormed out to a double-digit lead in the opening frame.
Free State’s high-octane offense was keyed by senior forward Ethan Prescott and sophomore guard Brendan Barrett, as the inside-out duo combined for 15 points in the opening frame.
Lawrence High led by 11 entering the second quarter, and proceeded to keep the pedal to the metal, as senior Jadon Clock opened the frame with a 3-ball to put the Firebirds on top 26-12.
Senior forward Bennett Nagel also caught fire in the second quarter, dropping in seven points as the Firebirds ran out to a commanding 41-19 halftime lead.
Nagel said Free State “definitely fed off the crowd” en route to what he called the team’s most impressive half offensively of the entire season.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Bennett Nagel attempts a 3-point shot during a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
Lawrence crept back into the game in the third quarter, thanks in large part to a key halftime adjustment that saw the Lions switch from man-to-man defense to a 1-3-1 zone. The move drastically altered the tempo while proving highly effective against the Firebirds’ isolation looks.
Free State head coach Dwayne Paul said the move caught his squad off guard. He explained that they had prepared for a 2-3 zone look, but not so much for a 1-3-1. And for Lawrence head coach Nick Wood, it was all about slowing Nagel and Barrett.
We had to switch things up, or it was going to be a long night,” Wood said.
Barret added: “We got sped up and just kept turning the ball over.”
While Lawrence’s defense was keeping the game from getting out of hand, it was the electrifying play of Lawrence senior Eddie Roman Nose who nearly single-handedly willed the Lions back into the game.
Roman Nose did most of his damage by aggressively attacking the rim, with seven of his 11 points in the third quarter coming from the charity stripe. The herculean effort trimmed Lawrence’s deficit to 51-38 entering the final frame.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Edward Roman Nose takes flight on a layup attempt during a boys basketball game against Free State on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
After a slow start to the fourth quarter by both teams, Roman Nose found Kenyon Doleman with a nifty bounce pass on a 2-on-1 fast break.
The highlight reel play resulted in a bucket and a trip to the free throw line, as Lawrence cut the deficit to 51-41 with 5:57 remaining in regulation.
Offensive contributions from Joey Dooley and Roman Nose drew the Lions closer at 51-45 midway through the frame, capping an extended 26-10 run.
But one of the key plays of the entire contest would soon follow.
After Lawrence appeared to come up with another defensive stop, a loose-ball scrum near halfcourt ensued. The rock ultimately found its way to Barrett as the sophomore guard nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing.
A golden opportunity to make it a one-possession game slipped away as Lawrence instead found itself trailing 54-45 with 3:50 remaining.
The Lions never recovered.
“That was part of us putting ourselves in that hole,” Wood said. “Our margin of error was very small.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Brendan Barrett goes up for a dunk attempt after the final horn already sounded following a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
From there, Free State pulled away, but not before tempers flared. Play was briefly halted twice late in the game to cool tensions. As the Firebirds held a 14-point lead with the final seconds ticking off the clock, Barrett decided to take off for a dunk attempt split second after time expired.
Paul said he was not a fan of the chipiness, but added that several of the players have on-court histories with each other spanning to their middle school days and “have too much pride to lay down.”
“I don’t think it was anything dirty by either side,” Paul said, noting that those types of tensions are baked into rivalry clashes. He added that Friday night’s electric atmosphere was rivalry basketball “at its finest.”
For Free State, Barrett finished with a team-high 14 points, while Dooley and Nagel pitched in 13 apiece. Sophomore guard Jayden Williams added nine points, while Clock and Brayden DeBruin tallied five points apiece.
Roman Nose delivered a game-high 21 points, while knocking down 11-of-11 from the charity stripe for the Lions. Doleman added 12 points while Dooley finished with seven on the night.
“It’s amazing to get a rivalry win,” Barrett said. “But we needed it not just because it’s a rivalry win, but because we’re one of the lower seeds in sub-state, so we needed a win.”
Nagel agreed that it was a “big win” as the team heads into postseason play, but was elated that he’s now 3-1 in City Showdown matchups.
Both Free State and Lawrence conclude their regular-season slates next week.
Free State (7-14) has road matchups against Shawnee Mission Northwest and Mill Valley, while Lawrence (7-14) hosts Shawnee Mission North and Gardner Edgerton to close out.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Brenden Barrett and Lawrence High’s Edward Roman Nose battle for possession of the ball during a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State players celebrate a big play during a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s XXX during a boys basketball game against Free State on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s student section erupts in celebration after a big play late during a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s student section celebrates a made 3-pointer during a boys basketball game against Free State on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s players celebrate with members of the student section following a boys basketball game against Lawrence High on Feb. 20 at Free State High School.
