Exactly a month ago, Lawrence High fed off the frenzy of a capacity crowd on its home court during a 20-point rout of Free State.
That same frenzy bit the Lions back on Saturday night with the stakes much higher. Playing their crosstown rival for the third time this season and first time ever in the postseason, the Lions were denied a state berth. The Firebirds escaped with a 53-51 victory in the Class 6A sub-state boys basketball championship before 2,400 fans screaming at every point in the LHS gym.
"Before the game we talked about not turning this into a Free State-Lawrence High game," said LHS junior guard Stephen Vinson, who scored a game-high 24 points, had six steals and four assists. "We were playing to get into the state tournament, not to beat Free State."
LHS nearly did both. Down 51-43 with 4:30 left, the Lions made a ferocious comeback, scoring eight unanswered points to tie with 1:04 remaining. LHS forced five turnovers during the spurt. Senior guard Devin McAnderson started the run with a drive. Vinson followed with two free throws, dished inside to senior forward C.J. Kie for the next basket and scored on a layin after a steal for the tie.
FSHS sophomore Keith Wooden hit two free throws with five seconds left to give the Firebirds a two-point edge. LHS called time after Wooden's charities and Vinson shot an off-balance runner from the top of the key and the ball rimmed out with a second remaining.
"I don't think there's ever been any doubt about this team's heart," Vinson said. "We left it out on the court for sure, and that's I was trying to do."
The Lions, who advanced to the final after shooting a season-high 61.1 percent from the field against Olathe South in a 66-53 semifinal win, never got in a groove against Free State. LHS shot 43.1 percent from the field overall (19-for-44) and just 18.7 percent from three-point range (3-for-16).
"We played with such composure and such poise in the Olathe South game," said Chris Davis, who finished 15-7 in his first season as the LHS coach. "I thought we were in the same position to play with that same intensity, but we got too jacked up with the emotion. The shots we normally get didn't fall.
"I think the atmosphere made it very difficult for us to grab our composure. I don't want to take anything away from Free State. They played a very good basketball game. They hit shots that we weren't counting on them hitting. I thought we did a decent job with Keith and Pat (Krivoshia) and they took advantage of us in other places."
After beating O-South on Thursday, LHS anticipated a showdown with defending state champion Leavenworth in the sub-state final. Free State, the No. 8 seed, ousted the top-seeded Pioneers, 58-56.
"I think it was a little bit of bad luck that we drew Free State," Davis said. "I'm not trying to step out on a limb, but I think we would have beaten Leavenworth. We were poised to beat Leavenworth. I think that game got taken away from us and then it turned into a Free State game and it was hard for us to get back mentally."
The Lions led just three times and never by more than a point.
"Of course emotion is going to be a factor," said LHS senior center Martin deBoer, who finished with eight points and seven rebounds. "We weren't thinking about the Free State rivalry. We were thinking about going to state. That was the only thing we had on our mind."
Instead, the Firebirds (11-11) will advance to state for the second consecutive season. LHS hasn't qualified for state since its championship season in 1995.
"At the beginning of the game I know I lost my emotion and it was obvious we all did," Vinson said. "We couldn't hear each other and we weren't paying attention to each other. That's what happens when you let the emotions get to you."
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