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Olathe East's 1-2 punch of Tiffany Vincent and Karrah Clay KO'd Free State High on Friday night at FSHS.

The two Hawk forwards jabbed the Firebirds inside en route to a 51-44 Sunflower League girls basketball victory. The dynamic duo combined for 35 points with Vincent, a Southwest Missouri State signee, accounting for a team-high 18 as O-East snapped a three-game skid.

Free State's Lauren Wright (20) goes up for a shot against Olathe East's Tiffany Vincent. Wright scored a game-high 19 points, but Vincent connected on nine of 13 field-goal attempts for 18 points as Olathe East defeated the Firebird girls, 51-44, Friday night at FSHS.

"Whether it was scoring or rebounding, those two hurt us a lot," said FSHS coach Craig Hershiser, whose squad dipped to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the league with its third loss in a row. "They're big, athletic and good basketball players."

Vincent, a 5-foot-10 senior, made nine of 13 field-goal attempts. Meanwhile, Clay, a 5-9 sophomore, made eight of 11 field goals. The rest of the Hawks shot 30 percent from the field (six-for-20).

O-East (3-5, 1-3) took the lead for good late in the first quarter on a Vincent basket for a 16-15 advantage.

In the second quarter, O-East outscored the Firebirds 10-5. FSHS made just one field goal a drive by senior guard Lauren Wright with two seconds left in the period.

Free State trailed by as many as 12 points (34-22) in the third quarter and pulled within five (40-35) with 4:10 left in the fourth period on an Amber Hinton basket.

O-East then hit five consecutive field goals to secure the victory.

Wright scored a game-high 19 points, including four three-pointers.

"Lauren really got us going early," Hershiser said. "When we needed more baskets, some other girls stepped up. Amber Hinton gave us a big basket, Ashley Taul knocked one down for us and Ramona (Daney) did. Other kids stepped up and we didn't wait for Lauren to knock down a big three."

Wright scored 11 points in the first quarter when she connected on three treys.

"They were going in for me and I kept taking them," said Wright, who has 16 of Free State's 17 three-pointers for the season.

Defensively, Free State was unable to deny entry passes to Vincent and Clay.

"Their guards penetrated really well and that really hurt us," Wright said.

The Firebirds shot 28.3 percent from the field (15-for-53). The 44 points were the most by Free State since a 44-41 victory over Lawrence on Dec. 20, the Firebirds' last win.

All three of Free State's losses during the skid have been to the three Olathe schools.

"Each one I felt was a winnable game," Hershiser said. "We're still looking for that consistency for the entire game. We'll find a way to break through. I feel good about our kids, I really do."

Wright remains optimistic as the Firebirds approach the midway point of the season.

"A lot of these games have been close," she said. "Our confidence is still there. We just need to play all the way to the end."

Next for Free State is a road game on Friday at Junction City. The Firebirds return home for a three-day tournament, starting on Jan. 24.

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