Olathe East sophomore guard Joey Mundweiler didn't even make Free State High's scouting report.
Following Friday night's 76-66 Sunflower League boys basketball loss to the Hawks, the Firebirds wish they had been privy to the O-East player making his first start of the season for an injured Steven Wallace.
"Who in the H-E-double-hockey-sticks is Mundweiler?" asked Firebird coach Jack Schreiner, whose squad dipped to 2-6 overall and 0-4 in the league with its fourth loss in a row. "We didn't even mention his name except just before matchups."
For future use, the 6-foot-1 Mundweiler was filling in for Wallace (on crutches with a dislocated kneecap) and he can shoot free throws. Mundweiler scored 23 points, including 11 in the final 3:33 all from the free-throw line. He made 11 straight free throws after missing his first attempt in the final quarter.
"He's maybe our best free-throw shooter, but I don't think Jack knew that," O-East coach Jim Super said of Mundweiler, who was 14-of-16 overall from the line. "He's a poised ball player."
The Hawks (6-2, 4-0) scored on their first possession of the fourth quarter to take a 58-45 lead. The Firebirds unleashed an 11-3 run to close within 61-56. Then, with FSHS starters Keith Wooden and Bijai Jones on the bench with five fouls, O-East made 15 of 16 free throws to deny the Firebirds and secure its fifth consecutive victory.
O-East, which shares the league lead with Lawrence High and Olathe North and Olathe South, shot 65 percent from the field (26 for 40).
Schreiner was aware of O-East's other high-scoring player. Like Mundweiler, senior forward Drew Mathews scored 23 points.
"Drew Mathews is a player," Schreiner said. "I thought (Olathe South's Ryan) Rundberg was a player, but Mathews may be better. I'm glad the Olathes are gone from our schedule."
Free State shot 47.8 percent from the field (22 for 46). The 76 points allowed were the most by a Firebird opponent for the season.
"We obviously are not playing like we want to play," Schreiner said. "I thought defensively we had a ton of breakdowns. They knocked down the shots they needed to knock down. We didn't knock down the shots."
Senior Andron Cruse scored 17 points to lead the Firebirds. Wooden (12 points), Jones (11) and sophomore Dain Dillingham (10) also scored in double-figures for Free State.
"They played big, got a lot of rebounds and second chances," Cruse said Olathe East. "We're looking to put the past behind us. On Monday, we'll start from scratch and see what we can do."
Free State will play Topeka Seaman at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the Topeka Invitational at Topeka West. The Firebirds are the lone sub-.500 team in the eight-team field, which also includes Lawrence High. FSHS and LHS could meet in the semifinals or loser's bracket on Friday.
"Jack's teams are always going to compete hard," Super said. "They're struggling a little bit now. He's got a good bunch of kids and he's a capable coach and a gentleman and they're fun to play. They're going to beat somebody in the Sunflower League coming up."
Free State's next league game is Jan. 28 at home against Shawnee Mission Northwest.
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