Topeka — Topeka Seaman spoiled Free State High's wish.
On the brink of a rematch with cross-town rival Lawrence High, Free State folded late in the fourth quarter as the Vikings escaped with a 58-52 victory in the first round of the Topeka Invitational boys basketball tournament at Topeka West.
"Everybody on the whole team wanted to play Lawrence High," said Firebird senior guard Damian Harden, who scored nine points on three three-point goals. "It would have been a great chance for us to bounce back."
Rather than play LHS in the semifinals, the Firebirds (2-7) will meet Topeka Highland Park (7-4) at 4:45 p.m. today in the losers' bracket. Highland Park lost to LHS, 60-51, in the tourney opener.
Against Seaman (6-3), the Firebirds scored the first six points of the second half to break a 29-all tie. The Vikings responded with a 17-4 run and never trailed again, handing Free State its fifth consecutive loss to tie a Firebird futility record.
After taking a 35-29 lead in the third quarter, the Firebirds committed three turnovers and hit one of seven field-goal attempts in the final four minutes of the period and trailed 39-37 heading into the fourth quarter.
"When the ball doesn't go in the basket, it's not a very easy game," said FSHS coach Jack Schreiner, whose squad shot 38.2 percent from the field (21-for-55) and 40 percent from the line (4-for-10).
Despite the shoddy shooting, the Firebirds remained close, pulling within 48-46 on a Cole Douglas basket with 4:07 left. The Vikings scored seven unanswered points, including a three-point play by senior Eric Waterman with 1:50 left, to regain control.
"Every team we've played has knocked down the shots when they needed," Schreiner said. "We have not hit the shots when we needed them. Noone has hit them consistently for us this year.
"We put up some off-balance shots. We're not mentally tough yet. We're going to get there. We're going to keep working."
Senior guard Andron Cruse scored a team-high 15 points with three three-pointers. Harden and junior forward Keith Wooden, Free State's top scorer with a 16.1 scoring average, both chipped in nine points.
Senior Sam Strickler-Hut, who missed the previous two games because of an injury to his lower left leg, provided quality minutes. He scored eight points and made all three of his field-goal attempts.
"It seems we can't get things going offensively," Harden said. "We're struggling making shots and we have some mental breakdowns on defense sometimes."
FSHS junior Bijai Jones snared eight rebounds to lead the Firebirds on the boards.
"Bijai Jones played really hard," Schreiner said. "He just needs to play under control."
The Firebirds haven't won since beating Kansas City Schlagle on Dec. 8 in the seventh-place game of the Emporia tournament. Free State will need a win today to avoid playing for seventh on Saturday.
"We're still hanging in there," Cruse said. "We're never going to give up."
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