Topeka — Come crunch time, Lawrence High boys basketball coach Chris Davis has a hunch his squad will survive.
For the third consecutive game, the Lions withstood a furious rally and escaped with a victory. On Friday night at Topeka West, LHS held off Topeka Seaman, 58-54, to advance to the finals of the Topeka Invitational.
The Lions (9-2) led the Vikings by 17 points before Seaman (6-4) closed within three points. LHS, which has won eight in a row, made just enough free throws in the final minute to hang on.
"I think this will help prepare us," Davis said. "We keep fighting through it. We've seen this enough times that we've been able to be successful to stop it when it starts. I guess we like to make it exciting."
LHS will play Kansas City Washington (10-1) at 7:30 tonight in the final. Washington, which advanced to the championship with a 56-48 semifinal win over Topeka, is ranked No. 2 in Class 5A.
Against Seaman, the Lions led 32-31 with 1:30 left in the third quarter before unleashing a 19-3 run to extend their lead to 51-34. LHS seniors Jamie Peterson and D.J. Watkins scored seven points apiece during the stretch. The run also featured a technical against first-year Seaman coach Charles Glotta, who wanted a foul called. Watkins made both technical shots for a 47-33 advantage.
The Vikings, who reached the semifinals with a six-point victory over Free State, responded with an 18-4 run to close within three 55-52 with 1:13 left.
"Our defense broke down a bit," Davis said. "We weren't reacting like we should. They're a very disciplined team and that scares me."
Lawrence's Stephen Vinson, Taylor Parker and Watkins all made one of two free throws in the final minute to secure the victory.
Peterson finished with a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. The 6-foot-4 forward also made 3-of-4 free throws for the Lions, who shot just 55.6 percent from the line (15-for-27).
"He's really starting to learn how to move without the ball," Davis said of Peterson. "Guys like Stephen and D.J. are learning how to find him and it's paying off."
Vinson finished with nine assists to lead the Lions.
Peterson savored another close contest.
"It's exactly how state could be," Peterson said. "Every team is going to be scrapping and fighting for everything."
Peterson, effective in the low post, lauded the efforts of his guards.
"Stephen Vinson and Brandon McAnderson got the ball into me nicely," Peterson said. "I give them all the credit. They're the ones who gave me the ball."
In the first half, Seaman controlled the tempo and trailed 20-17. Peterson had nine of the Lions' points the first two quarters as LHS shot 45 percent from the field (9-for-20).
Watkins (14 points) and McAnderson (11) also scored in double figures for the Lions.
Seaman was led by Chris Carlson (13 points) and Mike Malloy (12).
The Lions, who haven't won the Topeka Invitational since 1992, have placed first in two of their past three regular-season tournaments.
"We're fired up about this one," Peterson said. "We want to show everybody what we can do."
With eight victories in a row, LHS has matched its longest winning streak since the 1997-98 team that won eight straight before falling to Kansas City Schlagle in the sub-state final. The Lions haven't won nine in a row since the 1994-95 state championship season.
LHS senior forward Matt Dunkin was held out for the second consecutive game because of a reoccurrence of migraines.
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