Topeka ? Chris Davis finally could relax.

Lawrence High’s boys basketball coach was so worked up Thursday after the Lions’ loss to Topeka High in the Topeka Invitational that he felt sick. But after watching the Lions earn a 45-40 win Friday against Kansas City Washington, he was able to enjoy some chili in the hospitality room.

Odds are, he was savoring the Lions’ win more than anything else.

LHS (5-5) had lost three straight games and four of its last five, but the Lions found their game against the Wildcats.

“We knew we were at a point where something needed to happen,” Davis said. “Every single person, coach, player knew we needed to come out and play. Everyone’s intensity was there.”

LHS took a 9-2 lead four minutes into the game thanks to two three-pointers by senior Bryan Cargill and another by junior Taylor Parker. The Wildcats (3-8) sagged in on the taller LHS players, allowing the Lions some open looks from outside — and making Cargill’s eyes grow wide as saucers.

“If they’re gonna give it to us, we’ll take it,” said Cargill, who led all scorers with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting. “And if they come out on us, give them a pump fake and drive on the defense.”

Washington started paying attention to the LHS shooters, which let the Lions start looking inside. But their interior passing was slightly off, resulting in nine first-half turnovers. That let Washington hang around, and LHS held a 19-16 halftime lead.

But the passing didn’t bother Davis too much. He said getting the ball inside, turnovers or not, was all part of the game plan.

“The shots were better,” Davis said. “That was because we really wanted to work on getting the ball inside. The ball didn’t go in that much — go in the basket — but getting it inside gave us a lot of looks.

“If we’re going to make a run down the stretch, we have to get the ball into our post players’ hands.”

Lions post players Derrick Newman and Brad Collier weren’t a factor on the offensive end, combining for four points on 2-of-11 shooting, but their presence inside was enough to worry the Wildcats. And the LHS defense, which was nonexistent in the loss to Topeka, came to play. The Lions held Washington to 35 percent shooting from the field.

“I thought most of the game we played under control and with poise,” Davis said. “And our defense was pretty dang good.”

That’s because the coaches — who rarely stopped shouting instructions from the bench — and players knew this game was critical. LHS will play Topeka Seaman, which beat Wichita East, 81-66, in the fifth-place game at 1:45 p.m. today.

“We talked about it before the game, and I think the guys came in focused and ready to play,” Cargill said. “I think this is going to be a turning point for us.”