Free State’s High’s boys basketball game Tuesday night against Shawnee Mission Northwest pitted two squads playing without their go-to players.

Northwest senior standout Earvin Ray missed his 10th straight game and likely is out for the season because of a knee injury, and Free State senior Dain Dillingham missed his fourth in a row because of illness.

That’s funny, because Dillingham sure sounded healthy, sparking the Firebirds to a 63-59 victory at the FSHS gym even though he never played a second and was dressed in street clothes.

It was Dillingham’s halftime pep talk — not his usual rebounding and flashy drives to the basket — that ignited Free State’s ferocious second half. FSHS made 68 percent of its shots (13-for-19) and blanketed SMNW with a stifling full-court press.

“We were not executing (in the first half),” FSHS coach Jack Schreiner said. “I talked for about 30 seconds about execution on offense and how bad we looked. Then Dain talked for about three minutes and just got in their faces.

“Two of my student assistants said they were ready to suit up and play after that. Here’s a guy that’s helping us win games, and he’s not even suiting up.”

And the Firebirds (10-6 overall, 6-2 Sunflower League) needed every bit of it. After uninspired play in a loss Friday at Leavenworth, FSHS looked destined for a repeat performance in the first half against Northwest. The Cougars used an 18-7 run early in the second quarter — mostly on putbacks and open jump shots — and took a nine-point lead.

Bobby Underwood’s four-point play late in the quarter got Free State back within six at halftime.

Then came Dillingham’s verbal eruption.

Free State High defenders Matt Green (15) and Tyler Blankenship (24) double-team Shawnee Mission Northwest's Travis Love during a full-court press. The Firebirds beat the Cougars, 63-59, Tuesday at Free State.

“He was telling everyone we weren’t playing hard enough, and everyone got hyped,” FSHS junior Brady Morningstar said. “(The second half) was one of our better halves of the year.”

Free State’s full-court press and man-to-man defense stifled the Cougars (6-11, 3-5), and three quick turnovers and a two-minute scoring drought stalled Northwest’s offense.

Meanwhile, the Firebirds opened the half on an 11-2 tear and took the lead. Senior Cole Douglas scored seven points in the third quarter.

“They hit some big buckets,” SMNW coach Ben Meseke said. “That little run after halftime … that really hurt us.”

Still, the Cougars kept it close. Tyler Fruehling’s three-pointer with 3:26 remaining tied the game at 54. Matt Green’s trey moments later put FSHS ahead for good.

Sam Buhler nailed three of four free throws in the final 1:48; SMNW missed its charities down the stretch and lost its fifth straight game.

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Morningstar led FSHS with 17 points and Douglas added 12. Fruehling led SMNW with a game-high 18 points.

Free State plays Friday at Olathe Northwest.

Shawnee Mission Northwest 54, Free State girls 28

Even at home, there seems to be a lid covering Free State’s basket. That was the case again Tuesday as the Firebirds (5-11, 2-6) fell to Shawnee Mission Northwest (13-4, 5-3).

It was the third time in six games FSHS has scored fewer than 30 points. Jamie Stanclift led the Firebirds with 11 points and Jenny Gwaltney added eight.

“We haven’t been a good shooting all year, so I didn’t really expect a whole lot different there,” Free State coach Bryan Duncan said. “But our defense and rebounding are where I didn’t think we had the intensity or fire that we needed to have.”

Free State trailed 15-8 after the first quarter, but a 14-4 run by SMNW put the game out of reach. FSHS shot just 24 percent (9-for-38) and had 29 turnovers.

Free State's Jamie Stanclift (21) attempts a shot past a Shawnee Mission Northwest defender in the Firebirds' 54-28 loss. Free State's girls lost, but the FSHS boys wonTuesday at FSHS.