Oh, if only the Lawrence High boys basketball team had caught those darn Falcons on a night when they weren’t as hot as a blowtorch.

What might have been.

Olathe South, Kansas’ top-ranked team, defeated LHS, 77-65, Tuesday despite the Lions containing the loaded Falcons — particularly South’s strong inside game — as well as anybody has this season.

The difference? Olathe South showed a remarkable outside game, hitting 10 of 16 three-pointers (63 percent) to pull away at LHS.

“We were banking on the fact that we had to take away their inside game,” LHS coach Chris Davis said. “We knew they were going to be able to score that way. But they just hit their outside shots. I don’t know how you stay with them when they shoot like that.

“I do know this: If they would not have shot that well, we would’ve been with them all the way to the end.”

The Lions (4-13 overall, 1-7 Sunflower League) stayed with them the entire first half. LHS held a 20-19 lead on an Ian Handshy free throw with 5:47 to play in the second quarter, then again at 23-21 with 5:10 to play when Alex Ayre hit a three-pointer.

But South (16-1, 8-0) persevered and pulled ahead by hitting a high percentage — a very high percentage — of its long-range shots. The Falcons held a 36-30 lead at halftime, then let LHS stick around for several minutes in the second half before going on a 22-6 run to end the third quarter.

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Lawrence High's Tony Anderson lays in a basket against Olathe South. The top-ranked Falcons beat the Lions, 77-65, Tuesday at LHS.

Much of the damage was done by O-South senior Nick Holmes, who drained all three of his three-point attempts and finished with a game-high 27 points. He barely outdid LHS senior Joe Crane, who hit five threes of his own and scored 26 to lead the Lions.

Since a Lawrence victory Feb. 7 over Free State, Crane has averaged 17.2 points per game and hit 12 of 30 three-pointers.

“The last three of four games, he’s proving the kind of player he is,” Davis said.

Ayre added 12 points on four three-pointers for LHS as the Lions had a decent night beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 29 three-point attempts.

But even that wasn’t as accurate as Olathe South.

“They are a very good team,” Crane said. “I think we did a great job hanging with them. It proves that we can beat any team we want to.”

Lawrence High girls 65, Olathe South 48

6Sports video: Lawrence High beaten by hot-shooting Olathe South 6Sports video: Lady Lions blow out the Falcons

Nothing like a bit of a break to bring the freshness back.

The Lawrence High girls basketball squad looked rejuvenated in a win over Olathe South.

The win was a big one because it erased Friday’s bad loss to Olathe East, but also because the Falcons were 7-1 in Sunflower League play going into Tuesday.

“It’s a huge win,” LHS coach Kristin Mallory said. “Not only because of the confidence level or where we are at in the Sunflower League, but we tend to play on the roll. This hopefully will propel us.”

The Lions (10-7 overall, 6-2 Sunflower League) had a steady distribution of scoring from four starters. Junior Megan Klinger led all scorers with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Behind her, senior Cherrale Ricks (14 points), senior Erin Knight (13 points, five assists) and sophomore Drew Huff (14 points, four steals, four assists) each contributed in a big way to lead Lawrence.

Lawrence High's Ian Handshy, right, and Olathe South's Caleb Holmes fight for a possession in the Lions' 77-65 loss. O-South won Tuesday at LHS.

Olathe South (12-5, 7-2) had 21 points from Megan Grisell, but overall never was really in the contest.

“We were prepared,” said Klingler, who added seven rebounds and seven blocked shots. “We knew what they were like, and we were prepared for it.”

The Lions raced to an 18-11 lead after one quarter then did even better in the second frame, leading 36-19 at halftime. The two teams tied 29-29 in the second half, allowing Lawrence to cruise thanks to its big first-half lead.

“The biggest thing is we talked about coming out with intensity and playing with heart,” Mallory said. “That (first half) was probably the best half we played all year — because everyone did their role.”

Added Knight: “We really needed that game, and everyone stepped up.”

Both Lawrence squads will travel Friday to Shawnee Mission East.