No, there was no lid on the Free State High girls basketball team’s basket Thursday.

It was hard to tell, though.

Facing a Manhattan team with a significant height advantage, the Firebirds shot just 22 percent from the field and lost to the Indians, 54-34, at Free State.

The loss drops the Firebirds into the consolation bracket of the Firebird Winter Classic. They’ll play Wichita North (6-4) at 5:30 p.m. today.

“They were a better basketball team and better coached,” FSHS coach Bryan Duncan said. “They were well-prepared.”

Free State (3-6) was outscored in all four quarters and trailed 28-14 at halftime. A lot of it had to do with height — 12 Manhattan players are 5-foot-9 are taller, and that size led to second-chance points that let the Indians slowly pull away.

“We should be used to playing teams bigger than us,” said FSHS senior Jenny Gwaltney, who scored six points.

Perhaps. But Manhattan also is one of the region’s more talented teams. Led by Megan Schoenfeld and her 16 points, the Indians improved to 9-3 and will play Blue Valley in the winner’s bracket today.

Free State was led by junior Jamie Stanclift, who scored 10 points. In this game, though, points were hard to come by for the Firebirds — only Stanclift and Gwaltney scored more than four.

Free State High's Jenny Gwaltney (15) shoots over Manhattan defenders during the first round of the Firebird Winter Classic. The Indians beat the Firebirds, 54-34, Thursday at Free State.

“We had unforced turnovers, and a lot of very easy baskets that we have to finish,” Duncan said. “I don’t know how many point-blank shots we had that we just missed.

“We’re not happy to be in the loser’s bracket. But we’ll certainly try to make the most of it.”

Free State’s game with Wichita North today will be played in Free State’s North Gym.

Topeka Highland Park 46, LHS girls 39

Thirteen days was just enough time for the Lawrence High girls basketball team to lose its luster.

In Thursday’s first round of the Firebird Winter Classic, LHS looked more rusty than revved up, losing 46-39 to Topeka Highland Park in a sloppy showdown at Free State.

The Lions (4-5) seemed careless at times, suffered mental breakdowns other times and had brutally long stretches without any offensive production. The team’s first field goal of the second half came when Jodie Cochrane nailed a three-pointer with 6:32 to play in the fourth quarter.

“The first five minutes, we weren’t there,” LHS coach Kristin Mallory said. “That’s difficult to overcome. They were scrappier, and most of the balls bounced their way.”

Lawrence High's Drew Huff, right, drives for a layup over pressure from Topeka Highland Park's Sasha Spann, center, and Cherice Swopes. The Scots beat the Lions, 46-39, Thursday at the Firebird Winter Classic at Free State High.

The loss drops the Lions into the consolation bracket, where they’ll play Kansas City Schlagle at 7 tonight in Free State’s north gym. Schlagle lost to Shawnee Heights, 67-55, Thursday.

Lawrence, which had won two straight, made just 14 of 45 field goals, including 3-of-13 from three-point range, but the Lions still had chances in the fourth quarter to rally. Twice in the fourth quarter, they were down just three points.

But Highland Park (7-5) never relinquished the early lead, scoring just enough and hitting just enough free throws to stave off the Lions. The Lady Scots will play Shawnee Heights in a winner’s-bracket game at 5:30 p.m. today.

“We played through adversity, and our bench stayed in the game,” Highland Park coach Tony Turner said. “That was the key.”

Drew Huff led the Lions with 10 points. Lawrence’s leading scorer, senior Josie Polk, scored four points in the first half, but was seen watching the game from the stands in the second half. Mallory wouldn’t comment specifically, but said her absence wasn’t injury-related.

The 39 points LHS scored was easily its lowest output of the season. The question now is whether the Lions can rebound in less than 24 hours for today’s game.

Mallory doesn’t have the answer.

“I don’t know,” she said, visibly upset. “I guess we’ll see.”

Free State high's Jamie Stanclift (21) shoots over three Manhattan defenders. The Indians defeated the Firebirds Thursday in the Firebird Winter Classic at Free State.