It was a heck of a show these Free State High girls basketball players put on early in Friday’s game.

After the clinic, though, the Firebirds had to hold on tight, and there still were three quarters left to play.

Free State advanced to the fifth-place game of the Firebird Winter Classic Friday, blanking Wichita North in the first quarter in a 49-38 victory at Free State.

“We played a real good basketball team,” FSHS coach Bryan Duncan said. “We came out ready to play. That’s a tribute to our girls.”

Wichita North, ranked in the latest Class 6A poll, scored a grand total of zero points in the first quarter, while the Firebirds raced to 14 with crisp teamwork and staunch defensive stands.

FSHS (4-6) led 24-9 at halftime, looking very much unlike a team mired in a four-game losing streak going into Friday’s game. Shooting, usually a weakness for the Firebirds, was a strength in the first half. They hit nine of 16 shots.

Part of it might have been that this really was a different team. Duncan tinkered with the starting lineup for the first time this year, giving Chloe Hall, Tricia Dunham and Banaka Okwuone their first starts.

“We just wanted to shake it up,” Duncan said. “We haven’t lost confidence in anybody. We just wanted to try a little bigger lineup.”

It was effective, particularly for Okwuone. She finished with 17 rebounds, tying a school record. She also added 12 points.

Free State High's Banaka Okwuone, who tied a school record with 17 rebounds, grabs a loose ball from Wichita North's Beth Troutt.

“Banaka’s amazing,” senior Wallis Romzek said. “She’s really important. The more we can get the ball, the better chance we have to score.”

Despite the 14-point cushion well into the game, Wichita North (6-5) battled back, eventually pulling within three at 38-35 in the fourth quarter.

That was when Romzek came back into the game. Instead of stalling the offense to kill the clock, Romzek found an open three-point attempt — and drained it.

Her clutch three made the score 41-35 with 2:31 to play. Wichita North never would threaten again.

“Coach came up to me and said, ‘You’re the senior point guard, you need to go get it done,'” Romzek said. “So I went out there, and it was open, so I took it.”

6Sports video: Free State girls take out Wichita North

Romzek also hit all six of her free throws in the final two minutes, icing the victory. She finished with 10 points.

Free State’s victory coupled with Lawrence High’s 61-60 victory over Kansas City Schlagle set up the second round of the city showdown at 10:30 this morning in the fifth-place game. Lawrence High eked out a 53-46 victory the first time the two teams met in December.

The Firebirds will go into the game with confidence from Friday. And, just 10 games in, Free State has matched last year’s win total.

“Free State basketball is kind of notorious for being on the verge, but not getting over the hump,” Romzek said. “I think this year is going to be a turning point.”

Free State High's Wallis Romzek, right, shields the ball from Wichita North's Ashley Diaz. The Firebirds won, 49-38, Friday at Free State.