Olathe ? Darn those Saints.

Just when it looked like Free State High’s boys basketball team was poised to clinch a spot in the Class 6A state tournament, a group of Saints came along and spoiled the Firebirds’ party.

Overland Park Aquinas topped Free State, 59-47, Saturday in the sub-state championship game, behind an effective zone defense and by hitting key shots using run-and-gun offense throughout.

Aquinas (12-10) is headed to Emporia for the state tournament starting Wednesday; Free State (15-7) is staying home.

Saturday’s game was in a half-empty neutral gym at Olathe South, a far cry from Thursday’s emotional 76-73 sub-state semifinal victory over Lawrence High with thousands of crazed fans at Free State.

FSHS coach Jack Schreiner, never one to make excuses, still wondered if the city showdown hangover was too strong to overcome.

“We played our tails off,” Schreiner said. “There’s no way I can get the kids up again as high as they were Thursday night. The same shots that went in Thursday didn’t go in tonight.”

Free State shot just 36 percent (17-of-47) from the field, including 22 percent (6-of-27) from three-point range. The offensive futility led to just six second-quarter points, and that was when Aquinas took the lead for good.

The Saints implemented an active zone defense that forced the Firebirds to play a patient half-court offense. Among Free State’s problems were senior Dain Dillingham having trouble slashing and junior Brady Morningstar seeing few open shots from inside 20 feet.

Free State coach Jack Schreiner covers his face in frustration during the closing moments of the Firebirds' loss. Overland Park Aquinas beat FSHS in a Class 6A sub-state championship game, 59-47, Saturday at Olathe South.

“Their ‘D’ did seem to throw us off rhythm a little bit,” FSHS senior Tyler Blankenship said. “But if we would’ve been hitting our shots like we had been hitting all year, it may have been a different story.”

Blankenship was about the only Firebird finding the bottom of the net Saturday. He scored 17 points, including five three-pointers. Two of the treys were on back-to-back possessions, and cut the double-digit deficit to seven midway through the fourth quarter.

It seemed that the momentum from Blankenship’s threes finally would fuel a Firebirds run. But it never came.

“We caused some problems late for them and thought we were getting back in the game,” Schreiner said, “but they wouldn’t let us over the hump.”

Aquinas was led by Nathan Mann, an athletic guard who will play at William & Mary next season. Mann scored 16 points, including making three of four free throws in crunch time to keep Free State from rallying.

Free State high senior Dain Dillingham puts up a shot over Overland Park Aquinas' Jeff Dierking, left, and Quintin Totta (5) during the second half. Dillingham scored eight points Saturday in his final game with the Firebirds, a 59-47 loss in Olathe.

For the second straight year, Free State’s season ends just one game short of the state tournament. Saturday’s setback marked the end of five seniors’ playing days at Free State — Dillingham, Blankenship, Cole Douglas, Adam Bellinder and Caleb Harvey.

“Those five mean so much to us,” Schreiner said. “Hopefully those five have set a tone and set a style that we can look to do from here on out. We’re going to be a hard-nosed team that gets in your pants on defense. Those guys started it for us.”

6Sports video: Disappointing end for Firebirds’ season