Olathe ? Free State High senior guard Brady Morningstar didn’t score half of his average of 18 points per game, but he made sure everyone in the gym remembered his name.

In the third quarter of Free State’s 53-44 boys basketball victory Friday at Olathe North, the Firebirds’ lack of intensity allowed the underdog Eagles to hang around.

Free State High's Brady Morningstar, back right, slips a pass through three Olathe North defenders. Free State won, 53-44, Friday night in Olathe.

Senior Danny Pike was missing his signature baseline jumper, senior Matt Green misfired on three-pointers, and junior Scott Heitshusen duffed a layup.

In the fourth quarter, Free State found its heart. On the opening play, Green threw a beautiful lob pass to Morningstar, who hammered it home with a two-handed dunk. Green let out a shout, and that was the end of North’s night.

“It was a huge momentum-pusher,” Green said. “It was big-time. We were trying to get them out of that little gimmick they were doing. That oop was huge, and then we started going.”

Green re-discovered his three stroke, and moments later Pike found his baseline magic. Add that with the Firebirds canning six straight free throws down the stretch, and the fact that Morningstar scored just eight points was a mere afterthought.

The alley-oop to open the fourth was Morningstar’s only field-goal attempt of the second half. He went 2-of-4 in the first half, including a one-handed throwdown after one of his three steals.

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“Brady’s lob, I thought that’s the most impressive one he’s had all year,” Free State Jack Schreiner said. “We had other kids who could step up, and Matt Green did, and my son (Kyle Schreiner) did, and Danny Pike did and, hey, Brady’s always Brady.”

Green led the Firebirds with 15 points, including a 3-of-5 performance from three-point range. Senior forward Sam Buhler was the only other Firebird in double figures with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Even though Free State (17-3) wrapped up the Sunflower League title with Tuesday’s victory over Shawnee Mission East, the Firebirds learned a big lesson from Friday’s game — overcoming obstacles.

And take your pick. There was Morningstar’s offensive silence, the absent emotion, and Buhler having to sit most of the second half because of four fouls. All of it will help the Firebirds as they begin sub-states at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home against Olathe Northwest.

Free State High's Jenna Brantley (24) tries to get around an Olathe North defender. The Firebirds beat the Eagles, 49-46, Friday night in Olathe.

“This is a gutty win for us, because there was very little emotion on our part after what we had done on Tuesday and coming in here on their senior night,” Schreiner said. “I think it’s good for us, because now it’s win or go home, and hopefully the kids know that and they’ll play with emotion. When we play with emotion, we’re pretty good.”

Free State 49, Olathe North 46

The Free State girls had plenty of opportunities to put away Olathe North early.

The Firebirds (9-11) used a bevy of offensive rebounds to earn second-chance opportunities in the first quarter, but struggled to go just 2-of-24 from the field in the first eight minutes.

Led by sophomore forward Kelsey Harrison’s 11 points and two huge free throws late from sophomore guard Jenna Brantley, Free State closed its regular season with a victory.

Free State begins sub-state competition Thursday night at Leavenworth.

Free State's Nick Ayre (23) shoots over the Olathe North defense.