Overland Park ? Lawrence High’s David Freeman practically willed his boys basketball team to victory Friday.

Freeman’s 18 second-half points ignited a comatose LHS team that scored two points in the second quarter of a 56-48 victory over Shawnee Mission West. The Lions’ only points in the nightmarish frame came on a Freeman layup. LHS trailed at the break, 24-14.

Lawrence High's Brennan Bechard, center, fights for a loose ball with two Shawnee Mission West players.

But the nightmare would become West’s when LHS, led by Freeman’s 25 points, erupted offensively. Lions coach Chris Davis said it probably was the best game Freeman had played all season.

“There were a couple of times normally I would have subbed him out, but we took a timeout because I wanted him to stay in the game so he could keep going. He was feeling too good,” Davis said.

The Lions opened the half with a 7-2 run that showed they were for real. It was a sharp contrast to a first half pockmarked by turnovers and airballs — a span that infuriated Freeman.

“I went to the locker room telling them that was only two points we scored all second quarter. I don’t think they knew that at the time,” Freeman said. “That was embarrassing, almost going the whole second quarter without points.”

Both teams exchanged points for most of the third quarter. But LHS showed it could start making the perimeter shot, hitting three three-pointers after going 1-for-5 in the first half.

Photo Gallery: LHS vs. Shawnee Mission West LHS boys basketball schedules/stats

That would help them as the Lions leapt out in the fourth quarter, scoring the first seven points and erasing a six-point Vikings lead.

The Vikings reclaimed the lead when center Chris Balham responded with a monstrous dunk while being fouled.

But Freeman, to ensure the Vikings couldn’t reclaim momentum, quickly scored five points to start an 8-0 run that was punctuated with a three-point play by Larry Barber.

Lawrence High's Tyler Knight, right, puts up a shot against Shawnee Mission West. The Lions won, 56-48, Friday night in Overland Park.

SM West coach Mike Brinsko called a timeout to rally his players, but Lawrence’s seven-point lead was too much.

The defeat was difficult for SM West’s Aaron Linn. The senior’s 22-point effort in front of his home crowd on Senior Night was wasted in a game it seemed to control.

“We stopped executing, they hit a few shots. But we weren’t finishing our open shots,” Linn said.

Freeman said he had no problem spoiling the Vikings’ party.

“This is a big win, on the road and on Senior Night, it’s shot up our confidence a ton (heading into sub-states),” Freeman said.

Davis said the victory was important, especially after the Lions’ rally.

“We lost our team offense that quarter, we played individually,” Davis said. “I challenged them at halftime to come out and play as a team because that’s where our success comes from, and they did that and I’m proud of them.”