Topeka ? After a string of recent victories, the Free State and Lawrence High boys basketball teams know they can compete with anyone in the Sunflower League.

This week, the city squads will find out if they can compete with the best teams in the state during the Topeka Invitational at Highland Park.

“I don’t think there is a good draw in this tournament,” said LHS coach Chris Davis, whose Lions (6-2) will open the tournament at 8:30 tonight against Topeka Seaman (5-3). “It’s as loaded as any tournament we’ve played in Topeka.”

LHS was 3-2 at semester break, but the Lions started 2005 with victories over Leavenworth, Shawnee Mission Northwest and Olathe Northwest. Davis wasn’t satisfied with his team’s seven-point victory over last-place ONW, but a six-point victory at Leavenworth and a blowout of previously unbeaten SM Northwest showed Davis his team was headed in the right direction.

“If we play like that,” he said, “we should be able to be in any game.”

That includes facing Seaman in Topeka.

“If you’re fortunate enough to win the Seaman game, then your grand prize is Highland Park,” Davis said of the Scots, who will face Kansas City Washington at 6:45 tonight. “They’re playing as good as anybody in the state.”

Highland Park (9-0) is the top-ranked team in Class 5A. Free State coach Jack Schreiner would like a shot at the Scots, but his team will have to win two other games to make that happen.

“Our goal is to put ourselves in position to play Highland Park,” said Schreiner, whose 7-1 team ran its winning streak to five games Friday with a 71-52 victory at then-top-ranked Olathe South. “If we’re one of the best teams in Class 6A, then we want to play the best team in 5A.”

Free State’s first victory over O-South since the 1999-2000 season vaulted the Firebirds from ninth to first in the 6A rankings. Other ranked teams — and LHS — could stand in the way of two No. 1 teams meeting in Saturday’s final.

The Firebirds play the tournament’s first game at 3:15 p.m. today against Topeka (2-6). If Free State can avoid a first-round setback, it would face the winner of the Topeka West-Wichita East game in Friday’s semifinals.

Topeka West (6-1) is ranked third in 5A, while Wichita East (7-2) is No. 2 in 6A.

“Wichita East is pretty good, too,” Schreiner said. “We’d like to put ourselves in position to play them.”

Free State has reached this somewhat unlikely point with a five-guard lineup and a relatively shallow bench, which took a hit recently with the suspension of sixth man Damien Dillon. FSHS doesn’t have a player taller than 6-foot-3, but senior Danny Pike has held his own against taller opponents in the post.

6Sports video: Firebirds sitting pretty

“Playing football really helped Danny,” Schreiner said. “It made him tougher and more aggressive.”

Senior Sam Buhler has led the defense, and standout Brady Morningstar has provided much of the offense.

“You sometimes take Sam for granted,” Schreiner said. “Defensively, he makes us so much better. Brady has been Brady. He’s been super.”

Schreiner also praised senior guards Matt Green and Bobby Underwood. Underwood hit two early three-pointers to spark FSHS in the victory over O-South, and Green scored a career-high 17 points.

“At this point in time, I think you’d have to say we’re one of the best teams,” Schreiner said. “We’re certainly not the best, but we’ve played some good competition, and we want to see how good we are. We want to get ourselves ready for March.”

LHS, meanwhile, is not the same perimeter-oriented team that set state records for three-point baskets and three-point attempts last season. Senior center Tony Anderson (6-foot-7) and senior backup Ian Handshy (6-1) have given the Lions a post presence to complement their outside shooters.

Anderson leads the team with averages of 14 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, while guard Brennan Bechard is second on the team with 10.2 points per game.

“We have an inside-outside game that’s working,” Davis said. “The team has jelled, come together, and we’re playing as a unit instead of individuals. That makes a big difference. You strive for that, and you strive for that to come together about now.”