It’s unfortunate the Free State High boys basketball team faced Shawnee Mission East two and a half hours before Kansas faced Texas A&M, the Saturday night feature presentation for nearly all Lawrence residents.

What most everyone missed was undoubtedly the best Lawrence high school basketball game of the season. Free State coach Chuck Law called Saturday’s 67-60 overtime victory against SM East “probably the best win Free State basketball has ever had.”

With the victory, Free State (8-6) beat a previously undefeated SM East team ranked No. 2 in Class 6A by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. If the Firebirds have a successful year, defeating the Lancers would symbolize the turning point of the season.

Free State would have no shot at turning around its season, though, without a group of three players: juniors Anthony Russell and Craig Rosenstengle, and sophomore Marcus Spates.

All three come off the bench.

All three played mega-minutes against SM East.

Law’s rapid-fire rotation allowed the trio to see significant minutes down the stretch. They made the most of the opportunity.

Take Russell, for instance. The junior guard drained three three-pointers, added a two-point bucket and hit two free throws to lead Free State with 13 points Saturday.

“The bench has been huge for Free State’s success,” Russell said. “A couple of the seniors talked to me this morning at the breakfast we had. They told me they wanted a big game out of me. I felt like it was my duty to give them a good game. They deserve this win. The whole team did.”

Free State actually trailed by 11 at the start of the fourth quarter. Russell hit two of his three-pointers in the fourth quarter to lead the comeback.

Free State’s bench ended up outscoring SM East’s bench, 23-6.

Rosenstengle had just as much positive impact. When starting junior forward Weston Wiebe fouled out in overtime, Rosenstengle immediately jumped from his chair as Law called his number.

Free State held onto a two-point lead with 53 seconds left in overtime when Rosenstengle got fouled and went to the free throw line. The junior forward calmly hit both free throws to make it a two-possession game.

“When we get our chance, we have to make the most of it,” Rosenstengle said of the bench. “I was playing loose:I mean, I was nervous, but there’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to knock ’em down.”

The bench also has helped bring a new level of defensive intensity to the court. SM East scored one field goal in the entire fourth quarter. The Lancers then had only one field goal in overtime. They had 12 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Free State had 30.

One night before the SM East game, Free State outscored Shawnee Mission South, 29-14, in the second half on the road.

“I think it’s been ball pressure,” Rosenstengle said of the defensive turnaround. “We’re all over the ball. We’re not letting free passes or free cuts.”

When asked what he noticed about the defensive intensity after the SM South game, Law’s answer began with a few familiar names.

“Some guys came off the bench, like Marcus Spates, who gave us some really good minutes, especially on the defensive end,” Law said. “Anthony Russell did a really nice job on the defensive end. And Rosenstengle, when he was in the game, I thought really competed on the defensive end as well. Those guys gave us huge defensive minutes.”

After losing four games within three points, it was the Firebirds’ turn to win a close one on Saturday. Fortunately for Free State, it had some depth.