Daniel Green’s face became so red with intensity Friday night it nearly blended in with the color of his Lawrence High uniform. It’s now to the point where LHS coach Chris Davis said he occasionally has to settle the senior point guard down.

“A lot of times, he gives so much that we have to sit down and take a break,” Davis said. “But he’s the heart of the team – there’s no question about that.”

It just so happened Friday night was the perfect time for Green to display his beet-red complexion in Lawrence High’s 66-59 victory against crosstown rival Free State.

With the victory, the Lions captured the No. 1 seed in their Class 6A sub-state bracket. LHS will play host to Olathe Northwest next week in the first round of sub-state. The Lions defeated the Ravens, 61-47, on the road Jan. 5.

Friday’s victory also marked the first time the LHS seniors won both regular-season contests against the Firebirds. Fittingly, Friday night was senior night in the “Jungle.”

“We got swept by them last year, so it’s good to sweep them this year,” Green said.

Free State actually jumped out to a 12-2 lead, but a 9-0 LHS run cut the lead to one in the first quarter. Green finished the run with a breakaway steal along the left sideline. After a balancing act to remain inbounds, Green ferociously drove to the basket on his favored left side. Free State junior Anthony Russell knocked him to the deck, but it didn’t stop Green from converting an acrobatic, one-handed layup before the foul. After he bounced up, Green seemingly yelled as loud as he could while pushing his teammates in encouragement.

“I just lay everything out on the line, basically,” Green said. “I just play with my heart on the sleeve and give everything I have. I just want to win. I don’t care about my stat line. I just want the team to do well and get the ‘W.'”

Seniors Chance Riley and Nathan Padia also brought the red-and-black faithful to their feet on an alley-oop pass that tied the game at 15 in the second quarter. The duo rewound the academic calendar a bit to football season when Riley found Padia in the end zone a dozen times. On Friday, Riley lobbed a perfect pass from the top of the key to a streaking Padia, who appeared as if he was going to dunk. Instead, he took the easy two points and finished the alley-oop with a finger-roll layup.

Riley said he jokingly expected more from the high-flying Padia.

“Ohh, I thought he had it,” Riley said, laughing. “I threw it perfect. It was going to bring down the house – but he got bumped on the way up and said he was falling backwards. It was just good he put the ball in the basket.”

Riley led LHS (14-6) with 17 points, while Kyle Schreiner led Free State (9-11) with 17, including 12 in the final quarter. Free State guard Nick Devin drained four threes in his 16-point effort and was the primary source of the early Firebird offense.

“Devin and Schreiner just went through a couple of periods of time that you say, ‘Wow, what are you going to do?” Davis said. “I’ve known those kids since they were little. You kind of know it’s coming.”

Unfortunately for the Firebirds, Schreiner’s massive fourth quarter was cut short when he fouled out of the game with about one minute remaining. Schreiner was filled with so much emotion he didn’t want to leave the floor.

“I tried to put my little, ‘We get six, don’t we?’ to the refs,” Schreiner said. “That (fifth) one was on me. I knew I had four, but I heard coach say, ‘Foul, foul.'”

Ultimately, Lawrence High sealed the game by converting its free throws. The Lions shot 70 percent from the charity stripe, compared to Free State’s 54 percent. LHS made 24 free throws on the night. Junior John Schneider hit two crucial free throws with 54 seconds left to make it a two-possession game and give LHS a four-point lead. Schneider had 13 points – seven of them at the foul line.

“Percentage-wise, this is the best free-throw shooting team since I’ve been here,” Davis said. “It’s not a surprise and one of the things we expect.”

Despite the defeat, Free State coach Chuck Law said he was proud of the way the Firebirds competed.

“That’s the most unity I’ve seen all year long, except for the overtime (victory) against Shawnee Mission East,” Law said. “We looked like a team that came together.”

Free State finished as the No. 6 seed in its sub-state bracket and will play at Shawnee Mission Northwest next week. Free State lost, 47-45, at home against SM Northwest on Feb. 6.