Asked about the revelry following Friday night’s emotion-packed 66-59 victory against crosstown rival Free State, senior Chance Riley just smiled.

“You can’t celebrate it,” Riley said. “It’s a nice rivalry and everything, but we just started concentrating on Olathe Northwest … because our goal is to get to state.”

To accomplish its objective, the No. 1-seeded Lawrence High boys basketball team must win two consecutive games in the 6A sub-state tournament. The first round of tournament play begins tonight against Olathe Northwest, a team known for its 2-2-1 press.

“We have to be aware of that,” LHS coach Chris Davis said. “They’re pretty aggressive with it.”

The Lions (14-6), though, play three point guards – Daniel Green, Dorian Green and Jace McNabb – extensively. With such able ballhandlers at its disposal, LHS has successfully navigated the defenses of most pressure-oriented teams.

“I’m pretty confident in our abilities to do that,” Davis said.

Northwest (7-13) features an athletic squad led by guards Alex Muller and Leland Lindsey, but the Lions own an advantage in the paint with the 6-foot-5 Riley, 6-7 John Schneider and 6-4 John Novotny.

Riley scored 14 and Schneider 10 when LHS went on the road to defeat Northwest, 61-47, on Jan. 5. The Lions enjoyed one of their best defensive performances during that game, limiting the Ravens to two second-quarter points and four-of-17 shooting in the second half. Offensively the team responded with a balanced attack, Nathan Padia (10 points), Nick Wagner (10), Schneider and Riley all scored in double figures.

The Lions vowed not to overlook Northwest despite its convincing win against the Ravens in January. TLHS must avoid two other potential pitfalls – a letdown from the Free State game and a potential rematch against No. 4-seed Leavenworth looming during round two. LHS defeated the Pioneers, 59-57, in a back-and-forth Feb. 16 game, which represented one of the most entertaining contests during Kansas 6A play this season.

Davis said his team would come ready to play against Northwest.

“This one’s pretty simple. It’s lose or go home,” Davis said. “If you can’t get up for this game, then there’s no reason to be playing.”

Northwest, the sub-state tournament’s host school, has that motivation in addition to knowing that a victory against Lawrence would earn a second-round game at its posh facility along College Boulevard.

“They’re going to want to win,” Schneider said. “They know they’re going to play at home the next game.”

But tonight seniors Novotny, Padia, Riley, Wagner, Daniel Green and Kevin Logan will play one last game on their home floor, the Lawrence High gymnasium reverently referred to as “The Jungle.”

“Our fans are great,” Riley said. “We want to give them one last win.”