The situation could not have set up any nicer for the Free State High boys basketball team in the final second of Thursday’s sub-state opener against Olathe North.

With 0.9 seconds to play, and the Firebirds trailing by two points, senior forward Weston Wiebe stepped to the line for a pair of free throws that would’ve tied the game. Instead, Wiebe missed the first and accidentally made the second, and the third-seeded Firebirds fell to the Eagles, 65-64.

“You’ve got your best player, a kid on a very, very, very short list of the greatest players to ever play at this school, at the line with a chance to tie it,” FSHS coach Chuck Law said. “It was a great release, just two inches too long.”

In many ways, Wiebe’s final trip to the line summed up the night for Free State (13-8). After falling into a huge hole to open the game, FSHS pushed and pulled in every direction to get back into the game. Despite Olathe North’s 17-of-23 performance from the floor in the first half, Free State trailed by just eight at the break, 38-30.

The Firebirds opened the second half with a three-pointer from junior Jake Miller – which followed his three-pointer that beat the first-half buzzer – but the Eagles stretched the lead back to 13 points.

A 15-2 Free State run during the final five minutes of the third quarter tied the game. The run was capped by a Wiebe steal that ultimately became a four-point play. As Wiebe stormed toward the rim for a layup, O-North’s Gary Watts pulled him down from behind by both shoulders. Wiebe managed to hit the bucket, sank the and-one free throw and then drilled the free throw given for the intentional foul call. The game was tied at 48.

“If you want me to talk about Weston, we’re going to be here all night,” an emotional Law said after the game. “I was very, very proud of the way our kids fought back all night. There was just something strange about our guys at the start of the game tonight.”

Just when Wiebe’s four-point play brought the gym alive, O-North’s Jeff Harris drilled a three-pointer to end the third, giving the Eagles the momentum heading into the fourth.

For the next eight minutes both teams went at each other’s throats, hitting big shot after big shot and hustling for every ball that hit the floor.

“That’s gotta be one of the funnest games I’ve played in,” Wiebe said. “It hurts to come out on the short end.”

Although the crazy ending will be what most remember, Law pointed to the first sixteen minutes as the portion of the game that spelled doom for Free State.

“The non-astute fan will look at the last 30 seconds of this one,” he said. “But we lost it in the first half.”

Wiebe finished the night with 27 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. Senior Kris Wilson added 12 points and Miller chipped in 14.

Miller had a chance for more in the final 15 seconds, as Free State trailed by two, had possession and called timeout to set up a play. In the huddle, Law drew up a set for a three-pointer for Miller and Free State went for the win. Miller got a great look in front of the Firebirds’ bench but pushed it long, setting up the last-second scenario for Wiebe.

“After missing my free throw, I was just hoping to get another shot,” Miller said. I had a wide-open look, it just didn’t go. I’ve made 100 of them like that. It just didn’t fall tonight.”

With the win Olathe North (11-10) advances to Saturday’s sub-state championship game at Lawrence High, where battle the host Lions (10-11) for the right to go to state.