MCPHERSON ? A night removed from shooting 81 percent from the floor and knocking off the host team, Free State High’s boys basketball team fell in the championship of the McPherson Invitational to Manhattan, 55-51.

“We didn’t play particularly well, but Manhattan is a very difficult team for us to guard,” Free State head coach Chuck Law said.

The Indians (10-1) who gave the Firebirds (9-3) the most fits were 6-foot-9 Jackie Carmichael, who scored 21, and senior guard Sam Kenney, who scored 17 and hit three three-pointers.

“They have two very good players, and they showed why they’re as good as they are,” Law said. “We didn’t do a very good job of taking those two key players away.”

As usual, seniors Weston Wiebe (16 points) and Kris Wilson (15) led the FSHS scoring attack, which Law said was less than stellar because the Firebirds weren’t prepared for Manhattan’s 3-2 zone. Wiebe and Wilson were both named to the all-tournament team.

FSHS trailed by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter before rallying to tie the game at 51 with under a minute to go.

“I was very pleased with how our guys played and fought back against a good team. We could have packed it in down 10, but we really competed to the buzzer,” Law said. “They’re disappointed that we didn’t win, but I think they are finally believing in the fact that we can compete at a very high level against the better teams in the state of Kansas.”

FSHS will have a week off before playing host to Olathe North on Saturday.