Rare is the game in which a basketball team can look back after the final horn sounds and recall each missed shot in detail.

Such an instance occurred last week for the Free State High boys at the McPherson Invitational basketball tournament.

Moments after their 65-57 semifinal victory over McPherson, Free State’s players could reflect on each missed shot. It wasn’t that difficult. The Firebirds missed just six shots in the victory and hit an astounding 81 percent for the game. Twenty six makes, six misses.

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of such a thing,” said Firebirds coach Chuck Law, when asked if the performance was a school record.

To put the night in perspective, hitting 26-of-32 shots would be the equivalent of an NFL running back scoring 243 touchdowns during a 16-game season or a Major League slugger blasting 445 home runs in a single season.

It’s unheard of.

It’s also a bit of a mirage.

The Firebirds didn’t necessarily shoot lights out from all over the floor during their victory over previously unbeaten McPherson.

In fact, Free State pulled up for shots outside of 10 feet just a couple of times. The other 30-plus shots came within a few steps of the basket, most being layups in transition.

Many might wonder why McPherson never adjusted its defense to force the Firebirds to fire away from the outside. The answer is logical. While giving up several easy shots throughout the game, the Bullpups also forced 23 turnovers, creating a feast or famine situation with their defense.

In the end, the Firebirds’ easy buckets overcame all of the turnovers, but as Law said after the game, Free State had to shoot 81 percent to win.

Forget the field goal percentage for a while and look deeper at what Free State accomplished at the tournament. In knocking off Blue Valley Northwest and McPherson to reach the title game, FSHS further proved its legitimacy.

The Firebirds are for real, folks. Anyone who thinks otherwise is crazy.

Seniors Weston Wiebe and Kris Wilson led Free State in scoring all three nights in McPherson, including combining for 31 points in the 55-51 loss in the title game to 10-1 Manhattan. But this team is about much more than its leading scorers.

Wiebe and Wilson both are well on their way to all-Sunflower League postseason honors. Wiebe may be in line to be named the league’s player of the year.

The best part about that is both have remained level-headed enough to not worry too much about it. Those guys, along with their teammates and their coach, are concerned only about one thing: winning. The rest simply doesn’t matter.

That, perhaps, was the best part about what Free State accomplished over the weekend.

The Firebirds proved – yet again – that they are a team and demonstrated that playing team basketball can get the job done.

Bringing home second-place hardware undoubtedly was nice, but realizing that every player who suited up in green and white understood what this team needed to be successful surely was better than the shine on any trophy.