Emporia ? When the ink dried on the final chapter of Lawrence High’s boys basketball season, there was no storybook ending. That plot line faded into the backdrop of White Auditorium sometime during the third quarter of the Lions’ 88-67 Class 6A state-championship defeat Saturday night against Wichita Southeast.

At that time, the Golden Buffaloes used their superior quickness and athleticism to pull away from LHS. At that point, the Lions finally lost their magic touch.

But for 17 minutes, eighth-seeded Lawrence reminded everyone that its improbable trek to the title game was no figment of the imagination, taking No. 2 Southeast’s best shots and responding with blows of its own.

“We were right there,” Lions point guard Dorian Green said. “But we came out a little slow in the second half. We didn’t capitalize on their mistakes very well. They capitalized on all our mistakes.”

LHS took its only lead early in Saturday’s contest when guard Lance Kilburn splashed a three-pointer home to put the Lions ahead, 5-4. Twenty seconds later, Southeast’s Jordan Cyphers made the first of his four three-pointers, and Lawrence was forced to play catch-up the rest of the way.

The Lions tied the game on four occasions, the last at 21 on center John Schneider’s tip-in.

Soon after, the Buffaloes turned on the jets, blowing away the remainder of the Lions’ pixie dust.

“We kept up with them for a little bit,” Schneider said. “Ultimately, it was just them getting out and running and us not being able to stop them. And that’s when they’re at their best. That’s what they live for.”

Forward Baba Diallo’s putback to begin the third quarter pulled LHS within 41-36. Five minutes later, the Lions trailed by 19, and the smell of burning rubber peeling off the Buffaloes’ sneakers seemed to waft off the gym floor.

Southeast’s ball pressure finally got to the Lions, who committed 18 turnovers. In the process, the Buffaloes turned the game into a dunk-a-thon. Cyphers finished the first of four Southeast dunks with a two-handed slam off point guard Adonis Gantt’s pass off the backboard.

“Once the floodgate broke, we knew we could not get in a full-court game with them,” LHS coach Chris Davis said. “That’s what it ended up being. That was just not the way we were going to be able to play.”

Gantt was a wizard with the basketball all night for the Buffaloes. He continually sliced into the lane, finding his big men under the hoop, finishing with 14 assists to go with 18 points.

Green was nearly as impressive for LHS, as he continued his offensive assault during the state tournament. Green finished with 24 points and averaged 24.3 during three games at state.

Schneider – in his final game as a Lion – scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

It wasn’t the way anybody in a Lawrence uniform wanted to finish, but, then, most thought the Lions’ season would have ended long ago.

“It took awhile, but we turned doubters into believers,” Diallo said. “We made a run where nobody thought we would be here today. We got pretty dang close to winning that championship, but it’s a tough one to lose.”

Lawrence, at 13-12 and the lowest seed in the state tournament, closed its season with a trophy presentation as Class 6A’s runner-up.

Southeast finished 23-2.

They don’t give out banners at LHS for second place, but Lawrence’s amazing run to the title game certainly earned a place alongside championship Lions teams of years past.

“It may not be on a banner on the wall, but we’ll hold it in our hearts forever,” Davis said. “I just couldn’t be prouder.”