Freshman Madison Piper scored 22 points for Free State High’s girls basketball team, which lost its fourth straight game to open the season, 49-44 to Lansing.

Down 26-22 at halftime, Free State used a 15-6 run to pull ahead 37-32 with 6:50 left in the game. A three-point play by senior Millie Shade gave the Firebirds a 40-37 lead with 5:22 left — Free State’s last lead of the game.

The Firebirds had an opportunity to tie the game with :17 left, but Piper’s three-point attempt missed, and Lansing made two free throws to secure the victory.

Free State committed 19 turnovers, including six in the final quarter.

“Until we are able to take care of the ball, we can’t run anything, and if we can’t run anything, we are just randomly playing,” Free State coach Bryan Duncan said. “That is where we are at, and that is why we are 0-4.”

Lansing (49)

Babcok 4-10 3-4 11, Bhannon 0-2 0-0 0, Moya 2-8 1-3 5, Zielinski 2-5 2-2 6, Bosworth 2-7 0-0 4, Cooper 5-8 2-4 12, Mathis 0-2 2-2 2, Meyer 1-4 4-4 6, Cammock 1-2 1-1 3. Totals 17-48 15-20 49

Free State (44)

Jadlow 0-5 4-9 4, Piper 8-15 2-2 22, Shade 3-13 2-4 10, Kahler 1-3 3-5 5, Shoemaker 0-0 0-2 0, Johnson 1-3 1-2 3, Hickman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-39 12-24 44.

Lansing 12 14 4 19 — 49

Free State 15 7 11 11 — 44

Three-point goals: Lansing 0-1, Free State 6-15 (Piper 4, Shade 2). Turnovers: Lansing 16, Free State 19. Personal Fouls: Lansing 14 (Fouled Out: Mathis), Free State 14 (Fouled Out: Kahler)