Lawrence High junior Justin Roberts (5) goes baseline around the Free State defense during the City Showdown game Friday evening at FSHS. The Lions came away with a 39-33 win over their crosstown rival.

Free State High’s boys basketball team entered Friday with a plan to stop Lawrence High’s explosive offense. It included packing the paint on defense and slowing the tempo down on offense.

For three quarters, it worked to perfection in the City Showdown. The Firebirds led by two, and the Lions were frustrated with their inability to drive the lane, or when they drove past their defender, a Free State defender was there to take a charge.

But in the fourth quarter, the Lions couldn’t be held down any longer, as they made enough shots and free throws for a 39-33 victory at FSHS.

LHS senior Anthony Bonner used a pump fake, one-dribble jumper to give the Lions a 25-23 lead early in the fourth quarter. Free State senior Weston Hack countered with a coast-to-coast layup of his own more than a minute later, but Lawrence junior Justin Roberts and Bonner drilled jump shots to give the Lions a lead they would never give up.

“That’s the toughest game we’ve played all season,” Bonner said of the City Showdown-turned-chess match.

The Lions (5-0) tried to push the pace in transition, but the Firebirds were quick to get back on defense, then dared LHS shooters to fire away from the perimeter. The Lions shot 1-for-10 from behind the three-point line.

“They took away our driving lanes,” LHS coach Mike Lewis said. “They were in position to take charges. They wanted the ball out on the perimeter. We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well from the perimeter. You put all of those pieces together and here’s a tight basketball game.”

LHS certainly didn’t make anything easier on itself, missing the front end of three one-and-one free throws late in the fourth quarter, but the Firebirds couldn’t drop their open looks from behind the three-point arc. Afterward, Bonner and seniors John Barbee and Ben Rajewski hit eight straight free throws to finish the game.

Bonner finished with a team-high 13 points, while junior forwards Price Morgan and Fred Brou combined for 12 points and 14 rebounds.

“I never would have thought we could have kept (the score) in the 30s,” FSHS coach Chuck Law said. “I was hoping we could keep it in the upper 40s, low 50s. But we got the kind of game we wanted. We just didn’t make enough plays to win it.”

The Firebirds (2-1) were patient with their possessions, waiting for open layups on back cuts or trying to find an open shot from deep. Hack took advantage by slashing in for layups or drilling jumpers with a game-high 18 points, while junior Hunter Gudde added 12 points.

“Not many people gave us a chance coming into this game, but we believed in ourselves and we battled, and we gave ourselves a chance down the stretch,” Hack said. “We just didn’t close it out.”

Free State followed a strong showing defensively against Mill Valley last week, and nearly shocked the city with an upset of the top-ranked team in Class 6A.

“It was a great effort by our team,” said Law, as all of the FSHS coaches wore striped shirts and blue jeans in memory of science teacher Brad Simon, who died last week. “We, as a coaching staff, be any more proud. There’s no moral victories but that was a great effort by our guys. We have nowhere to go but up as a team.”

The Firebirds are off for winter break, but the Lions will face Barstow (Mo.) in the Hyvee Shootout at Avila University at 6 tonight.

LAWRENCE (39)

Justin Roberts 1-5 2-3 4, Price Morgan 3-5 2-3 8, Ben Rajewski 0-4 2-2 2, Anthony Bonner 4-11 4-6 13, John Barbee 1-3 6-7 8, Fred Brou 2-2 0-2 4, Anthony Harvey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-31 16-23 39.

FREE STATE (33)

Andrew Keating 1-5 1-2 3, Weston Hack 6-13 5-5 18, Justin Narcomey 0-4 0-0 0, Hunter Gudde 5-9 1-3 12, Jack Raney 0-5 0-0 0, Jay Dineen 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 12-38 7-10 33.

Lawrence 7 10 4 18 — 39

Free State 10 5 8 10 — 33

Three-point goals: Lawrence 1-10 (Bonner); Free State 2-14 (Hack, Gudde). Fouled out: Roberts. Turnovers: Lawrence 8, Free State 8.