Hack’s buzzer-beating three lifts FSHS boys past O-East

Free State junior Weston Hack, center, is mobbed by Free State students after he hit the game-winning shot with one second left in Free State's game against Olathe East on Friday in Olathe.

Box score

FREE STATE (39)

Tristan Garber 0-1 0-0 0, Blake Winslow 1-3 3-4 5, Cole Moreano 3-7 0-0 8, Keith Loneker 0-1 4-4 4, Weston Hack 3-3 0-0 8, Reshawn Caro 0-2 0-0 0, Justin Narcomey 1-2 0-0 2, Khadre Lane 4-7 4-4 12. Totals 12-25 11-12 39.

OLATHE EAST (36)

Caelan Neal 3-5 2-2 8, Javion Blake 0-0 0-1 0, Justin Matthews 1-1 0-0 3, Brady Kaemmer 0-1 0-0 0, Mark Birch 0-1 0-0 0, Cameron Hunter 0-0 0-0 0, Ezra Talbert 4-7 3-3 11, Josiah Talbert 1-2 0-0 3, Daniel Donnelly 2-2 0-0 4, Cedric Roland 3-7 1-2 7. Totals 14-26 6-8 36.

Free State 8 7 9 15 — 39

Olathe East 6 10 12 8 — 36

Three-point goals: Free State 4-13 (Hack 2-2, Moreano 2-6, Lane 0-2, Caro 0-2, Loneker 0-1, Garber 0-1; Olathe East 2-5 (J. Talbert 1-2, Matthews 1-1, Neal 0-1, Kaemmer 0-1, E. Talbert 0-1). Fouled out: None. Turnovers: Olathe East 8, Free State 7.

Olathe ? Only having time to catch and shoot with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation, Free State High’s Weston Hack swished a tiebreaking three-point basket as the buzzer sounded Friday night at Olathe East, lifting the Firebirds to a 39-36 victory over Class 6A’s No. 3-ranked boys basketball team.

“I saw Khadre (Lane) leaking out and they had three or four guys on him,” Hack said. “I slid to the corner, Cole (Moreano) found me and I knew right when I caught it I had to put it up and fortunately, it went in.

“We were able to take (No. 7-ranked) Shawnee Mission South, another great team, into overtime a few days ago, and we knew we could come in here and get a win. We were very confident; we know we can play with anyone and we got it done.”

In a game where possessions and points came at a premium, Olathe East had the ball out of bounds with 46.2 seconds remaining and the score tied at 36. But the Hawks’ Brady Kaemmer was whistled for a five-second call, turning he ball back over to the Firebirds with 18.7 seconds left. After a timeout, Free State milked the clock before calling another timeout with 1.1 seconds left.

“We wanted to make sure we got the last shot, obviously, in that situation,” Free State coach Chuck Law said. “We had to call our last timeout. The play we were trying to run was that we were going to throw the ball in the air to Khadre near the rim.

“But Weston popped out and Cole recognized him in the right corner. (Hack’s) a clutch guy and made a big play.”

Free State’s Cole Moreano, held to only two points through the first three quarters, buried back-to-back three-pointers in the final period, his second tying the game at 34 with 2:47 remaining.

After 6-foot-7 post player Ezra Talbert converted two free throws for a 36-34 East lead with 2:28 left, the Hawks never scored again.

Free State’s Blake Winslow converted a pair of free throws with 1:01 remaining, setting up the final sequence of plays.

Lane led Free State (11-7) with 12 points. The Firebirds, who outscored East, 15-8, in the final quarter, were clutch at the foul line, sinking 11 of 12 on the night.

Talbert led the Hawks (14-4) with 11 points.

The Firebirds host Shawnee Mission West on Tuesday at FSHS.