Leavenworth ? It would have been far too easy for Free State girls basketball coach Ted Juneau to point out what his team could have done differently.

Instead, he chose to admire what his team did well, particularly on the defensive end following a 36-33 loss to Leavenworth. Tuesday’s three-point loss on the road snapped the Firebirds’ two-game win streak.

“I thought we played awfully hard,” Juneau said. “People can look at the score and say, ‘There wasn’t a lot of offense’ but there was a lot of defense. We obviously can look back and wonder what if, but overall I am pleased. These are the kind of games that will make us better.”

FSHS (4-3) played lockdown defense for much of the night, holding the Pioneers to a 14-of-49 mark from the floor, including 0-for-10 from long range. Aarika Lister (12 points) was Leavenworth’s only double-digit scorer. No other player scored more than six points.

Meanwhile, senior Madison Piper led the Firebirds with 12 points, knocking down four of her 11 shots. Earlier Tuesday, Piper was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Game. It was something not even the two-time player of the year in the Sunflower League could imagine.

“Just being nominated is such an honor,” Piper said. “It’s something that I didn’t really think about. So hearing my name, it’s just awesome. I’ve watched the McDonald’s All-American games and said, ‘There is no way I could make it.'”

She certainly looked like she could make it in the second quarter when she scored eight of her dozen points.

Leavenworth leaped out to a 6-4 advantage after the first period, as Cameryn Thomas hit Free State’s only first quarter basket with 17 seconds remaining. The Pioneers (7-0) increased their advantage, 12-5, midway through the second period.

That’s when Piper surged her team back with an 8-0 run all by herself in the final three minutes.

“We did a better job of identifying how to get the ball to her,” Juneau said. “We felt like if we could get it inside to her we would have some shots for her and we did.”

Piper hit just one of her five attempts from the floor in the second half as Leavenworth ceased back control and never looked back.

The Pioneers used their full-court pressure defense to create turnovers, which led to layups on the offensive end. Free State turned it over seven times in the third quarter and was held to just seven points. For the game, the Firebirds coughed it up 24 times.

FREE STATE (33)

Sam Lawrence 1-7 2-4 5, Cameryn Thomas 3-7 1-6 7, Madison Piper 4-11 4-4 12, Jaelyn Two Hearts 0-5 0-0 0, Erin Cushing 0-1 2-2 2, Caely Kesten 1-1 2-2 5, Jaycie Bishop 0-1 2-2 2. Totals: 9-33 13-20.

LEAVENWORTH (36)

Terrion Moore 2-14 2-2 6, Alyche Brown 1-4 4-6 6, Zoie Hayward 2-10 2-2 6, Cierra Robinson 1-4 0-0 2, Aarika Lister 6-12 0-1 12, Alexis Cole 1-3 0-0 2, Jailah Bowen 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 14-49 8-11.

Free State 4 9 7 13 — 33

Leavenworth 6 8 13 9 — 36

Three-point goals: Free State 2-14 (Lawrence, Kesten); Leavenworth 0-10. Fouled out: Kesten. Turnovers: Free State 24, Leavenworth 12.