Free State senior Garrett Luinstra drives past Shawnee Mission Northwest sophomore Logan Skeens in the second half of the Firebirds' 68-55 win over the Cougars. Luinstra led the Firebirds with 22 points as they clinched the Sunflower League title outright.

SHAWNEE — Free State’s boys basketball team checked off one of its season goals with a 68-55 victory over Shawnee Mission Northwest, but Wednesday’s victory did not send the Firebirds into a frenzy.

The win over the Cougars clinched the Sunflower League title outright for the Firebirds, who improved to 15-4 overall and 11-1 in league play. Senior Garrett Luinstra went into the game with a business-like approach, and it showed as he led the Firebirds with 22 points — all of which came in the first three quarters.

The sharp-shooting senior assisted on the Firebirds’ first two baskets — both of which went to Reece White-Downing — before knocking down a 3-pointer to give Free State a 7-4 lead. The Firebirds never trailed after that.

“We knew we had the chance to tie for the Sunflower League, but we wanted to take it all,” Luinstra said. “We knew we had to focus and win this game.”

Luinstra went on a personal 8-2 run in the second quarter that pushed Free State’s lead to 15. Fellow senior Jalan Robinson made sure the Firebirds kept the lead at 15 going into halftime, as he scored Free State’s final six points of the second quarter. Robinson finished with 17 points by showcasing his versatility, scoring on the low block and hitting jumpers from the top of the key.

“Jalan is a key piece to the team. One thing that he’s proven over his senior season is that he can make that 15 footer,” Free State coach Sam Stroh said. “It helps our guards because it makes their big come away from the basket and they’ve got to respect that shot. He’s also a good passer out of the high post.

“He does a good job of moving the ball and I thought he did a good job tonight clogging up the lane. Defensively we need him as well. We kind of missed him on Saturday.”

Robinson came back in a big way after missing Saturday’s showdown against Bishop Miege due to a football recruiting visit to Oklahoma. The 6-foot-5 senior scored seven points in the fourth quarter to help keep the Cougars (8-11, 6-6) at arm’s length.

While Robinson stepped up in the fourth and Noah Butler had a momentum-killing 3-point play, Stroh wasn’t happy with how his team played throughout the second half when they had the chance to keep the foot on the gas and put the Cougars away in the third.

“I didn’t like our third quarter. We’re a team that can still get better and that’s what I just challenged them with,” Stroh said. “Sometimes we get complacent like you saw in the third quarter. We made some plays to keep it a double-digit lead and found a way to get out with a win and we’re on to tomorrow.”

With the Firebirds’ practice in doubt on Thursday due to the possibility of more inclement winter weather, Stroh wants his players to control what they can control to keep getting better going into Friday’s regular season finale at Shawnee Mission West.

“Film is important tomorrow if we can’t meet. Just the little things — sleeping, eating, all of those types of things,” Stroh said. “Shawnee Mission West is a talented team, so we’re in for a hard game on Friday and it’s senior night. That sometimes throws things off because it’s a little unusual in terms of pregame.

“This is a good senior class. I’m excited for their senior night. We’ll kind of see how it goes in terms of Friday and in terms of practicing on Thursday with the weather. I think we’ve had a good season so far, but we want to keep getting better.”

FREE STATE (68)

Garrett Luinstra 10-17 0-0 22, Simon McCaffrey 1-3 0-1 3, Noah Butler 2-3 3-4 7, Zach McDermott 0-2 1-5 1, Jalan Robinson 6-8 5-6 17, Ethan Lincoln 0-0 0-0 0, Bansi King 3-5 0-0 9, Turner Corcoran 0-0 0-0 0, Jared Hicks 0-0 0-0 0, Avant Edwards 0-1 1-2 1, Reece White-Downing 3-5 1-6 8. Totals 25-44 11-24 68.

SM NORTHWEST (55)

Verlee McCullough 4-11 1-2 9, Logan Skeens 1-2 0-0 3, C.C. Ghilardi 3-6 0-1 7, Evan Higgins 3-4 0-0 8, Luke Towler 3-5 0-0 6, Dylan Brunner 1-1 0-0 2, Dale Talley III 1-7 2-3 4, George Specht 5-12 3-3 16, Peyton Carder 0-0 0-0 0, Spencer Gruwell 0-2 0-2 0. Totals 21-50 6-11 55.

Free State 17 20 15 16 — 68

SM Northwest 9 13 18 15 — 55

3-point goals: Free State 7-16 (King 3, Luinstra 2, White-Downing, McCaffrey); SM Northwest 7-16 (Specht 3, Higgins 2, Skeens, Ghilardi). Fouled out: None. Turnovers: Free State 8, SM Northwest 8.