Free State seniors Ethan Lincoln, Wyatt Durland, DK Middleton, Tate Fanshier, Alyus Wisdom and Olin Yoder are recognized on Senior Night. Free State defeated SM West 61-42 on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

Free State coach Sam Stroh yelled for somebody to play some music. Almost immediately after, “Life is Good” by Future and Drake started blasting throughout the locker room.

“(Life’s) pretty good right now,” senior forward DK Middleton said.

Middleton was named player of the game after scoring a team-high 15 points in the Firebirds’ 61-42 win over Shawnee Mission West on Senior Night Tuesday.

That music selection is key, too, as the player of the game gets to pick a song to play in the postgame locker room — a tradition Stroh calls “Club Dub.”

“He gave us a good lift off the bench tonight,” Stroh said of Middleton.

The Firebirds’ six seniors — guards Wyatt Durland, Ethan Lincoln, Olin Yoder and forwards Tate Fanshier, Alyus Wisdom and Middleton — were recognized prior to the game. And as has been the case all season, this group came up big in another Free State victory.

“It’s a great group — guys who are bought in, guys who are team guys, guys who have worked up the ladder,” Stroh said. “Some guys are obviously talented and move up the ladder quicker, but it’s fun to see those guys having success and help our program. They’re all about the team.”

Middleton also said he’s “real close” with this group of seniors — teammates that he’s gone to school and played with since middle school.

Stroh started an all-senior starting lineup of Durland, Lincoln, Yoder, Fanshier and Wisdom. It was Middleton’s idea after he had started most games his senior season.

“I wanted to (let) my friends, teammates just have some fun and be in the starting lineup,” Middleton said.

But that was short-lived as the Firebirds (14-5, 9-3 Sunflower League) found themselves down 5-0 early on. Quickly, sophomore guard Mozae Downing-Rivers, junior center Andrew Piper and Middleton checked in to get Free State back in an offensive rhythm.

“They got off to a little shaky start,” Stroh said. “They settled in; I think it was nerves setting in. Sometimes that happens on senior night.”

While Middleton was given a technical midway through the first quarter, he was still one of the best players on the floor, scoring 8 points and helping to force seven turnovers. Thanks to Middleton and his fellow seniors, the Firebirds were up 16-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Free State extended the lead to 23-13 midway through the second quarter before SM West (5-14, 2-9 Sunflower League) responded. SM West senior forward CJ Callaghan scored a pair of baskets inside — including an and-one — and the Vikings scrambled to regain momentum.

But Yoder and Durland hit a 3-pointers late in the quarter, and the Firebirds went into halftime with a comfortable 32-20 lead.

However, the Firebirds started the second half cold. Free State missed its first four shots — plus three free throws. Piper salvaged things with a put-back layup off a Middleton miss from the line, but there was still now an opening for the Vikings.

And as Stroh and the Free State bench yelled, “watch the kicker,” Viking senior guard Wesley Clark hit a three.

Piper’s big third quarter continued, though, as he dished to Yoder for a layup and later hit a hook shot inside. Shortly after, the Free State bench came through as Branch hit a tough floater and Fanshier took a charge.

The trio of Branch, Piper and Fanshier helped extend the lead to 49-34 heading into the fourth quarter.

Free State cruised through the fourth quarter once the lead grew to 20 points, and the Firebirds didn’t commit a single turnover in the fourth quarter en route to victory.

The play of Middleton, Branch and Piper’s big third quarter leading the way was no surprise for this Free State team that likes to push the ball inside.

“And then we have Ethan and Olin on the outside,” Middleton said. “If our layups are falling and our threes are falling, it’s hard to stop everything at once. Then our team just feeds off that.”

After dropping last week’s City Showdown to Lawrence High, both Stroh and Middleton said it was important to get back on track as the Firebirds close out the season.

“It’s another game, but it’s also good to get back in the win column after a tough loss the other night on Friday,” Stroh said. “Every game is still important in terms of sub-state seeding and the West (sub-state division) is tough. We’ve got no off nights ahead of us.”

Free State will close the regular season at home against Gardner Edgerton on Friday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

Free State (61)

DK Middleton 6-9 3-5 15, Miles Branch 7-12 0-0 14, Olin Yoder 3-9 2-2 10, Andrew Piper 3-4 1-2 7, Dash Hawkins 3-3 0-0 6, Wyatt Durland 1-2 0-0 3,Tate Fanshier 1-1 0-0 2, Alyus Wisdom 0-0 2-2 2, Mozae Downing-Rivers 0-4 2-2 2, Kris Daniels 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-46 10-13 61.

Shawnee Mission West (42)

Wesley Clark 5-9 3-4 14, Darion Wesson 3-5 4-4 11, CJ Callaghan 2-5 1-1 5, Sam Derning 2-6 0-0 4, Matthew Olson 1-8 1-1 3, Elijah Eastwood 1-1 0-0 3, Emillio Elliott Jr. 1-3 0-0 2, Mitchell Loe 0-3 0-2 0, Dante Jackson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 15-42 9-12 42.

Free State 16 16 17 12 — 61

Shawnee Mission West 11 9 14 8 — 42

3-point goals: Free State 3-9 (Yoder, Durland); Shawnee Mission West 3-16 (Wesson, Clark, Eastwood). Turnovers: Free State 10, Shawnee Mission West 17.