The ninth-seeded Free State boys basketball team (9-12) opened postseason play with a 69-62 win over No. 8 Wichita East on Tuesday night in Wichita.

Senior Korbin Dowdell led the Firebirds with 25 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists.

It was the second time the Firebirds had beaten the Blue Aces this season, as they previously won 59-55 in the McPherson Invitation Tournament fifth-place game on Jan. 25.

Free State began the game getting out to a 6-2 lead before Wichita East scored seven of the next nine points to go ahead 9-8. The two teams traded blows for the rest of the quarter, and Dowdell gave the Firebirds a one-point lead with a field goal late in the period.

The Firebirds had a hot start to the second quarter as well, getting out to a 24-17 lead and forcing a timeout by the Blue Aces — after which Wichita East scored the next eight points.

The two teams each scored four straight, then junior Ben Graves gave Free State a 31-29 lead with a 3-pointer, and fellow junior Braden Wilmes stretched the lead to four with a field goal. Again, Wichita East responded with the next four points to tie the score at 33 at halftime.

Bennett Nagel led Free State in the first half with nine points, while Dowdell had eight points and Wilmes added eight of his own, while grabbing six rebounds in the first two quarters.

Neither team could find separation for much of the third quarter, though Free State ended the period with a surge, as a field goal from senior AJ Eason and a 3-pointer by freshman Brendan Barrettt gave Free State a 51-48 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Following the momentum-boosting end to the third quarter, Free State outscored Wichita East 7-2 to begin the fourth quarter. The Blue Aces cut the Firebirds’ lead to four multiple times, but two field goals by Dowdell made the score 65-57 and put the game away for good. The Firebirds scored their final four points at the free throw line to punch their ticket to the substate championship.

Free State will take on No. 1 seed Derby (20-1) on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Derby. The Panthers defeated Wichita-Haysville Campus 73-43 to advance to the substate championship.