In the past two days, the biggest lesson opponents learned about Free State High’s boys basketball players is they refuse to lose.

When they need to hit big shots in crunch time, they hit shots. When the Firebirds need a defensive stop, they make a stop.

Less than 24 hours after the Firebirds fought back from an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit for one of the biggest comebacks in school history, Free State made big play after big play in an 83-81 victory over Lee’s Summit (Missouri) North in triple overtime at Johnson County Community College in the Best of Midwest Showcase on Saturday.

Down by three points with under 40 seconds left in the third overtime, FSHS senior Darian Lewis grabbed an offensive rebound, took a few steps backward and knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 81.

Following a timeout, junior guard Jacob Pavlyak stole an inbounds pass. The Firebirds put the ball in the hands of senior Hunter Gudde, the hero of Friday’s game, and he drove down the lane and flipped a pass behind his head to senior Drew Tochtrop, who was sitting on the left block for a game-winning layup with under two seconds left — his only basket of the game.

“I was playing pretty bad at the beginning, and coach benched me for most of the second half and the first two overtimes,” Tochtrop said. “When he put me back in, I knew I had to do something.”

Throughout the three overtimes and final minutes of regulation, both schools made plays to win the game — and at some points, refused to win. In the second overtime, the Firebirds led by six points with under 30 seconds left before turning the ball over and watching LSN junior Cameron Hairston hit two free throws, freshman Javaunte Hawkins hit a three and Hairston sink a game-tying layup at the buzzer.

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