The Firebirds improved to 16-1 overall and 11-0 in the Greater Miami Conference, while Lakota East fell to 10-6, 6-5 GMC.
Lakota West led just 17-9 at halftime, but a surge coming out of the locker room — fueled by pressure defense and transition baskets — broke the game open. The Firebirds outscored East 14-5 in the third quarter and never looked back.
“We’ve been extremely engaged and connected defensively, and that’s something we work on every day,” Lakota West coach Kelven Moss said. “I thought we did a really good job sticking to the game plan. We knew who could hurt us, and our goal was to make other people beat us.”
The Firebirds’ pressure turned the tempo in their favor, something Moss said was a point of emphasis at halftime.
“We wanted to speed them up,” Moss said. “Early on we got caught up in the environment and let them slow the game down. Once we picked it up, we were able to get out and do what we do.”
Combs was the beneficiary of that pace. The junior forward scored 16 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night, added six rebounds, and went 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. He threw down the first of numerous dunks by Lakota West.
“He was big-time,” Moss said. “He didn’t miss a shot. He’s so selfless, plays the right way, accepts challenges. That’s who he is.”
Combs said the early energy helped set the tone.
“We came out with a turnover, then got it back and got a dunk,” he said. “That got us going. We just wanted to keep the streak going and get the win for our guys.”
The rivalry atmosphere — a loud, packed house inside Lakota East’s gym — only added to the edge.
“It’s great — 10 minutes down the road, away game, packed house,” Combs said. “They were loud, but we’re used to it. We just didn’t let it get to us.”
Lakota East hung around early, trailing by single digits at halftime, but struggled to generate consistent offense against West’s length and pressure. The Thunderhawks shot just 34.5 percent from the field.
Lakota East coach Clint Adkins said the plan was to keep the game at a slow pace — and see what could happen late.
“Our goal was to get to the fourth quarter within single digits,” Adkins said. “We felt like if we could do that, the pressure would be on them. But when they turned up the pressure in the third quarter, that was tough.”
The Firebirds’ athleticism showed, particularly once the tempo increased.
“They’ve got freaks on the back end,” Adkins said. “Even when you break the press, they’re tough to score on. And if you turn it over, it’s a dunk or a layup. That’s hard to overcome.”
Bryce Curry added 16 points for Lakota West, while Joshua Tyson chipped in 15. The Firebirds shot 54.3 percent from the field and held East to just 30 points — including 14 over the first three quarters.
Despite the loss, Adkins said the environment was something his team will remember.
“It’s a special atmosphere,” Adkins said. “Very few kids get to play in a game like this. It didn’t go the way we wanted, but it’s an experience they’ll never forget.”
Both teams hit the road on Tuesday. Lakota East travels to Hamilton, while Lakota West visits Oak Hills.
“We love this environment,” Moss said. “But this group stays locked in. They don’t rely on the crowd. They just go play.
“And we take it one game at a time. That’s it.”
About the Author