Liberty Eagles advance to first final four since 1988

The Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty Eagles overcome early deficit to beat Skyline and reach the Class 3 semifinals

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Liberty Eagles came from behind to defeat the Skyline Tigers 64-52 in the Class 3 quarterfinals, earning the program's first trip to the final four since 1988. Liberty seniors Parker Tune and Alex Tune combined for 48 points to fuel the comeback after the Eagles trailed by 12 points in the first quarter. Liberty, which has a history of overcoming deficits this season, will take a 21-game winning streak into the semifinals against defending state champion Principia.

Why it matters

This victory marks a historic milestone for the Liberty basketball program, which is making its first final four appearance in 38 years. The Eagles have proven resilient all season, rallying from early deficits to win games, and now they have a chance to compete for the school's first state championship in boys' basketball.

The details

Liberty fell behind 17-5 after the first quarter as Skyline shot the ball well early. But the Eagles stormed back in the second half, with the Tune cousins combining for 48 points to power the comeback. Liberty took the lead for good midway through the fourth quarter and pulled away for the 64-52 victory. The Eagles' ability to overcome adversity and make in-game adjustments has been a hallmark of their historic season.

  • Liberty captured its first district title in boys' basketball since 2012 last week.
  • The 1988 Liberty Eagles, who finished second at state, are the only other Liberty basketball team to make it this far.
  • Liberty (28-2 overall) will take a 21-game winning streak into the final four next weekend.

The players

Parker Tune

A senior at Liberty High School who combined with his cousin Alex Tune to score 48 points and lead the Eagles' comeback.

Alex Tune

A senior at Liberty High School who combined with his cousin Parker Tune to score 48 points and lead the Eagles' comeback.

Paxton Owen

A player for the Skyline Tigers who led his team with 20 points in the loss.

Justin Harrill

The head coach of the Liberty Eagles, who praised his team's ability to overcome adversity and make in-game adjustments.

Tommy Egan

The head coach of the Skyline Tigers, who was pleased with his team's strong start but couldn't hold off Liberty's comeback.

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What they’re saying

“We all grew up playing together and we knew that this would be the team that would really show what Liberty basketball is about. To do it with my brothers, playing with them my whole life, it's pretty amazing.”

— Parker Tune, Liberty Senior (ozarkssportszone.com)

“That's about four games in a row now where we've come out and played really well in the first quarter. That was so huge because we really thought if we could jump on them early, we'd have a shot to do this.”

— Tommy Egan, Skyline Head Coach (ozarkssportszone.com)

“They like to leave you on the edge of your seat. We've been in games this year where we've gotten down like that. The adversity we faced all year really helped us today.”

— Justin Harrill, Liberty Head Coach (ozarkssportszone.com)

What’s next

Liberty (28-2 overall) will play defending state champion Principia (27-2 overall) in the Class 3 semifinals at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 13 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

The takeaway

The Liberty Eagles' historic run to the final four showcases the team's resilience and ability to overcome adversity, traits that have defined their impressive season. Their comeback victory over Skyline demonstrates the program's growth and the community's pride in seeing the Eagles reach this milestone for the first time in nearly four decades.