STILWELL — Zach McDermott is more than capable on offense, but it was the senior transfer’s defense that was the story on Friday.

With Free State starting to build an advantage over Blue Valley West in the second half, McDermott turned up his defensive intensity, pressuring Keaton Goodale into back-to-back turnovers and clapping at him repeatedly as the sequence progressed.

The Firebirds (8-3), ahead by 10 at the half, more than doubled their advantage in the ensuing 10 minutes, coasting to a 67-47 road win on Friday.

“I just noticed we needed a little energy boost,” McDermott said. “I thought No. 20 was their best player, so if I could take him away, then it would just help us a lot on defense.”

McDermott did just that — and then some.

Not only did he take Goodale out of the Jaguars’ offense, he at least contributed to Goodale’s early seat on the bench in the second half. McDermott, who kept up his intense look throughout the entire sequence, shot his counterpart a look as he took a seat.

“I could tell it was building to the next play and I was getting in his head a little bit,” McDermott said. “I just tried to keep making him uncomfortable and it helped us.”

McDermott couldn’t keep Goodale off the scoresheet the entire night, but he didn’t have to.

While their defense sparking the run, the Firebirds had more than enough offensively to come away with a decisive win.

Leading scorer Garrett Luinstra went to work early in the contest, scoring nine points in the first period in a variety of ways. Luinstra got into the lane and hit a soft fallaway jumper to give Free State its first lead, 6-5. Then he pulled up and hit a 3-pointer and converted on an easy transition layup as part of a 13-2 Free State run.

The senior was quiet in the second quarter, at least until the end of the period. Luinstra dribbled the clock down and then shook off a defender, knocking down his second 3-pointer of the game to put the Firebirds up 10.

“Garrett hit some big shots tonight,” said Free State coach Sam Stroh.

If the Firebirds hadn’t imposed their will enough in the first half, the continuation of a decisive run certainly did that in the second. And they did it with some flair.

After a quick bucket to go up 12, McDermott poked the ball away and dove on top of it. With nowhere to go, he flipped it backward over his head to Reece White-Downing, who threw it ahead to Luinstra.

Luinstra drove on the baseline and fired a pass across the court to Simon McCaffrey. McCaffrey knocked down a triple to cap off the Harlem Globetrotters-esque sequence and put Free State up 15.

“Coach has lately told us to move the ball more and get the best shot we can possibly get,” said Luinstra after the game, sporting a Big Baller Brand T-shirt he received as a Christmas present. “So that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

Four Firebirds reached double figures in scoring. Luinstra led the team with 14 points, but McDermott (3-for-5 shooting), Bansi King (4 for 6) and Noah Butler (5 for 7) each tabbed 10 apiece.

McCaffrey — who picked up a technical in a late scuffle with Blue Valley West’s O’mar Stanley — knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, while Avant Edwards tallied five points in the fourth quarter.

King also picked up a late technical, but Stroh said he thought the referees did a good job of controlling the game’s chippiness. Really, the Free State head coach was just concerned with his team’s play.

“I just told (the players), our standard has been set, finally, in terms of how we play,” said Stroh. “I didn’t like what I saw at McPherson, but maybe it was the best thing for us.”

Luinstra to walk on at KU

After receiving an offer from Kansas basketball coach Bill Self to walk-on to the KU men’s basketball team in the summer, Luinstra recently texted Self to confirm his commitment.

“(Self) said that I’m having a great year,” said Luinstra, asked how the 15th-year KU coach responded to his message. “He wants to see me sometime in the next week.”

Luinstra was at a camp at KU, he recalled, when Self approached Luinstra and his parents and offered a walk-on spot in person. Luinstra said the offer hasn’t put any more pressure on him, adding it hasn’t changed how he plays in games.

“I’m very excited,” Luinstra said. “It’s going to be a great experience. Can’t wait for it to start.”

Free State (67)

Garrett Luinstra 5-10 2-2 14, Simon McCaffrey 2-4 0-0 6, Reece White-Downing 1-1 4-6 6, Zach McDermott 3-5 4-4 10, Jalan Robinson 2-2 0-0 4, Bansi King 4-6 0-0 10, Noah Butler 5-7 0-0 10, Jared Hicks 0-2 0-0 0, DK Middleton 1-1 0-0 2, Turner Corcoran 0-0 0-0 0, Avant Edwards 1-1 3-4 5, Charlie Newsome 0-0 0-0 0 . Totals 24-39 13-16 67.

Blue Valley West (47)

Spencer Bain 3-7 0-0, David Brown 1-1 0-0 2, Keaton Goodale 3-6 4-7 12, Drake Gammon 3-7 3-6 10, O’mar Stanley 3-6 4-5 10, Michael Rehkop 0-0 0-0 0, Scott Riddle 0-0 0-0 0, Chris Nordstrom 2-5 3-3 7, Ben Coates 0-0 0-0 0, Greg Riddle 0-0 0-0 0, Jabari Brickhouse 0-2 0-0 0, Tyler Shank 0-0 0-0 0, Wyatt Stull 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-34 14-21 47.

Free State 21 15 15 16 — 67

BV West 15 11 8 13 — 47

3-point goals: Free State 6-14 (Luinstra, McCaffrey, King 2); BV West 3-11 (Goodale 2, Gammon 1). Turnovers: Free State 11, BV West 18.