Couldn’t last year’s seniors have left a little height?

Free State High’s boys basketball team graduated four players from last year’s 15-7 squad — Keith Wooden (6-foot-9), Cameron Karlin (6-6), Bijai Jones (6-5) and Collin Schmidt (6-4).

Firebirds coach Jack Schreiner lost his four tallest players, and FSHS instantly went from one of the state’s biggest teams to one of its shortest.

What it means for this year is a new-look Free State squad. No more high-low offense. No more looking inside for the easy two points. No more domination in the paint.

This year’s Firebirds will hang out far from the basket, hopefully getting points three at a time.

“From a distance, they’re all the same height,” Schrenier said of his top seven players. “It changes everything from what we’ve done the past three years. We’ve tried to run coach (Bill) Self’s high-low offense in the past. We’re going to change completely now. Our attack, our defense, everything is going to be different.”

Which isn’t necessarily bad. Now, the Firebirds often will feature a five-guard attack with nearly all of their players over 6-0, but none over 6-2.

The sudden and drastic change will no doubt test Schreiner’s coaching versatility, but that’s fine with him.

“That’s the fun part,” Schreiner said. “The college coaches recruit kids to fit their program. We have to fit our program around the kids we get.”

Seniors Dain Dillingham, left, and Jamie Stanclift will lead the Free State High basketball teams.

Among those coming back is senior Dain Dillingham, a 6-1 slashing point guard whose 12.0 points per game last year was second on the team to Wooden’s 17.4. Though Dillingham wasn’t a threat from three-point land as a junior, he often created easy points with his quickness to the basket.

“Dain goes to the basket as well as anyone in the state,” Schreiner said. “If we can add an effective long-range outside jump shot, which he has worked hard on, he’ll be extremely tough to guard.”

Especially considering the lane might be wide open. Though senior Cole Douglas (6-2, 220 pounds) probably has the strength to post up inside, Schreiner is reluctant to utilize him that way.

“I don’t know if we can post him up because other teams will just put their biggest guy on him,” Schreiner said.

And chances are, the other team’s tower will sky above Douglas.

But nightly mismatches don’t have to spell trouble for the Firebirds. With junior Brady Morningstar, the team’s top three-point threat, returning with more experience and more size, as well as athletic players like seniors Tyler Blankenship, Adam Bellinder, Caleb Harvey and junior Sam Buhler, the Firebirds should be a well-conditioned, fast-paced team — hopefully, faster than the bigger teams they’ll see.

They really have no choice.

“If we shoot the ball well, we can play with almost everybody,” Schreiner said. “The kids know that the defense is going to have to create our offense. We’ll have to get steals and create turnovers. If we allow the other team to come down and set up, they’ll just pound the ball inside.”

Free State starts its season Friday at home against Washburn Rural.