A long layoff can mean a fresh team, or an out-of-synch team.

Lawrence High girls basketball coach Kristin Mallory would prefer the former, especially in a high-stakes game.

Lawrence (1-1) will meet Free State (2-1) at 5:30 p.m. today in the opener of the city showdown doubleheader. The boys will play immediately after.

It’s the Lions’ first action since they beat Kansas City Washington, 61-34, Dec. 8. That’s 10 straight days with no games, and, excluding holiday break, a rarity in midseason.

“I hope it’s good for us,” Mallory said. “It’s given us time to revamp and rework some things in our system.”

And if it translates to a sluggish start, the Firebirds will be ready to pounce.

FSHS is coming off an emotional 59-53 overtime victory over Junction City a week ago. Emilie Humbarger scored a game-high 15 points and seven in the crucial overtime period. Junior Banaka Okwuone had 11 rebounds, her second straight game with double-digit boards.

Free State is improved and ready to do damage in tonight’s Sunflower League opener, and Mallory is all too aware.

“We have to control the tempo of the game,” Mallory said. “We prefer a faster style game than they do, and we have to make that happen.”

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That in mind, being quicker cannot mean being more careless.

“Our biggest fear is getting into foul trouble,” Mallory said. “We can’t be reaching and doing that kind of stuff. We’re not deep enough.”

Lawrence’s lone blemish is a 59-52 loss Dec. 4 to state power Overland Park Aquinas. The Lions were without senior Josie Polk in that game; she returned to score 24 points against Washington.

Each team appears at full strength, giving this city showdown the potential to be a good one.

“We’re going to have to be able to score some points,” FSHS coach Bryan Duncan said. “We’re definitely not going to stop them … they’re going to score.”

The two teams will meet again Feb. 7 at Lawrence High. By then, the teams will be well-established.

Tonight, each team will try to make a positive mold — one that will carry through the winter break and into the season’s stretch run.

“It’s the first time we will have played a doubleheader,” Mallory said. “We hope to get a good crowd and pick up some of that excitement from playing before the boys game.”