The Free State High boys basketball team will see familiar faces when it treks to Emporia this week for the Class 6A state basketball tournament.

The Free State boys (11-11) are the No. 8 seed in the state bracket unveiled Sunday by the Kansas State High School Activities Association and will open tournament play at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday against top-seeded Shawnee Mission West (18-4) in White Auditorium.

Shawnee Mission West won, 55-51 in overtime, when the Sunflower League rivals squared off Feb. 16 in Overland Park in their lone meeting this season.

The Free State girls (16-6) are the No. 5 seed in the 6A girls field and will open tournament play at 4:45 p.m. Thursday against fourth-seeded Washburn Rural (16-6).

While the two teams did not meet this season, they aren’t exactly strangers. Rural was one of the eight teams that competed in the Firebird Winter Classic in late January.