FREE STATE HIGH'S JENNA BRANTLEY, LEFT, AND KELSEY HARRISON put defensive pressure on an Olathe South ball-handler during the two teams' regular-season meeting. A change in defensive philosophy has helped lead the Firebirds to a second consecutive appearance in the Class 6A state tournament.

Following winter break, the Free State High girls basketball team scaled back its defense from a version of “32 Minutes of Hell” to 10 to 15.

Free State’s 2-2-1 pressure defense previously had served as its calling card. Before playing its crosstown rival earlier in the season, Lawrence High coach Kristin Mallory said handling that pressure was the key to defeating FSHS.

Although their traps wore down opposing offenses, they exhausted the Firebirds – who typically only go eight deep – as well. Now, Free State employs it selectively as a way to force tempo or catch the defense off guard.

“The coaches watched some game film and really decided that it would be best for the team to use it sporadically,” senior guard Allie Hock said. “That’s paid off in the fourth quarter. Our guards haven’t been as tired.”

The rested Firebirds have increasingly relied on their standard man-to-man defense, which focuses on ball pressure, denial and help defense.

“Our man-to-man defense has improved so much,” Free State coach Bryan Duncan said. “There’s a lot of times we don’t even try to do much else.”

During their 36-30 sub-state tournament win against LHS at Olathe Northwest that earned a state berth, the Firebirds rarely used the press but still forced 15 turnovers.

Whether it employs a press or a man-to-man, Free State has emphasized defense since the beginning of the season. And perhaps that facet of the game – more than any other – is why Free State has racked up a 16-6 record.

During their sub-state win against LHS, the Firebirds only scored two points during the third quarter – and that bucket by Kelsey Harrison came with 12 seconds left – but still won.

“My philosophy is we teach the heck out of defense, drill the heck out of defense,” Duncan said. “Offense is almost like bonus time.”

With able ball handlers in Kimball and Jenna Brantley, the Firebirds excel in converting turnovers into easy baskets. Heading into the last game of the regular season, the team averaged 9.7 steals.

The Firebirds’ defense did not always suffocate offenses. Early in the careers of Free State’s five seniors – Brantley, Harrison, Hock, Kimball and Jessica Scott – it was a work in progress.

“As sophomores, I don’t know if they could even spell defense,” Duncan said. “To see their progress and see them buy into the defensive side of the floor has been just impressive.”

Duncan honed his team’s lockdown D, through repeated drills and scrimmages. When the team goes full-court, one-on-one or four-on-four, poor defensive effort results in wind sprints.

“We have to get after it all the time,” Kimball said. “We know in scrimmage if we don’t play hard defense all the time, then we’ll be punished.”

The Firebirds still punish teams with their press on occasion. In their scheme, they trap at halfcourt to use that mark and the sideline as additional defenders, cutting down on the offensive’s player’s space to move.

“You know where you want to get ’em,” Hock said.

The team possesses such versatile athletes that even forwards like Harrison or Scott can harass the ball handler.

If the offense does reach the middle part of the floor, Free State goes for what Duncan calls “tips.” The players from the back of the press use their speed to run up from behind and “tip” or deflect the ball.

Now opponents scouting Free State for the state tournament will have to prepare for that press or a man-to-man attack.

“They’re going to say Free State changes their defense on you quite a bit,” Duncan said. “They’re not really sure what to expect.”