For the last month, Christian Ballard has been well aware what happens when he receives the basketball in the post.

“They’ve been sending the house at me for three or four games now,” the Free State High senior center said. “I’m prepared for it.”

Free State has a chance to win its first Class 6A state playoff game in school history when it takes on Shawnee Mission West at 6:30 tonight in Emporia’s White Auditorium.

Coach Chuck Law said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings double-teamed Ballard and junior forward Weston Wiebe when the two post players received the ball close to the net.

“Our guys are going to have to react quickly, and our shooters on the perimeter are going to have to be prepared to move off of post passes and knock down a shot when the opportunity presents,” Law said.

Ballard said he would make quick decisions in the post tonight. It’s more instinct than anything with his sense for where the SM West defense will be.

“If I get it, I have to shoot it real fast or kick it right back out,” Ballard said. “You can’t really think about it too much. It just has to come natural.”

Free State lost to SM West in overtime, 55-51, on Feb. 16 in Overland Park. However, rematch games have fallen in Free State’s favor this season. The Firebirds are 4-1 in second games against teams they’ve already seen.

Take the sub-state tournament, for instance. Free State lost to both Shawnee Mission Northwest and Olathe South in the regular season, but knocked them each out of the sub-state bracket.

FREE STATE HIGH'S CHRISTIAN BALLARD goes up for a rebound while surrounded by Shawnee Mission West defenders. The Firebirds fell to Vikings in overtime on Feb. 16, and will try to exact revenge tonight in the opening round of the Class 6A state tournament in Emporia.

“I think there’s a confidence that comes with familiarity,” Law said. “I think our kids are confident because they know what (Shawnee Mission) West has.”

Free State (11-11) will enter as the No. 8 seed in the eight-team field, while SM West (18-4) carries the No. 1 seed. Two years ago, the seeds were reversed. SM West knocked out top-ranked Free State in 2005.

The Vikings have also knocked the Firebirds out of the state football playoffs three years in a row.

“It’s ironic we keep facing them in the postseason, no matter what we do,” said Ballard, also a tight end/defensive end for the football team. “You can’t get away from them.”

One reason Free State didn’t knock off SM West earlier in the season was because of foul trouble. The Firebirds sent the Vikings to the line 24 times in the second half and overtime stanzas.

“We have to keep them off the foul line,” Law said. “To some extent, we bailed them out a little bit with our sloppy play on the defensive end by sending them to the foul line so many times.”

With Free State behind in overtime, junior guard Anthony Russell drained two three-pointers to reclaim a lead. Free State just couldn’t hold it.

“It was a tough game, but I feel a little bit differently about this one,” Russell said. “Our defense has been getting better every game. Defense is all about heart and desire. If we want to win games, we’re finally starting to realize that’s what we have to do.”

Free State will focus its defense primarily on SM West’s three leading scorers: David Leonard, Jared Witter and Anthony Dobson. All three were members of the SM West football team.

“Hopefully, this turns into a rivalry game,” Ballard said. “We have to win one sometime, so we might as well win one now.”