When last year’s Free State High girls basketball players entered 5,000-seat White Auditorium, the magnitude of the Class 6A state tournament intimidated them.

“We may have been a little bit deer-in-the-headlights,” Free State coach Bryan Duncan said. “Experience always brings a certain sense of comfort … You’re going to see a different atmosphere, a different attitude from our team.”

Each of the five Firebirds seniors played in last year’s 56-39 opening-round loss to Wichita South, and the 2007 team anticipated a return to state since the beginning of the season.

“(We’ve) been there,” senior guard Allie Hock said. “We know what’s coming, and we’re ready to play some basketball.”

That comportment contrasts to last year’s underdog unit, which reached state by knocking out a powerhouse Olathe East squad led by Danielle McCray – now a starter for Kansas University.

“None of us expected to go to state,” Hock said. “It was like a bonus.”

This go-around Free State, a No. 5 seed, will open against Washburn Rural, a No. 4 seed, at 4:45 p.m. today in White Auditorium. The loser will go home, and the winner will play two more games.

Rural, which features the same 16-6 record as Free State, has an athletic team that goes at least 10 players deep. To take advantage of those attributes, the Topeka school employs a pressure defense similar to the one Free State uses on occasion.

The Blues have strong perimeter shooting, but 6-foot-1 sophomore LaSharra Riley, a beast on the glass, serves as the team’s go-to girl.

“If they have one kind of dominant player, it would be LaSharra,” Duncan said. “We know we can’t stop her, but we need to minimize her production.”

The Firebirds will try to negate her effectiveness on the offensive boards by executing sound block-out technique. When using its zone defense, Free State may assign one interior defender to her at all times.

The opening round game also features a connection as both Duncan and Rural coach Bill Annan have family ties to Onaga. Duncan, who calls Annan a “friend,” phoned him after their sub-state win to congratulate him. But don’t expect them to dine together after the game.

“It’s a business trip,” Duncan said.

If Free State takes care of business and advances, a Friday matchup against No. 1-seeded Wichita Heights could loom. Heights (21-1) plays Blue Valley North (13-9) during its opening-round game at 3 p.m. today.

But Duncan will remain self-assured against Wichita Heights and any of the other teams in a talented field.

“They’re the team to beat, but we’d like to get a shot at them,” Duncan said. “We’re very confident in our team. This is the team I want to be with, and we’ll take our chances against anybody down there.”

That confident squad will have plenty of support. The Free State girls rode a van to watch the Free State boys play Wednesday, and the boys will return the favor today.

“It’s awesome that we have both teams going to state,” senior Kelsey Harrison said. “Both of us are very proud of each other.”