For Dorian Green, one of the best dual-sport athletes in Lawrence High history, the days are dwindling to a precious few.

This weekend’s Class 6A state baseball tournament in Lenexa will be the last time Green puts on a Lions uniform.

“When basketball was over, I always had baseball to look forward to,” Green said. “This year, I realize it’s my last time around.”

One of the best basketball players in school history, Green has also fashioned a noteworthy career in baseball, whether it be in center field or on the mound.

“Whatever the venue,” LHS baseball coach Brad Stoll said of the slender senior, “you want the ball in his hands.”

A 6-foot-1 guard, Green first planted himself firmly into Lawrence High lore as a junior at the 2008 Class 6A basketball tournament when he almost single-handedly led the No. 8-seed Lions to a stunning 65-56 victory over top-seeded Manhattan.

On that momentous day at Emporia’s White Auditorium, Green scored 32 points while being credited with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Green’s yeoman performance carried over into his senior year and earned him a full-ride scholarship to Colorado State where he’ll report in a couple of weeks for workouts and summer school.

“I’m excited about it,” Green said about his upcoming journey to Fort Collins, Colo. “I’m anxious to get up there.”

First things first, though. He’ll be in center field when the Lions open the 6A tournament Friday against defending champion Blue Valley.

Then if the Lions win, he’ll pitch in Saturday morning’s semifinal against the winner of the clash between Olathe South and No. 1-seed Goddard.

Curiously, if the scenario holds, it will be the third straight year Green has pitched in a state semifinal.

Two years ago as a sophomore, he started the Lions’ 7-5 loss to Blue Valley West in the semis in Wichita. Last year, Green was the hard-luck 2-0 loser to Blue Valley at Topeka Hummer Park.

“Hopefully, we can get to the semis again,” Stoll said, “and, if we do, he won’t lose three in a row, I’ll tell you that.”

Green has been Zack Greinke-like on the mound, compiling a 3-0 record and an 0.88 earned run average. He has fanned 28 in 32 innings of work.

If, however, the Lions lose on Friday, Green will quite likely never pitch again. Even if he had the urge to step onto a diamond at Colorado State, it wouldn’t do him any good because CSU doesn’t have a varsity baseball program.

“It’s a Title IX thing there, I think,” Green said. “So that eliminates that possibility. But there’ll always be a little bit of me that wants to pitch.”

Green has been playing baseball longer than basketball, or ever since he started swinging a bat in Lawrence’s T-ball leagues.

“I think I’ll miss it a lot,” he said. “I’ve probably played more baseball than basketball over the years, but after my sophomore year I had to choose because I knew I couldn’t play both sports in college.”

Basketball won, he said, “probably because it’s more fast-paced.”

Green’s father, Darren, is a former Kansas University football player — he was a kick returner on KU’s 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl team — but Dorian’s football career was short-lived.

He played as a sixth- and seventh-grader in the Lawrence Little League and, he added with a smile, “I don’t know why I quit.”

Not that anyone thinks Green made a bad decision to give up football, not as talented as he is in baseball and basketball.

“I believe he could pitch on the (NCAA) Division I level,” Stoll said, “but he made the right choice. He went with his passion.”