?Free State forward Cameryn Thomas (10) dribbles toward the basket against Wichita East on Wednesday night at FSHS. The Firebirds won the sub-state game, 50-17.

When Free State High junior Cameryn Thomas is playing at her best defensively, the rest of the girls basketball team usually follows.

The 5-foot-7 Thomas thrives on the defensive end of the court. She hounds point guards on each dribble. She reaches into passing lanes for steals.

Throughout the past few seasons, the Firebirds turned to Thomas to start their full-court press, knowing she could frustrate opponents into turnovers. And for Thomas, that’s just as fun as making a layup or drilling a three-pointer.

“Defense is my favorite part of the game,” Thomas said. “It’s pretty much always been that way. I’ve always loved playing defense. I just love the aggressiveness and stealing the ball is a lot of fun.”

The Firebirds (2-1, ranked No. 9 in Class 6A) will lean on Thomas’ defense during the City Showdown against Lawrence High (4-0, ranked No. 5) at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Thomas, a three-year starter, anchors a backcourt that is heavy on talent but a little light on experience with freshman Caely Kestan and sophomore transfer Sam Lawrence, from Basehor-Linwood. Plus, the Firebirds have Jaelyn Two Hearts, who is averaging 11 points per game.

“She’s always been a great leader,” Free State coach Ted Juneau said of Thomas. “Not so much because she’s real vocal, but because she works hard, she’s steady and all those things.”

Thomas is averaging 3.7 points through the team’s first three games. Her goal is to become a better shooter and ball handler this year.

A three-sport athlete, Thomas (volleyball and track) has more than enough athleticism to stand out in the Sunflower League. Plus, she hopes her success in other sports will translate to the basketball team, which is looking for its first state tournament appearance since 2010.

Thomas, along with fellow guard Erin Cushing, were members of the Free State volleyball team that earned a trip to the Class 6A state tournament in October.

“I think going to state is a great experience and it can transfer over to all three sports,” Thomas said. “I think going to state like we had, I kind of learned how to work with a team to be successful.”

Along with strong defense, Juneau said Thomas is the team’s best rebounder alongside senior Madison Piper. That’s meant new responsibilities on the court this season.

“We’ve added so much more pressure on her to be strong inside for us,” Juneau said. “That’s the hard thing right now is that we have no real size. …That makes us ask her to play a little out of position but she doesn’t complain. She just goes out there and does what she has to do for the team.”

Not a vocal leader, Thomas lets her play do all of the talking.

“She doesn’t talk a lot but what she does and how she does it speaks volumes,” Juneau said. “She never puts her head down. She always plays with intensity and enthusiasm. It really does help us.”