Free State junior Garrett Luinstra looks to make a pass against Olathe North on Jan. 6, 2017 at O-North.

When Free State boys basketball coach Sam Stroh watched the Firebirds play throughout the summer, he envisioned Garrett Luinstra becoming the go-to scorer.

This was a player that scored 11 points in 13 games last season. Luinstra was more of a pass-first, focus-on-defense point guard during his limited time on the court.

But since winter break, Luinstra has emerged as one of the top scorers in the Sunflower League. In three games following winter break, Luinstra is averaging 18.7 points.

“Getting off the bus, he’s not going to intimidate anyone,” Stroh said. “But when the ball gets tipped up, he knows how to play.”

The 6-foot-1 junior Luinstra had plenty of games where he lit up the scoreboard at the junior-varsity level and below.

Luinstra started the year battling mononucleosis and a sprained ankle, which kept him out of two of the team’s first three games and brought him along slowly.

But as he’s progressed to full health, he’s unleashed 3-pointers from seemingly different zip codes. Plus he features a lethal step-back 3-pointer, which creates space from the tightest defenders. He admitted he’s just starting fitting into the offense.

Similar to his step-back threes, Luinstra knows how to make pull-up jumpers and everything in between. He has a knack for earning trips to the free-throw line. Simply, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders.

And none of that is discussing his strong passes on drives down the lane or defense where he uses his speed and length to interrupt passing lanes.

“He’s probably one of the better shooters in our program,” Stroh said. “But he can handle it. He can get to the rim. He’s a good free throw shooter. He’s crafty.”

One of Luinstra’s strongest moments came in Free State’s debut following winter break. He scored 14 points in the final two minutes of the first half. Opposing players knew he was going to take shots after he started heating up and they were helpless trying to slow him down.

“I’m used to that in JV but never really on varsity,” Luinstra said. “My teammates just keep helping me get used to the varsity level.”

Heading into tournament week, it won’t get any easier for Luinstra and the Firebirds (5-2, ranked No. 9 in Class 6A). In the first round of the Saints Classic at St. Thomas Aquinas, Free State will play Washburn Rural at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Looming in the bracket are ranked foes Blue Valley, Barstow and Aquinas.

Stroh knows defenses will start to focus more on Luinstra, which makes it even more important for some of his teammates to pick up some more scoring.

But Luinstra, who grew up splitting time between point guard and shooting guard, is more than willing to help his teammates find open shots.

“He’s still learning some varsity basketball things in terms of communicating and being a leader, but that’ll come as time moves forward,” Stroh said. “But so far, so good.”