Free State High senior Cameron Clark puts up a layup against Derby in the sub-state title game Friday at Derby.

Derby ? When the final minutes were running off of the clock during Free State’s 68-59 sub-state title victory Friday, senior Cameron Clark started to think back to the past.

Clark remembered all of summer conditioning. The 9 a.m. Saturday practices. All of the practices after school.

Leading Free State’s boys basketball team to its first Class 6A state tournament appearance since 2013, the 6-foot-7 Clark produced one of the most dominant games in program history with 26 points and 19 rebounds against Derby. He was two rebounds and one made field goal short of tying single-game school records.

The Firebirds, who will face Wichita South (16-6) in the first round of the state tournament at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday at Wichita State’s Koch Arena, likely wouldn’t be enjoying the same success without Clark.

But there was a time when the Sunflower League champion Firebirds (16-6) weren’t sure if they could count on Clark. At the end of last season, he didn’t play in the final three games and was left off of the postseason roster.

“We had a good conversation back in April last year,” FSHS coach Sam Stroh said. “I told him I’m not going to give up on him, but he can’t give up on us. He’s got to keep working, keep getting better. He still has his moments. He’s still maturing. But I’m proud of him.”

Cameron Clark goes up top to jam the ball for two as Free State's boys basketball team played Mill Valley Friday in Shawnee.

Clark has certainly made the most of his second chance. In the last 10 games, he’s averaging 14.9 points, shooting 64 percent from the field.

When he’s playing at his best, he can dominate on both ends of the floor via highlight dunks, low-post moves and defensive rebounding. Teammates insist there’s nobody in the state who can stop him when he’s focused.

Clark left no doubt that he was at his best in Friday’s sub-state title win.

“My team was talking to me at halftime, ‘Cam, just go back in there and eat,'” Clark said. “This is like breakfast for me, man. We do it in practice. It pays off in a game. That’s what they said to me and I was like, ‘OK, Cam, you have to get fired up again. Let’s get back to it.’

“Thinking back at all of the times that I wasn’t there for my team so I had to be there (Friday).”

Clark plays with his emotions on his sleeve, which has hurt him at times this season. Two weeks ago, he sat out the second half of Free State’s 20-point loss to Lawrence High after receiving a technical foul.

But the Firebirds are hopeful that he can continue to channel his energy into his play, which only makes the team better.

“He’s a big kid and he’s got a chance to not only do well (at state) but also down the road,” Stroh said. “We want to keep trying to get him to the next level. That’s the ultimate goal.”

Standing outside of the locker room after his team’s sub-state win, Clark couldn’t stop smiling about playing in the state tournament. That meant at least another week alongside his teammates — “We’re a family. I don’t ever want to lose my family,” he said.

Before the Firebirds embarked on their two-plus hour drive to Derby, Stroh asked Clark if he could give him a four-quarter effort.

Clark told the coach who never gave up on him that he wouldn’t let him down.

“(Stroh) said, ‘It’s going to be a big game for me tonight,'” Clark said afterward. “He’s really proud of me. I’m proud of myself and my teammates, too. That’s all I try to do is just make up for what I lost then.”