photo by: Chance Parker

Free State senior Camren Edwards dribbles the ball against Shawnee Mission Northwest Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

Ranked as the No. 1 team in Class 6A for much of the season, the Free State High boys basketball team ripped off 12 consecutive wins before suffering their first — and still only — loss of the season.

After Tuesday’s 66-57 road win at Shawnee Mission North, the top-ranked Firebirds are taking a 15-1 record into Friday’s City Showdown at home against No. 5 Lawrence High. The Lions on Tuesday knocked off Olathe North at home, 67-50, to improve to 16-3 heading into Friday’s showdown against their crosstown rivals.

For the Firebirds, that early stretch of winning basketball came in a variety of ways and with a number of people stepping up at different times, showing that depth might be their biggest strength.

But it’s not just depth in terms of numbers that has led to good things for Sam Stroh’s team. It’s the fact that the Firebirds’ roster is made up of veterans who all believe they can make any play at any time that makes this team so tough to handle.

Look no further than a recent home win over Olathe South as evidence. With the Firebirds playing from in front most of the night but never truly pulling away, 6-foot-2 senior Cam Edwards scored back-to-back buckets to give Free State some separation.

Edwards is not a starter. He does not draw the same type of attention as leading scorers Jordan Brown and Mozae Downing. But there he was putting a damper on all of Olathe South’s plans of staying with the Firebirds.

“If we play man, you have to stay in front of (No.) 5,” Olathe South coach Dan Morrow yelled to his players on the court after Edwards’ mini-run. “He’s their ninth man.”

photo by: Chance Parker

Free State senior Mozae Downing celebrates after hitting a three point shot against Shawnee Mission Northwest Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

Where Edwards or any of the Firebirds fall in this team’s pecking order is irrelevant in their eyes.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that can do basically everything,” Edwards said. “We’ve just always got to stay ready and make sure that we step up and contribute to the team.”

In terms of pieces, the Firebirds have it all.

Go-to guys in Brown and Downing. Good size with 6-5 forwards Jailen Thompson and Emmanuel Epelle. Reliable outside shooting from several starters and gunner-for-hire Isaac Gonzales off the bench. A defensive pest in Cooper Jackson. And a few players who are willing to turn the game as physical as needed in football standouts Jet Dineen and Dash Cleveland.

Together, no matter who’s playing when and with whom, the parts always seem to fit. Thompson attributed that to the team’s chemistry off the court as well as clearly defined duties on it.

“Everybody’s got their role,” Thompson said. “We just play our role and do what we’ve got to do to help the team. We know that’s going to help us win, and that’s what we want. Everybody just makes everybody better.”

Jackson, who starts at one of the Firebirds’ guard positions, said Free State’s starting unit never worries about what might happen when they’re not on the floor. More often than not, the Firebirds’ second unit has helped extend leads, leaving little hope for their opponents and even less drop-off in the Firebirds’ lineup.

“Whoever goes out, you know that the next person coming to get you can do something,” Jackson said. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

The Free State girls will play host to Lawrence High at 5:30 p.m. on Friday before the boys’ showdown, which is slated for a 7 p.m. tipoff at FSHS.

Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis until the gym is sold out. Masks will be required for fans in attendance and a live stream of the game is available via LHS’s Room 308 Productions YouTube channel.