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By: Hope Hayes
Apparently beating a team three times doesn’t come natural for everyone like it does Guthrie. Heading into Friday night’s game at Carl Albert High School, Guthrie had been downed by the Harrah Panthers twice. Revenge was on Guthrie’s minds, and that’s exactly what they got with a 60-46 win to advance to the State Tournament next week.
Guthrie is now 20-4 and advances to the State Tournament by winning both regionals and the area tournament. Harrah falls to 24-2 and will have a second opportunity of making State when they play El Reno Saturday. El Reno got by NW Classen 65-64 to end the Knight's season in the nightcap.
Carl Albert stunned top seed and No.1 ranked Capitol Hill in overtime to advance to state in the other Area finals game on the West side.
Guthrie scored the games first six points with baskets from senior Jon Washington, freshman Kentrell Brothers, and junior Donte’ Foster in just 1:50. Harrah would get a 3-point shot by Garrett Munger, but Keaton Callins would follow that with a snazzy three pointer himself. Guthrie would lead 18-13 at the close of the first quarter.
Harrah would commit five turnovers on their first five possessions to begin the game. Panther coach Bryan Jennings had to burn a time-out and also took out point guard Austin King, who had three of the five giveaway's.
In the second, Guthrie would once again score the first six points, but this time it was followed by 5-points by Harrah’s post man Cory Nicholson, including a two hand jam and drawing a foul that erupted the Harrah crowd, to pull the Panthers within 4-points. Up to that moment, Guthrie had a lead as much as 10-points, 23-13.
Guthrie would go into the locker room up 31-22. Guthrie shot 57% from the field in the first half, while Harrah shot 50%. Callins was 3-4 in his three pointers in the first half.
The third quarter would open up with a basket by Brothers, followed by a three pointer by Harrah’s Kyle Walker. Guthrie outscored the Panthers 12-9 and led by 12 at the end of the third, 43-31.
In the final quarter, Harrah hit a shot by Walker to begin the quarter, but Guthrie would follow that with a 5-0 run. Guthrie built their biggest lead, at the 4:50 mark in the quarter, on a Callins free throw. Guthrie finished the night 12 of 18 from the free throw line.
Callins and Foster would cap the game off with a highlight that will be remembered for a long time in Bluejay history. After a Devon Hall bucket, Callins stole the ball at mid court and took off toward the goal. Callins appeared he was going in for a left handed lay-up, but then threw the ball off the backboard to a trailing Foster who retrieved the pass and threw it down with a two hand jam to send the Guthrie crowd and bench into a frenzy.
Foster finished the night as the games leading scorer with 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists. Callins added 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Brothers managed eight points and Kent McDonald brought in seven.
Guthrie would shoot 46% from the field on the night and was an incredible 4 of 7 from behind the arc with Callins making three of those in his five attempts. Guthrie would end up with eight players scoring.
To hear post game thoughts from head coach Pete Papahronis and the Bluejay basketball team head on over the GSP Podcast Page by Clicking Here.
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