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By: Chris Evans
The fifth ranked Guthrie Bluejays freshly off a high emotional weekend of winning the Titan Classis returned home to play Piedmont. Piedmont entered the game on a 15 game losing streak and the Jays made it 16 with a 68-57 win. The contest would not end until after the 10 o'clock hour.
The Bluejays used their deep bench early and often throughout the game in effort to keep everyone fresh following three consecutive games last week and three games this week.
Piedmont would trail as many as 23 points, 45-22, early in the third quarter, but the Wildcats would go on a 13-4 run to end the third quarter and pull within 12 points, 49-37.
The Wildcats would pull within single digits of the Jays at 49-40, but would not any closer despite fouling early and often Guthrie.
The fourth quarter alone, witnessed 35 combined free throws and 61 total in what seemed to be a never ending. An ending that was never not in doubt for the Jays.
The Jays shot 67% from the charity line by making 22 of 33 in the game and 15-21 in the enduring fourth quarter. On the other side, Piedmont made 17-28 (61%) of their free throws and were 8-14 in the fourth quarter.
Guthrie improves to 13-1 and extends their win streak to five games. The Jays started the season on an eight game winning streak. Also, the Jays move up one spot in the latest rankings to No. 5.
Senior Kent McDonald led the Bluejay charge with 17 points as well as Piedmont's Stephen Williams. Guthrie's Donte' Foster was the other Jay to score in double figures with 11 points. However, the Jays had 10 players to score in the game.
Guthrie outscored Piedmont in the first half 36-18, but the Wildcats, who appeared to play really hard to try and keep the game within a 10 point margin according to assistant coach Tim Flanigan said, would add 17 more points then the Jays in the second half, 39-32.
Guthrie improves to 5-1 in the conference and more importantly 5-0 in the North Division. The winner of the North and South divisions will meet for the conference championship on Super Saturday, February 9th, at Western Heights High School. If the season was to conclude today it would create another match-up between Guthrie and Harrah for the conference.
Harrah, on Tuesday night, rallied from a 11 point deficit to beat Carl Albert to stay unbeaten at 16-0 overall and 7-0 in the South Division.