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By: Hope Hayes
Thirty-nine years ago, in 1969, Guthrie won their fifth gold ball in school history. 39 years later the Bluejays have duplicated that feat and have won their sixth gold ball by defeating the Booker T. Hornets inside the Ford Center Saturday in Oklahoma City.
Guthrie concludes their season with an amazing 22-4 record, including victories over Bishop Kelly, Tulsa Edison, and Booker T. Washington to win the 5A state championship. Tulsa Washington ends their season with a record of 20-5 and claims ownership of the Silver Ball.
Junior Keaton Callins got things going State Championship style as he opened up with one of his NBA style three pointers. Booker T�����s TJ Smith answered with a basket, but, then, Guthrie got on a roll. Senior Kent McDonald scored, shortly followed by a Donte’ Foster basket and a three pointer. This flurry gave the Jays a 7-2 lead just 2:07 into the game. Guthrie would lead 13-9 at the end of the first.
Keaton Callins started the second quarter in style as well by feeding Devon Hall on a no look pass for two, followed by a lay up by junior Clayton Smith to push the lead to 8-points, 17-9. McDonald would add two, while Foster would add another three pointer. Guthrie and Tulsa Washington were tied 24-24 at the half.
The second half started out the exact same way as the first. Callins opened up with a three pointer, followed by scores from McDonald and Jon Washington as the Jays went up 30-24. Guthrie and Washington jockeyed back and forth with the lead the entire second half. Callins hit another three pointer and Foster closed out the third quarter with two free throws. Guthrie was ahead 37-36 at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter opened up with a scare. Booker T’s Smith made back-to-back baskets, giving his team a 3-point lead, 40-37. McDonald and Jon Washington ended that scare, however, with a basket and free throw by McDonald, and one basket by Jon Washington. The Guthrie senior had retaken the lead for the Bluejays 43-42 with 6:36 to play in the third. The quarter would have five lead changes.
Both teams would answer the other with baskets, but Foster’s left handed jam on the left side of the floor gave the Jays a 54-49 lead with 2:24 to play. However, Booker T. responded with the next 4-points to pull within one, 54-53.
Guthrie would then take a 3-point lead on yet another Foster left handed slam-a-jamma to go up 56-53 with 34 seconds to play.
Clark, of Tulsa Washington, connected on a jump shot to tie the game at 56-all with just :27 to play. However, on the next offensive set for the Jays, Foster would give the Jays the lead for good with a lay-up off the glass. But, as everybody at the Ford Center knew, Washington would not go away quietly.
Clark would be fouled and sent to the line with just 3.6 seconds to play and trailing by two. Clark would miss the first free throw and set up a situation is which most were expecting an intentional miss. But, instead Clark made the free throw cutting the Jays lead to 58-57.
McDonald's inbound pass was intercepted by Tharone Chilton who would take it the hoop with a right handed shot that missed from point blank range. That was just the first of two dodged bullets.
Off of the missed shot by Chilton, Smith from Booker T. had another point blank shot and a tip in opportunity. The shot was missed and a last ditch tip in was made just 3 tenths of a second after the buzzer had went off. After the dust had settled, Guthrie had claimed the 2008 State Title.
The game featured great performances by great players, including Donte Foster who ended the night with 16 points, five rebounds, two steals, and three assists. Keaton Callins had 13 points on the night and was 3 of 7 from behind the arc, while Senior Kent McDonald found double digits in scoring with 14 points, and eight rebounds. Jon Washington topped the night off with seven points as Guthrie had seven players score on the night.
Congratulations to the Guthrie Bluejays! Remember to stop by the Podcast Page to hear thoughts from Coach Papahronis and the Class 5A 2008 Basketball champs!
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