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Chris Evans
Posted Jan 22, 2009
Updated Jan 24, 2009
Guthrie got back on the winning ways with an impressive 63-46 win over 6A Tulsa Union and wrapped up a third place finish in the Carl Albert Titan Classic.
Leading the charge, again, was senior guard Keaton Callins. Callins finished the evening by netting six three point shots and finished with a game high 21-points and was named to the All Tournament.
Midwest City needed overtime to overcome Booker T. Washington, 75-74, to win the Titan Classic. The Bombers got wins over Class 5A's number one, two, and third ranked teams.
Guthrie (14-1) started slow from the beginning for the second day in a row, but finished the half strong. Union finished the first quarter up 12-8, but then the Jays would outscore the Redskins 18-8 in the second quarter including three 3-pointers from Callins. The Jays finished the quarter on a 12-0 run in the final 2:31 to go into the half up six, 26-20.
Donte' Foster, the Youtube sensation, erupted for 10 points in the third quarter and finished with 20-points.
Guthrie jumped out to their biggest lead, 59-36, on two free throw's by Devon Hall with 4:09 left in the game. Guthrie made 19 of 27 free throw's and Union was more impressive by making 11 of 14.
Guthrie jumps back into conference play, Tuesday evening, when the entertain the El Reno Indians for a 8:00 tip time.
All good things must come to an end eventually, but the Guthrie BlueJays did all they could to out last the Midwest City Bombers for the second season in a row in the Titan Classic.
In a double overtime thriller, the Bombers took down the Jays and their 21-game winning streak, 63-58. The last loss the Jays had suffered was last season (February 7th) to Harrah in the conference championship game.
Of the game's 40 minutes, the Jays held the lead for just 1:52. Midwest City jumped out to a 10-0 lead and the Jays did not get their first bucket until the 2:48 mark on a Donte' Foster bucket. Guthrie finished the quarter on a 6-2 run and trailed 12-6 at the end of the quarter, but the last shot of the quarter by Foster had the gym in a buzz and was the lead sports story in the nightly TV sports casts.
With just five tenths of a second left, Kentrell Brothers tossed the ball in from the sideline, free throw line extend, into Foster, who tossed the ball over his shoulder like a volleyball with his back toward the goal, into the basket for the 3-point shot. Click Here to see video.
Guthrie (13-1) tied the game at 18-all with a Keaton Callins 3-point shot with 2:03 left in the second quarter. Callins, who finished with a total of five three point shots, finished with 17 points.
Foster gave the Jays the lead back, 23-21, but Bomber's Xavier McClish connected with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give MWC a 24-23 halftime lead. McClish finished with a game high 22-points.
Callins started the third quarter by making his third straight three pointer as the Jays outscored the Bombers 13-12, in the quarter, to tie the game at 36-all through three quarters. Jays forward Devon Hall added six points in the quarter, including the final four.
Guthrie, trailing 48-45, called a time-out with 1:04 remaining and set up a play for Callins and as fans have grown accustom too Callins nailed a clutch three point shot to tie it at 48-all. The Bombers stalled out the clock until calling a time-out with 13.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
Midwest City went with McClish and his jump shot was no good, but the Bombers senior point guard Marcus Nelson got the rebound and his shot fell short and the game headed to the first overtime.
In the 4:00 overtime, MWC scored off the jump ball with a lay-up wasting no time, but the Jays would get two free throws from Callins and a Hall bucket to go up 52-50.
Tied at 54-54, Foster and the Jays had the last chance this time to win it on the final possession. Foster, who finished with 18 points, took a 17 foot jump above the free throw line with under a second play, but was not able to get the shot fall and the game headed to the second overtime.
Trailing 61-58 in double overtime, Callins took a would be game tying shot, but fell short with :06 left and was rebounded by Midwest City and sealed the game with two made free throws with 3.6 left.
Guthrie must rebound Saturday evening when they face Tulsa Union, at 5:30. Union, as well, lost in double overtime to Booker T. Washington (67-65) in the other semi-final game following the Guthrie-MWC game. Guthrie defeated Tulsa Union last season in this tournament, 50-48, in the second round.
The Guthrie BlueJays entered the very deep and talented Carl Albert Titan Classic as the No. 1 seed and proved it in the first round with a 58-43 win over Class 3A's Millwood Falcons.
Senior guards Donte' Foster and Keaton Callins scored 34 of the teams 58 points and now will meet up with 6A's Midwest City Bombers. MWC had an easy time with 5A's second ranked Ardmore Tigers (67-42).
Guthrie-MWC is a rematch of last year's Titan Classic Championship game. The Jays held onto a 49-48 win despite the Bombers having three shot opportunities to win it in the closing seconds.
MWC (10-3) exhibited a 2-3 zone defense that cause havoc on the Tigers and held them well under their season average. Perhaps, the Jays could see the same today?
Guthrie (13-0) open the game in the third quarter by outscoring the Falcons 13-7 after holding a 27-22 halftime score. Guthrie showed another deep bench with nine players scoring.
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