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By: Chris Evans
The top ranked team in Class 5A needed just a little over two minutes to put away the Deer Creek Antlers to capture their 11-straight game in a row dating back to last season.
Guthrie jumped out to another massive first quarter lead for the second game in a row en route to a 71-45 victory inside the Deer Creek gymnasium. Guthrie improves to 3-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play including 2-0 in the Northern Division. Deer Creek falls to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the conference despite playing two number one teams, two other top 10 teams, and a top 15 team to start the season.
The Jays jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first 51 seconds and then open the game wide open with a 10-0 run in just 1:08 that was highlighted by senior Donte' Foster.
Fellow senior Keaton Callins started the run with his second three point shot to go up 7-2 and then Foster would score five points, grab an offensive rebound, a steal, and an assist in the next 39 seconds.
Foster first connected on an old fashion three point play with a drive to the hoop, 24 seconds later scored after an offensive rebound, and then 15 seconds later had a steal and a dish to senior Matt Hamilton to give the Jays a 14-2 lead in the game's first 2:49.
All five Guthrie starters had scored in the opening quarter when junior Devon Hall hit a shot to go up 18-4 with 3:40 left in the quarter. Callins finished with 8-points in the quarter and would the lead Jays in scoring with 15 on the evening. Callins has lead the Jays in scoring in all three games and is averaging 16-points a contest.
By the end of the quarter, Guthrie held a 23-9 advantage and continued the defensive pressure in the second period with a half court trap that proved to be havoc for the Antlers. Guthrie used a 6-0 run to begin the quarter and finished the quarter with a 9-0 run in the final 4:07 to go into the break up 42-17.
Guthrie scored 19 more points in the third frame and got the bulk of the scoring from the big men in the paint with Hall, B.J. McDonald, and Chelsey Dumas with 10-points between them. Guthrie used a motion offense and stayed patient with the offense.
Head coach Pete Papahronis emptied his bench with 4:59 to play and Deer Creek took advantage by outscoring the Jays 22-10 in the final quarter.
If the Jays are looking for improvement early on it would be from the free throw line. Heading into the game the Jays were 9 of 25 from the line for 36% and were 15-31 from the stripe Friday night to increase their percentage to 42% for a season average. Freshmen Codee Gross did his part by hitting all six of his throw's.
A total of 52 free throws were attempted in the whistle happy game including 30 in the second half. The Antlers took advantage of their free throw's by connecting on 15 of 21, including 8 of 8 in the fourth quarter.
Individual scoring for Guthrie: Callins 15, Foster, 12, McDonald 10, Hall 10, Kentrell Brothers 9, Gross 6, Hamilton 5, and Dumas 4.
Guthrie will be idle until December 29th when they take on 6A's Westmoore in the first round of the Ardmore Holiday Festival Tournament. The Jays got wins over Southeast, Ardmore, and Del City to come away with the championship last season.
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