It was a fast start to a quick season for the Guthrie BlueJay basketball team Tuesday evening when they hosted the Harrah Panthers for the home opener of the 2011 – 2012 season.
The BlueJays jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the game’s first 55 seconds en route to a convincing 75-55 win to improve to 3-0 on the young season. Meanwhile, Harrah falls to 3-4.
Senior Codee Gross was the spark plug on defense with five steals to go with 7-points in the first eight minutes of the game to set the tone. Gross and his teammates shot 50% from the field (9-18) to take a 20-13 lead. Gross finished the game with seven steals.
The Panthers, however, did not go away quietly as the Jays built up a 35-27 halftime lead. Harrah’s Adam Keiffer drilled his first three 3-point shots to keep the Panthers within striking distance. Keiffer finished with 17 points with 13 of those coming in the first half.
The Jays widen their gap with a 14-5 run out of the locker room to push the lead up 49-32. Harrah got within 14-points on two occasions, but were unable to get any closer to the 11th ranked BlueJays.
Guthrie finished with seven scorer’s with three finishing in double digits. Leading the way was junior guard Jerrick Warren with 21 points, including 13 from the charity line. Warren was named the F&M Bank Player of the Game. Gross finished with 17 points and Kai Callins chipped in with 14.
The BlueJay defense was in attack mode and turned the Panthers over 21 times and only turning it over eight times themselves. Another number the Jays produced with success was from the free throw line. After starting 1-for-4 in the first half, Guthrie finished the game by making their next 19 of 23 for a respectable 74%.
Up next for the BlueJays will be the competitive Del City Tournament beginning Wednesday, December 28th. The Jays will begin the three-day event with 6A’s Midwest City inside the Bombers gym beginning at 4:30, and on the following day will play either Tulsa East Central or Bixby, again, inside MWC’s gym. The top half of the bracket includes Del City, Durant, Putnam City North and Broken Arrow.
Guthrie Scorer’s: Jerrick Warren 21, Codee Gross 17, Kai Callins 14, Landon Solorio 8, JT McFadden 7, Justin Irvin 5, Shron Parker 3
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