Jays snap streak against Jets; 2-0 start to season

The Western Heights boys basketball team had a season to remember a season ago en route to 21 wins and a first ever state tournament appearance. Guthrie was victim to two of those victories and were not wanting it to make it three straight losses to the Jets.

The Jays did not allow that to happen on their home floor with a 65-54 win Friday evening to improve to 2-0 overall while Heights falls to 2-5.

Guthrie was led by senior Kentrell Brothers double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, but it was his defensive work on star athlete Alton Whitaker that earned him the Farmers and Merchants Player of the Game.

The first quarter witness four ties, but the Jets opened the game up with a 9-3 run in the final 4:10 of the quarter to take a 17-11 lead after the first eight minutes. However, the Jays heated up in the second quarter and outscored Heights 15-8. Junior Shron Parker’s bucket with seven seconds until halftime gave the Jays a 26-25 intermission lead. Parker finished with a season high eight points.

Out of the locker room, Guthrie built up a 37-30 lead in the first 4:20 to only see Heights score 12 of the games next 19 points. However, Brothers 3-point shot at the buzzer secured a 44-42 lead after three complete.

Heights, again, tied the game at 48-48 with just over five minutes to play, but just seconds later junior Codee Gross spotted up and nailed a three-point shot to lead to give the Jays the lead for good. Gross finished in double figures with 14 points after throwing in 12 points in Tuesday’s win over Shawnee.

Sophomore Richard Brothers gave the Jays an inside presence by making his first four shots from the field and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Western Heights	17	8	17	12	54
Guthrie	11	15	18	21	65

Guthrie Scoring: Kentrell Brothers 21, Codee Gross 14, Richard Brothers 11, Shron Parker 8, Tim Zupo, 5 Kai Callins 2, Jacob Staudt 2, LaMarc Allison 2

Boys Conference Games: Piedmont 50, El Reno 40 – Harrah 62, Carl Albert 51 – Shawnee over Noble