Guthrie edges East Central in Class 5A boys regional opener
BY LARRY LEWIS World Correspondent
Saturday, February 23, 2013
2/23/13 at 6:00 AM
Jerrick Warren and L'liott Curry combined to score 34 points as unranked Guthrie defeated No. 16 East Central 46-43 Friday night in a Class 5A regional opening-round game at Edison.
Warren and Curry, who finished with 20 and 14 points, respectively, led a comeback in which the Bluejays trailed most of the game. Curry had eight points and Warren added six in the final quarter.
"The key was what it has been all year long - our defensive pressure," said Guthrie coach Tim Flanigan. "We played hard, intense, in your face defense."
Guthrie (10-14) trailed by as many as eight points in the third quarter at 27-19, but managed to tie the score early in the fourth quarter at 31-31 on a bucket by Curry.
East Central (4-16) was able to regain the lead, but Guthrie tied the game again at 37-37.
The Bluejays took their first lead at 39-37 with 2:45 remaining on consecutive baskets by Curry.
Two free throws by East Central's William Goree tied the game at 39-39, but Curry scored again with 1:30 remaining to give Guthrie the lead for good at 41-39.
The Cardinals had chances to tie the game with free throws late in the game. Stanvon Taylor made the first of two free throws with 7.5 seconds remaining to close the margin to 44-43.
Guthrie's Jeremy Brown was fouled with 1.7 seconds remaining and sank two free throws for his only points of the game to put the Bluejays up 46-43, and East Central's desperation heave at the end of the game wasn't close.
"He's a really good shooter, we had confidence in Jeremy," said Flanigan of Brown.
The Guthrie victory was impressive considering how badly it was defeated earlier this season.
"We lost 60-30 to East Central in the Jenks Tournament. I remember that score well," said Flanigan, whose team played without Warren in that game.
Taylor led East Central with 14 points, including six in the fourth quarter. Jonathan Johnson added 10 points for the Cardinals.
Edison 63, Collinsville 31: Don Simmons scored 16 of his team-high 17 points in the first half as the No. 5 Eagles led 39-15 at halftime and never looked back.
Edison (18-6) took most of the first quarter to get going, leading by only five with less than a minute left in the quarter. The Eagles dominated the rest of the game until putting in reserves for much of the second half.
"It was important to use some of the time to use some younger players who we may need later in the tournament," said Edison coach Michael Parish.
Guthrie 46, East Central 43
| Guthrie |
7 |
9 |
11 |
19 |
- |
46 |
| East Central |
10 |
11 |
10 |
12 |
- |
43 |
Guthrie: Warren 20, Curry 14, Baez 5, McFadden 3, Brown 2, Nichols 2. East Central: Taylor 14, Johnson 10, Goree 8, Rushing 6, Cotton 3, Thompson 2.
Edison 63, Collinsville 31
| Collinsville |
10 |
5 |
4 |
12 |
- |
31 |
| Edison |
21 |
18 |
11 |
13 |
- |
63 |
Collinsville: Cole 9, Curtis 6, Iannapollo 4, Brewer 3, Archer 2, Dyer 2, Johnson 2, Lowe 1, West 1, Kocheski 1.
Edison: Simmons 17, D. Speaks 13, B. Speaks 12, Primer 6, Finney 5, Williams 4, Dixon 4, Gilmore 2.
Original Print Headline: Guthrie edges East Central
