Pirates score another win over Panthers
After beating Putnam North to win the Putnam City Invitational last weekend, Putnam City could have been overconfident heading into Tuesday night's rematch with the Panthers.
They were not.
Putnam City defeated Putnam North 70-53 for its second double-digit win over Putnam North in four days.
"Coach (A.D.) Burtschi makes sure we don't get overconfident,” said PC junior Garen Wright, whose team beat Putnam North 73-61 on Saturday. "Our confidence was up. We played them in the PCI and beat them. And we wanted to do it again.”
Knowing Putnam North was responsible for ending PC's season a year ago played a part too.
"We always want some more of North,” Wright said. "That's the biggest game of the season for us. Anytime we beat them, we want to beat them bad. Every time we play North, we want to put it to them.”
The flow of the game and result were very similar to the Pirates win on Saturday as PC took Putnam North out of its offensive rhythm with intense defense which resulted in easy baskets. Putnam North, who plays a run-and-gun style, tried to push the ball but was forced into turnovers, bad shots and bad decisions.
"We practice harder than we play,” PC's Xavier Henry said. "We like to get out and go, which leads to easy baskets. Everyone knows their roles and does their jobs.”
Said Wright: "We are a running team too, and with Xavier Henry on your team it's easier.”
Xavier Henry led PC with 28 points while Wright was the only other Pirate in double figures with 10. The win was the Pirates' 41-straight home victory.
"It's great to have a win streak like that and we plan to add on to it,” Wright said.
The win was also Coach A.D. Burtschi's 597th career victory.
If PC wins its next two games against Choctaw and Edmond North, Burtschi can earn win No. 600 with a victory over Edmond Santa Fe on Feb. 1
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