BETHANY — Glencoe coach John Lazenby said Friday’s state quarterfinal basketball game against the Cheyenne-Reydon Bears felt like a classic heavyweight boxing match.

“We would score, they would score,” Lazenby said. “We would score. It would just stay at two to four points. We finally built that six-point lead going into the locker room. Then they charged at us and took a lead.”

With three 3-pointers in the third quarter, sophomore Ty Lazenby delivered the knock out blow for the Panthers in a 73-56 victory over the defending Class A state champion Bears at the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University.

“It’s huge,” Ty Lazenby said after his team’s victory. “We were here two times in the last three years and got beat out in the quarterfinals. I’m glad we are in the semis.”

Glencoe (29-1) led a back-and-forth first quarter 20-16. Senior Kagen Castlebury led the Panthers offense with 10 points. Castlebury hit three 3-pointers in the first half. Cheyenne-Reydon cut Glencoe’s lead to one in the second quarter but the Panthers responded with a 14-9 run to lead 40-34 at halftime.

The Bears (23-7) opened the second half with an 8-0 run and surged into the lead. Braygan Lippencott and Bray Haven each scored two layups. A couple possessions later, Lazenby would hit one of his biggest shots of the season with a straight away three to put Glencoe back in front.

“We got timeout and coach said ‘Y’all want to win this game, come out and play,’” Ty Lazenby said. “We all got fired up and came out and played.”

Lazenby hit two more 3-pointers in the quarter and pushed Glencoe to a 53-45 lead going into the fourth. Coach Lazenby said Ty really stepped up.

“In the area consolation, I was talking with Brett Thomas from Weleetka,” Lazenby said. “He said no one could stop Ty. He’s gifted for sure. I’m glad he’s on my team.”

Cheyenne-Reydon made a rally to cut the lead to four but didn’t get closer. With time winding down, the Bears had to foul to prolong the game. Lazenby said he was confident his team could close the door if it got the lead late.

“All five of our starters shoot 76 percent from the (free throw) line,” the coach said. “As a team we shot 74 percent. We feel like if we have a lead late in the  game and they come out and foul us we will be all right.”

The Panthers made 19 of 22 free throws including 12 for 13 in the fourth quarter. Ty Lazenby led the team in scoring with 25 points.  Castlebury followed with 17. Jake Lazenby, who usually leads the team was held to eight points. The Panthers received 9 points from Hunter Hall and 8 from Taylor Cavett.

“Taylor Cavett came off the bench and gave us some great minutes,” coach Lazenby said. “He gets a layup. We come down and he runs through the passing lane, steals it and scores a layup. He’s one of those kids that isn’t going to show up in the boxscore a lot but he does little things that help.”

Lippencott led the Bears with 26. Haven scored 9 before he fouled out midway through the fourth.

Glencoe plays Wright City/Sterling in the state semifinals at noon Friday in Jim Norick Oklahoma State Fair Arena. Coach Lazenby said he’s excited his team gets to play in the “big house.”

“That’s the ticket right there,” Lazenby said. “This year we had to win a game to get there. I told the kids that’s great we get to go to the “big house” tomorrow. We are on a mission and it isn’t done yet.”