No. 10 Broken Arrow scores 55-54 come-from-behind win at Sand Springs; Savage scores 22

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The unranked Charles Page High School varsity basketball team (0-3) was a minute away from wrapping up their first win of the season, leading 54-53 over No. 10 Broken Arrow (5-1). With 1:05 to play, all they had to do was drain the clock. Instead, sophomore Cale Savage saw an opening and passed the ball to Kyle Keener who appeared to make the two point basket. The goal was called off on a travel, however, and the Tigers got the ball to score and held on for the win.

1Q Broken Arrow 16-13
2Q Sand Springs 14-12
3Q Sand Springs 16-13
4Q Broken Arrow 14-11

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Colt Savage 22, Keener 19, Durkee 8, Cale Savage 2, Taber 2, Wash 1. (Broken Arrow) Huffman 29, Hall 11, Boyer 11, Smith 2, Hughes 2.

(Sand Springs Only)
Offensive Rebounds: Keener 3, Garbey 1, Colt Savage 1. 
Defensive Rebounds: Garbey 4, Keener 2, Colt Savage 2, Durkee 2, Wash 1, Cale Savage 1.
Assists: Taber 2, Colt Savage 1, Garbey 1, Durkee 1, Wash 1.
Blocks: Keener 4.

In the first two games of the season, the Sandites led going into the half and gave up the wins after falling apart in the third quarter. Only four players scored in either of the first two games as the mostly young and inexperienced team had difficulty in sharing the workload. Things were far different this time around as six Sandites got on the scoreboard, two doubled, and the boys led the Tigers through the entire fourth quarter before giving up the final basket of the game.

University of Central Oklahoma-signed senior Kyle Keener posted 19 points in the game and junior Colt Savage led his team with 22, but the remaining 13 points were equally impressive for the Sandites as they finally proved what their fans knew all along, that this was a team that could execute and win. Sophomore Cole Durkee posted a career-high 8 points, and Caleb Wash, Cale Savage, and Josh Taber also got on the board in the back-and-forth thriller.

Though the Sandites are still searching for a win, they have effectively competed against a top-ten team and very nearly won. They were outstanding on offense, shooting eight-of-ten from the charity stripe and 21-of-36 on field goals in their best performance of the season.

The game was back and forth from the beginning. The home team took a 4-0 lead off of layups by Keener and Savage, and the Tigers responded with two pointers from Major Smith and Caleb Huffman. Huffman was the game's leading scorer with 29 points. Colt Savage and Huffman were locked in a shootout in the first quarter with Savage scoring nine and Huffman scoring fourteen to give the Tigers a 16-13 lead.

Durkee started off the second quarter with his first goal of the season, followed by a free throw from Wash and a two by Colt Savage. The Sandites outscored their opponents 14-12 in the second quarter as the two teams exchanged the lead six times and the Tigers ended up with a 28-27 halftime advantage.

The third quarter was equally contested as the lead changed six more times before settling on the Sandites. The home team led by as much as 43-38 before Huffman drilled a three to end the period down 43-41. The Sandites never relinquished the lead in the fourth quarter until the traveling call on Keener. They were up 54-48 after a three from Durkee, then the Tigers went to work.

Tony Hall hit a two. Colt Savage had the opportunity to make a free throw, but missed and ended up fouling Huffman on a two. The Broken Arrow junior sank his free throw to make it a one-point game. After the turnover from Keener, the Tigers went full offense and rebounded four times before finally connecting on the go-ahead score from Braden Boyer. 

With three seconds left, senior Jacob Garbey launched a three that bounced back and fourth within the rim before being ejected into the waiting arms of the nearest Tiger.

The Sandites will return to action this weekend at the Tulsa Memorial High School festival. They will play the Wichita Defenders Thursday at 8:00 p.m., the OKC Storm Friday at 6:30 p.m., and the Northwest Arkansas Hornets Saturday at 1:00 p.m.