Matt Price's last second layup clenches 46-43 victory over No. 17 Bishop Kelley

Matt Price has been a huge mid-season addition to the Sandite lineup. (Photo: Morgan Miller).

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School boys basketball team (9-10) played one of their most heated games of the season Friday night at the Ed Dubie Field House, and thanks to last minute heroics from Matt Price, they prevailed 45-43 in a payback win over 5A No. 17 Bishop Kelley (7-11).

The Comets overcame Sand Springs 45-42 in the second game of the year in an equally thrilling showdown at Kelley. That time the Sandites led 12-7 after the first and 23-17 at the half before the Comets came back in the third. 

CPHS 46 Bishop Kelley 43

1Q Sand Springs 12-4
2Q Bishop Kelley 14-7
3Q All 14-14
4Q Sand Springs 13-11

Free Throws: CPHS 10-of-12 Kelley 9-of-12
Field Goals: CPHS 17-of-37 Kelley 13-of-41
Fouls: CPHS 11 Kelley 14

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Colt Savage 21, Keener 14, Price 9, Garbey 2. (Kelley) Woodruff 11, Roy 10, Gendron 8, Edmonds 8, Musto 4, Jeffries 2.

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Keener 4, Taber 2, Price 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Colt Savage 8, Keener 5, Cale Savage 2.
Steals: Colt Savage 2.
Assists: Keener 2, Colt Savage 1, Taber 1, Price 1.
Blocks: Keener 5, Garbey 1.
Fouls: Colt Savage 4, Keener 2, Garbey 2, Price 2, Cale Savage 1.

This time Sand Springs played one of their best first quarters of the season and took a twelve-point lead before letting the Comets onto the board with a three-point basket from Joe Edmonds. Colt Savage made the first shot of the night, University of Central Oklahoma-signed senior Kyle Keener rebounded and sent it right back to Savage for two. Keener made the next basket and a penalty shot, then added another off an assist from Josh Taber. Price was next in on the action then Keener added another. Ryan Gendron ended the quarter with a free throw and the Sandites led 12-4 behind Keener's seven.

The second quarter was dominated by the Comets, however, who ended on an eleven-point streak and trailed only 19-18 at the half, thanks to Alex Woodruff with eight.

The Comets came out on fire in the second half. Keener scored the opening basket, Jacob Jeffries retaliated, Jacob Garbey posted his first points of the game, then Kelley went on a six-point run with two baskets from Ryan Roy and one from Edmonds for the lead.

It was back and forth from there but the Sandites didn't reclaim the lead till the last play of the quarter. Savage hit two, then Price got a rebound with mere seconds left, took it coast to coast for a layup, drew a foul and sank the shot to finish 33-32, foreshadowing the game's finale.

Savage started off the fourth quarter with back-to-back field goals, Gendron hit one for Kelly, then Roy and Savage both added free throws. Edmonds tied it up at 38-all, Savage scored another free throw, then Gendron sank two for the one-point lead. Savage took it right back in the same manner, then Woodruff hit a long three with 40 seconds left.

Savage drew a foul on a game-tying layup with 12.4 seconds left, but missed the free throw and Kelley got the ball. Kelley used a timeout with 6.3 seconds left, but didn't get the ball inbounds in time and gave up the turnover. Price hit the bucket with one second remaining, drew a foul, and sank his free throw for the 45-43 lead and the win. 

Savage led all scorers with 21 points and had the team-high for the fifteenth time this season. Keener posted 14, and Price's 9 points were a season-best. Woodruff led his team with 11, closely followed by Edmonds with 10. Roy and Gendron both scored 8.

The Sandites will return to action next Tuesday at No. 10 Broken Arrow (13-5) who they fell to in a close 55-54 shootout back in December. The Comets will travel to No. 12 Sapulpa (11-4) who defeated them 60-50 earlier this season.