CPHS Basketball: Sandites undefeated at Memorial Invitational, Savage scores 35

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The Class 6A No. 8 ranked Charles Page High School boys' basketball team (6-1) had to play four quarters of solid basketball to overcome a tough private school team Saturday afternoon at the Tulsa Memorial Veterans' Arena Invitational. 

The Sand Springs Sandites went undefeated in the festival for the third-straight year, but their competition was far tougher than in previous seasons. The Redemption Life World Institute (3-4) upset 5A No. 8 Collinsville (4-3) on Thursday and nearly knocked off 5A No. 1 Tulsa Memorial (9-0) Saturday before falling 70-68. Sand Springs won their match with the Disciples 71-67, but needed every bit of senior standout Colt Savage's abilities to do it. 

Sevor Blackburn struck first for the Disciples, but the Sandites went on a nine-point run, book-ended by Savage, before Zerek Thomas drained a three-pointer. Savage added a three of his own, followed by baskets from Cole Durkee and Matt Price for a 16-5 lead and the teams exchanged blows before ending the period 20-13. 

Sand Springs cushioned their lead in the second quarter, despite a hot start from Nate White with five-straight points. Savage scored the next three baskets for Sand Springs, one each from three-point and two-point range plus a free throw. Price and White scored threes, Savage made a three-point play, Cale Savage got in on the action with a five-point run late in the period, and the Sandites held a 42-31 advantage as they headed to the locker room. 

The third quarter belong wholly to the underdogs as the Disciples steamrolled the Sandites 20-7 and took their first lead since the opening basket at 51-49. White and Christian Prayer expanded the lead to 55-49 to start the final stanza, but the Sandites reclaimed their advantage with a seven-point run capped by a Colt Savage three. 

Next it was Zack Thomas's time to shine with a pair of free throws and a field goal to make it 59-56 in favor of the Disciples. Davon Richardson hit a free throw, White scored on a steal, Durkee sank a three, then Price scored two more from the charity stripe. Blackburn hit a freebie for the Disciples, followed by a goal from White, but Cale Savage made it 65-64 with a three-pointer for the final lead change of the game. Colt Savage hit two from the charity stripe with thirty seconds left, but it was far from over.

Matt Price fouled Zack Thomas on a three-point shot, but the Disciple only went one-of-three, then Colt Savage scored two more. Zerek Thomas kept his team alive, scoring with 4.8 seconds left, but Colt Savage sank two more free throws after a desperation foul, putting the game out of reach for the valiant underdogs. 

Colt Savage finished with a career-high 35 points and seven rebounds, followed by Durkee with thirteen points and Cale Savage with eleven for the Sandites. Four Disciples broke double-digits. Zerek Thomas had eighteen, White had sixteen, Zack Thomas had thirteen, and Blackburn scored ten. 

Sand Springs will return to action Tuesday with a Frontier Valley Conference matchup against No. 13 Owasso (1-1) at 8:00 p.m. in the Sand Springs Ed Dubie Field House.  

CPHS 71 RLWI 67

1Q CPHS 20-13
2Q CPHS 22-18
3Q RLWI 20-7
4Q CPHS 22-16

Free Throws: CPHS 18-of-23, RLWI 9-of-20.
Field Goals: CPHS 22-of-40, RLWI 27-of-60. 
Offensive Rebounds: RLWI 11, CPHS 7.
Defensive Rebounds: CPHS 20, RLWI 14.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 27, RLWI 25.
Steals: RLWI 14, CPHS 7.
Blocks: RLWI 1.
Fouls: CPHS 14, RLWI 17.

(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Colt Savage 35, Durkee 13, Cale Savage 11, Price 7, Richardson 5.
Offensive Rebounds: Richardson 3, Cale Savage 3, Durkee 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Colt Savage 7, Price 4, Richardson 4, Durkee 4, Minney 1.
Total Rebounds: Colt Savage 7, Richardson 7, Durkee 5, Price 4, Cale Savage 3, Minney 1. 
Steals: Durkee 2, Price 2, Colt Savage 1, Richardson 1, Fisher 1.
Assists: Cale Savage 3, Durkee 2, Price 2, Colt Savage 1, Richardson 1.
Fouls: Price 4, Colt Savage 3, Richardson 3, Cale Savage 3, Fox 1.

(Redemption Life Stats)
Scoring: Zerek Thomas 18, White 16, Zack Thomas 13, Blackburn 10, Prayer 8, Yiel 2.
Fouls: White 5, Blackburn 4, Prayer 3, Young 3, Lako 1, Yiel 1.