CPHS Basketball: Marlo Fox scores career-high 23 in 75-64 win over Ponca City

The Charles Page High School boys’ basketball team won its third-straight season-opener Tuesday night at the Ed Dubie Field House, beating Ponca City 75-64, but it was far more lopsided than the final score indicated. The home team led by as much as 70-44 before running the bench for the final six minutes.

Junior standout Marlo Fox led all scorers with a career-high 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 assist, and Anthony Gazaway kept the Wildcats afloat with 20 points. Davon Richardson added 16 points and Daren Hawkins had 11 to put three Sandites in double-digits. Justin Thompson had 10 for the Wildcats.

Hawkins was first on the board with a free throw, then Gazaway gave his team the lead with a three. It was short-lived, however, and would be their only lead of the game. Richardson pulled up for a deep three on the corresponding drive, then he and Fox hit layups for the 9-3 advantage. Sandite mistakes allowed the Wildcats to storm back and tie it, twice, but by the end of the period the home team was back to a comfortable score of 20-13 after Jaeden Hurd put up four and Fox added five. 

The second quarter saw the same score as the first, and the home team took a 40-26 advantage into the locker room. Fox was the star of the stanza with two threes and a three-point play to lead all scorers. 

Minney hooked a steal to Fox to start the second half, then Hawkins scored on his own takeaway. Costen Brockman hung three on his first varsity field goal attempt, but Porter responded with a three of his own, and Collin Crandall cut it to 47-31. Minney posted five points in the quarter, and they took a 58-37 lead into the final stretch.

The home team took its biggest lead at 70-44 before sending in the second string. The visitors kept their starters in and went on a 20-5 run to close out the night. Eleven Sandites saw action.

Sand Springs will return to action in two weeks with a conference home game against Union (1-0) Tuesday, December 10th at 8:00 p.m. Ponca will host Lawton on Friday, December 13th at 7:30 p.m.

CPHS 75 POHI 64
1Q: CPHS 20-13.
2Q: CPHS 20-13.
3Q: CPHS 18-11.
4Q: POHI 27-17.

Free Throws: POHI 10-of-15, CPHS 7-of-15.
Field Goals: CPHS 30-of-65, POHI 22-of-48.
Offensive Rebounds: CPHS 10, POHI 6.
Defensive Rebounds: POHI 23, CPHS 19.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 29, POHI 29.
Steals: CPHS 17, POHI 6.
Blocks: POHI 3, CPHS 1.
Fouls: POHI 16, CPHS 17.

(CPHS stats)
Scoring: Fox 23, Richardson 16, Hawkins 11, Minney 8, Hurd 7, Brockman 7, Clark 3.
Offensive Rebounds: Minney 3, Fox 3, Brockman 2, Hurd 1, Hawkins 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Richardson 6, Fox 4, Minney 3, Hawkins 3, Hurd 2, Clark 1.
Total Rebounds: Fox 7, Richardson 6, Minney 6, Hawkins 4, Hurd 3, Brockman 2, Clark 1.
Steals: Minney 5, Richardson 4, Fox 3, Hurd 2, Brockman 2, Hawkins 1.
Assists: Richardson 4, Minney 4, Hurd 2, Fox 1, Brockman 1.
Blocks: Oakley 1.
Fouls: Fox 4, Hawkins 3, Richardson 3, Minney 2, Brockman 2, Oakley 1, Stone 1, Keim 1.

(Ponca City partial stats)
Scoring: Gazaway 20, Thompson 10, Porter 7, Faulkner 6, Crandall 5, Dye 5, Seals 5, Lofele 2, Dewberry 2, Phillips 2.
Fouls: Thompson 3, Faulkner 3, Gazaway 2, Valencia 2, Tipton 2, Lafele 1, Crandall 1, Seals 1, Porter 1.