AnniePokely
03-09-2008, 09:58 AM
Page’s 54 helps Pawnee claim Class 2A gold ball
Ryan Steele - NewsPress
OKLAHOMA CITY — In the first 43 seconds Saturday, Keiton Page scored eight points to put Pawnee ahead, 8-0.
Game. Set. Match.
Page finished with 54 points and the top-ranked Black Bears capped off one of their most successful seasons in school history as they defeated No. 12 Oklahoma Christian School, 95-79, in the championship game of the Class 2A State Tournament at State Fair Arena.
Page, who also posted 14 assists and went 9-of-11 from three-point range, finished as Oklahoma’s single-season leader in total points. He recorded 1,287 this season, surpassing the record of 1,280 by Grandfield’s Kenneth Johnson in 1979.
“That’s just icing on the cake,” Page said. “There’s nothing we wanted more than the gold ball. It’s a great feeling to go out on top. These have been the (most fun) four years of my life and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way.”
Pawnee also has a pair of single-season state records in football — Gerald Jones rushed for 3,779 yards and 54 touchdowns in 2004.
Page set the state’s single-season scoring average record at 44.4, beating the mark of 44 per outing by Barnsdall’s Jordan Barnhorst in ’94.
In addition, the Oklahoma State signee broke the career state-tournament scoring record with 369 points. The previous best was 318 set by Kevin Rehl when he competed at Snyder and Velma-Alma from 1980-83.
“That’s just awesome,” said Pawnee coach David Page. “We talked all year long though about how we can’t win a state championship with one guy — it takes a team. We’ve been lucky and privileged to get where we are.”
Senior Blaine Wensler went 7-of-8 from the field and added 14 points, and senior Chace Green contributed 13 points and four rebounds. Saturday’s victory provided a sense of redemption for Pawnee, which dropped an 81-50 decision to the Saints in last year’s final.
After OCS knocked off second-ranked Apache in Friday’s semifinal, its fans began chanting, “We want Pawnee.”
“Really, it was us wanting them so we could some revenge from last year,” Green said. “We were pretty fired up.”
It definitely showed. Page’s first-minute outburst helped the Black Bears take a 28-16 lead after eight minutes.
“That really set the pace for us,” said senior Alex Hansen. “With a player like Keiton on your team, it’s hard to lose.”
Wensler added, “After that, the butterflies went away and I felt like things were going to go our way and they did. I’m so thankful right now — this is such a blessing.”
OCS was determined to keep the contest interesting. The Saints closed the second quarter on a 19-4 run and trailed, 38-35, at halftime. The Black Bears recorded nine unanswered points to start the third and OCS didn’t get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
PHS finished with a 27-2 record and went undefeated in 2A — its losses came against 3A No. 10 Heritage Hall and 6A No. 3 Jenks. The Black Bears, who beat a pair of eventual state champions in 3A Verdigris and B Stringtown, won their second gold ball in four years and third overall, Their first state title came in 1941.
“We won a state championship as freshmen (in 2005), and winning it during our senior year was a perfect way to go out,” Hansen said.
George Overbey drained six three-pointers and scored a team-high 33 points for OCS, which was looking to become the first squad in Oklahoma to win five consecutive state titles. The Saints, who finished 17-11, also got 15 points from Adam Coury.
Saturday marked the end of Keiton Page’s run at Pawnee. In the last four years, he led the Black Bears to four straight state-tourney appearances, two gold balls and a state runner-up trophy. Next season, he’ll be 32 miles southwest competing for Sean Sutton’s O-State squad.
“I’m excited to get (to Stillwater),” Keiton said. “I’ll start working out with them as soon as I can once their season is over.”
Coach Page added, “He’ll probably take two weeks off and start lifting to get ready for Oklahoma State. He wants to get a little bit bigger and hopefully a little stronger. I honestly think he’ll be able to go in help a little bit.”
In addition to Keiton, the Black Bears bid farewell to their other four senior starters — Green, Hansen, Wensler and Kyle LeGrand.
Class 2A State Tournament • Oklahoma City
Championship
PAWNEE 95, OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 79
OCS 16 19 15 29—79
PHS 28 10 25 32—95
(O) Overbey 33, Coury 15, Walker 14, Merrill 6, Warren 3, Holland 2, Liles 2, Tillman 2, VanHorn 2. 3-Pters: Overbey 6, Coury 4, Walker 4, Warren. (P) Page 54, Wensler 14, Green 13, LeGrand 6, Moore 4, Hansen 2, Ross 2. 3-Pters: Page 9.
http://www.stillwater-newspress.com/homepage/images_sizedimage_069010447/lg
Ryan Steele - NewsPress
OKLAHOMA CITY — In the first 43 seconds Saturday, Keiton Page scored eight points to put Pawnee ahead, 8-0.
Game. Set. Match.
Page finished with 54 points and the top-ranked Black Bears capped off one of their most successful seasons in school history as they defeated No. 12 Oklahoma Christian School, 95-79, in the championship game of the Class 2A State Tournament at State Fair Arena.
Page, who also posted 14 assists and went 9-of-11 from three-point range, finished as Oklahoma’s single-season leader in total points. He recorded 1,287 this season, surpassing the record of 1,280 by Grandfield’s Kenneth Johnson in 1979.
“That’s just icing on the cake,” Page said. “There’s nothing we wanted more than the gold ball. It’s a great feeling to go out on top. These have been the (most fun) four years of my life and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way.”
Pawnee also has a pair of single-season state records in football — Gerald Jones rushed for 3,779 yards and 54 touchdowns in 2004.
Page set the state’s single-season scoring average record at 44.4, beating the mark of 44 per outing by Barnsdall’s Jordan Barnhorst in ’94.
In addition, the Oklahoma State signee broke the career state-tournament scoring record with 369 points. The previous best was 318 set by Kevin Rehl when he competed at Snyder and Velma-Alma from 1980-83.
“That’s just awesome,” said Pawnee coach David Page. “We talked all year long though about how we can’t win a state championship with one guy — it takes a team. We’ve been lucky and privileged to get where we are.”
Senior Blaine Wensler went 7-of-8 from the field and added 14 points, and senior Chace Green contributed 13 points and four rebounds. Saturday’s victory provided a sense of redemption for Pawnee, which dropped an 81-50 decision to the Saints in last year’s final.
After OCS knocked off second-ranked Apache in Friday’s semifinal, its fans began chanting, “We want Pawnee.”
“Really, it was us wanting them so we could some revenge from last year,” Green said. “We were pretty fired up.”
It definitely showed. Page’s first-minute outburst helped the Black Bears take a 28-16 lead after eight minutes.
“That really set the pace for us,” said senior Alex Hansen. “With a player like Keiton on your team, it’s hard to lose.”
Wensler added, “After that, the butterflies went away and I felt like things were going to go our way and they did. I’m so thankful right now — this is such a blessing.”
OCS was determined to keep the contest interesting. The Saints closed the second quarter on a 19-4 run and trailed, 38-35, at halftime. The Black Bears recorded nine unanswered points to start the third and OCS didn’t get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
PHS finished with a 27-2 record and went undefeated in 2A — its losses came against 3A No. 10 Heritage Hall and 6A No. 3 Jenks. The Black Bears, who beat a pair of eventual state champions in 3A Verdigris and B Stringtown, won their second gold ball in four years and third overall, Their first state title came in 1941.
“We won a state championship as freshmen (in 2005), and winning it during our senior year was a perfect way to go out,” Hansen said.
George Overbey drained six three-pointers and scored a team-high 33 points for OCS, which was looking to become the first squad in Oklahoma to win five consecutive state titles. The Saints, who finished 17-11, also got 15 points from Adam Coury.
Saturday marked the end of Keiton Page’s run at Pawnee. In the last four years, he led the Black Bears to four straight state-tourney appearances, two gold balls and a state runner-up trophy. Next season, he’ll be 32 miles southwest competing for Sean Sutton’s O-State squad.
“I’m excited to get (to Stillwater),” Keiton said. “I’ll start working out with them as soon as I can once their season is over.”
Coach Page added, “He’ll probably take two weeks off and start lifting to get ready for Oklahoma State. He wants to get a little bit bigger and hopefully a little stronger. I honestly think he’ll be able to go in help a little bit.”
In addition to Keiton, the Black Bears bid farewell to their other four senior starters — Green, Hansen, Wensler and Kyle LeGrand.
Class 2A State Tournament • Oklahoma City
Championship
PAWNEE 95, OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 79
OCS 16 19 15 29—79
PHS 28 10 25 32—95
(O) Overbey 33, Coury 15, Walker 14, Merrill 6, Warren 3, Holland 2, Liles 2, Tillman 2, VanHorn 2. 3-Pters: Overbey 6, Coury 4, Walker 4, Warren. (P) Page 54, Wensler 14, Green 13, LeGrand 6, Moore 4, Hansen 2, Ross 2. 3-Pters: Page 9.
http://www.stillwater-newspress.com/homepage/images_sizedimage_069010447/lg