The Sallisaw Black Diamonds shined in their 55-48 victory over the Checotah Wildcats.
Sallisaw started the game off fast and effectively while the Wildcats struggled to make baskets, even though they had open shots.
Sallisaw led 9-0 before Cooper Cutbirth hit a three-point shot. Rowan Chapman scored and Cole Rolland made a beautiful, long threepoint shot to end the first period trailing just 13-9.
The Wildcats battled back by outscoring Sallisaw 13-11 in the second period. Rolland started things off for the Wildcats as he scored in the paint. J. Harris of Sallisaw answered the shot with one of his own followed by a great pass to Cooper Jackson under the basket for a score. The Black Diamonds were beginning to pull away when Hudson Pollard scored and Tyler Corn hit a threepointer to make it a 1916 game with 4:38 on the clock.
Sallisaw surged with takeaways and rebounds to pull ahead 23-16. But senior and Homecoming King Tyler Orman made a steal and passed it to Wes Brown for a score. Then Oram scored again on a turnover then stole the ball and scored to close out the second period trailing 24-22. The biggest factor was the number of times Sallisaw went to the foul line versus Checotah 26-4 in the first three periods.
The third period was physical and fast and Checotah head coach Malcolm Warrior found himself looking at three of his players in serious foul trouble with Chapman, Pollard and Rolland, each with at least three fouls each. Orman gave Checotah their first lead of the game when he made another steal and score to lead 34-33 with 3:18 to play in the third. After two possessions Wes Brown hit a three-point shot to close out the third period 3936 Wildcats.
Chapman fouled out seconds into the fourth period followed by Rolland picking up his fourth foul. Jackson gave the Black Diamonds a spark as he gave them a 47-42 lead. The next play Rolland fouled out. But R.J. Womack gave the Wildcats some hope with a three-point shot to trail 49-45 with 2:29 remaining.
On the very next possession, Pollard makes a steal, misses the shot, Womack rebounds and puts up a contested shot and misses, he grabs the rebound again and with a Sallisaw player draped across his back. Officials called a foul on Womack giving him his fourth foul. Moments later Pollard fouls out with the score 51-45. Aum Patel didn’t give up as he scored a three-pointer to cut the lead 51-48 with 40.12 seconds to play. Sallisaw ran out the clock after forcing two turnovers to earn the 55-48 victory. Sallisaw finished with three players in double figures while Checotah had one.
Cole Rolland led Checotah with 10 points, Tyler Orman nine, Pollard, Patel and Brown had six points each.
