By Rick Harrington, Progress Sports Correspondent
February 3, 2010 — VERDIGRIS – The Verdigris Cardinals won their third-straight and improved to 15-3 overall with a 64-39 conference victory over Sperry on Tuesday night in the Jack Collins Fieldhouse.
Verdigris held a slim 14-10 lead after one quarter and took a turnover plagued 30-22 advantage to the halftime locker room.
“We didn’t handle their full-court defensive pressure very well in the first half and just didn’t take care of the basketball,” said Cardinal coach Randy Upshaw.
The Cardinals came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter, scoring on five of their first eight possessions to take a 42-25 lead with 2:10 left in the period.
Three straight baskets by Brian Phillips and a deep 3-pointer from Josh White as the buzzer sounded put Verdigris on top 51-26 after three quarters.
Verdigris kept the pressure on the once confident and now shell-shocked Pirates, leading 62-34 with 2:21 to play when the game was turned over to reserves that completed the 25-point victory.
“At times tonight we were really, really good and I couldn’t be more pleased with our second half effort,” said Upshaw.
Whitmire led Cardinal scorers with a game high 22-points followed by Austin Monroe with 13 while Andre Bernier and Phillips chipped in 8-points each. Sophomore standout C.J. Cole paced Sperry with 13-points followed by Blake Keel with 10.
The Cardinals will be at home on Friday night against Inola.
