By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
At first glance, Pawnee's Keiton Page looks like your ordinary high school junior. He's only 5-10 and checks in at around 175 pounds soaking wet. After watching him work his magic on the basketball floor, he is not your ordinary basketball player. Page is one of the elite prospects in the nation heading into his senior season.
His numbers are mind-boggling. Page lit up the scoreboard for 36 points per game last season. He shoots 60.7 percent from the field as a point guard. He nailed 137 three-point buckets at nearly a 51 percent clip. He also chipped in 6.7 assists and 5.1 steals per contest.
In his career, Page has burned the nets for 2,422 points and has connected on 313 three-point attempts in just three seasons.
His coach is none other than his father, David. David and Keiton came to Pawnee from Yale, where Coach Page directed the Bulldogs to two state titles in six seasons. Keiton's mother, Karen, is teaching at Yale.
At Yale, another Page put up incredible numbers. Brady Page, who now serves as an assistant coach under his father at Pawnee, scored 2,080 career points at Yale before taking his game to Oklahoma Christian University. As a college senior, Brady averaged 17.1 points per game for the Eagles while picking up NAIA All-American honors.
"Brady is a great addition to our coaching staff. He has a lot of basketball knowledge and relates to the kids really well," said Coach Page, who has also served as head coach at Blackwell and Hominy before success at Yale and Pawnee.
After a stellar performance at Yale, Coach Page was handed the reigns at Pawnee with none other than a ninth-grade Keiton as the feature player. The result: 22.4 points per game by Keiton and Pawnee's first state championship since 1941.
"Winning the state championship as a freshman was the best feeling I have had as a high school basketball player and it is what every player dreams of. After winning one it kind of spoils you and makes you want another one. Hope next year is the year," Keiton said.
Over the past two seasons, Pawnee's quest for another gold ball for the trophy case has been derailed. In 2006, Pawnee suffered a 57-47 loss in the first round to Washington. Last season, Blake Griffin and Oklahoma Christian School defeated the Black Bears in the state title game despite 34 from Page. He set a new state tournament scoring record with 123 points in last season's state tournament, besting a 23-year old record by Medford's Darin Melka.
"So far Blake Griffin was the most dominant player I have played against. He is huge and his talent is amazing. But, I am glad that nobody in class 2A has to worry about him anymore," Keiton said of the Oklahoma-bound McDonald's All-American.
In the semifinals of last season's state tournament, Page rewrote the Pawnee High School record once more, scoring 53 points and hitting 11 of 14 from three-point range in a 111-60 victory over Oktaha.
Page was named First-Team All-Oklahoma by the Tulsa World last season and is ranked among the top guards in the entire nation heading into his senior season. In a state that is becoming more known for its success on the hardwood, Page is one of the top talents the state has seen in years.
Who is the best senior-to-be in the Sooner State? Along with Page, Verdigris stat-stuffer Rotnei Clarke also has to be part of the equation after averaging 37 points per game last season. Basketball-crazed fans from across the state will continue add their two cents into the Page/Clarke debate.
Both players are among the best pure shooters in America. But who is the better shooter?
According to Keiton, "That has been a hot topic lately. Rotnei and I have been good friends for a long time and we would both have great respect for one another. We would both probably tell you that it is a toss up as to who is a better shooter."
Page committed to Oklahoma State before his recruitment ever really got started last summer.
"Oklahoma State is where I have wanted to play college basketball since I was little. I have been an OSU fan for a long time. The coaches are great at OSU and always have been. I also love Gallagher Iba arena and the fans. They are crazy," Keiton said.
According to Coach Page, having his son play 20 miles from home in Stillwater will have its benefits.
"It will be a great deal, because it is where Keiton wants to play. It is close to home and it will be easier for our family to watch him play at a great school," Coach Page said.
Keiton has enjoyed playing under he father for three years while at Pawnee.
"Playing for him has been great. He has taught me a lot and it has been a wonderful experience playing for him," Keiton said.
"I have been fortunate to have two sons that were very successful in high school and are great kids to work with. Brady was an All-American at Oklahoma Christian University and I feel like Keiton will be very successful at Oklahoma State."
You can bet Keiton will be successful at the next level. Forget about the size and him playing in a smaller class. Keiton Page is one of the most underrated basketball prospects in the nation, and Oklahoma State is lucky to have him.
Keiton Page Q&A.
Scott Hansen: If you could model yourself after one player in the NBA, who would it be?
Keiton Page: Steve Nash..He makes everyone around him better, but when his team needs him to score, he can.
SH: If somebody were to come up to you to say Oklahoma was not a good state for basketball, what would you tell them?
KP: I would tell them that Oklahoma has had great college programs in the past and a couple Hall of Fame coaches at those programs. The state of Oklahoma has also had great players come out of their DI programs and have sent out players such as Mark Price and Wayman Tisdale, to name a couple, to the NBA.
SH: Would you rather score 60 points or dish out 20 assists?
KP: Although scoring 60 would be nice, I would still say I would rather dish out 20 assists. It's fun to run the floor and get my teammates involved.
SH: Would your father rather see you score 60 points or dish out 20 assists?
KP: I think he would have the same answer because he is always talking about great players always make everyone around them a better player as well.
SH: When I saw you play against Crescent, your Dad would call a play and you would call something else. Is that sort of freedom nice?
KP: Yes it is nice to have that freedom. I don't change the play very often. Every once in a while if I see that I have a mismatch or someone else has one we let that person take advantage of that.
SH: What are some aspects of your game that you would like to work on before next season?
KP: I would like to work on my one-on-one defense and also making myself quicker. In the Big XII I will be expected to guard a great guard night in and night out.
SH: Explain what it's like to play in the Big House?
KP: It has a lot of tradition and it is the best atmosphere you can play in at the high school level in Oklahoma.
SH: What are some of your other interests?
KP: Fishing, hanging out with friends, and watching movies.
SH: Where do you think you will be in seven years? Where do you want to be?
KP: I really don't know that one, but I'm sure I will be involved someway with basketball. If I am not still playing somewhere, I would like to think maybe someday I could be an assistant coach at the college level in seven years time.
SH: And finally..what would you say if somebody told you were too small to play in the Big XII?
KP: Well going to OSU is perfect for that question. In the past few years OSU has had guards by the names of John Lucas, Victor Williams, Doug Gottlieb, Jamal Brown, Byron Eaton, and Maurice Baker.
More With Coach David Page
Scott Hansen: When I saw Keiton play against Crescent, you would call a play and Keiton would call something else. Is that you just letting Keiton be Keiton?
David Page: Keiton has a little bit of freedom. He is like a coach on the floor and I trust his decisions if he sees a mismatch or an opportunity to score.
SH: Was the Tournament of Champions last year proof that Keiton could hang with the larger schools?
DP: I would say the last two years have been a little proof that Keiton can play with the larger schools, but I would say that he has probably already proven himself through AAU ball throughout the years.
