Sallisaw rallied to force overtime, but Carlis had 10 points in the extra period to lift Checotah to a 62-52 victory inside Paul Post Fieldhouse.
Carlis, a 6-foot-3 senior, helped the Wildcats hold off a determined Sallisaw squad by pouring in 26 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, both of which were game-highs.
He was at his best in the overtime, when he grabbed three rebounds and sank all six of his free throw attempts. J.P. Buckmaster went 4-for-4 from the line in overtime and, as a team, Checotah cashed in 17 of their 21 free throw attempts in the game.
That helped offset one of Sallisaw's better performances of the season as the Diamonds rallied from a six-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. James Hoover took a charge on defense in the final minute of regulation to get the ball back for Sallisaw and senior guard Cory Jobe buried a three-pointer to knot the score at 46-46 with 27 seconds left in regulation.
That left enough time for Carlis to wriggle through the Sallisaw defense for a lay-up, but Sallisaw guard Trevor Teel drove toward the basket and dropped in two points with three seconds left to force overtime.
Teel was one of three Sallisaw players to reach double figures, scoring nine points in the fourth period to end up with 11. Senior post Dustin Edgmon paced the Diamonds with 15 points and nine rebounds while earning a spot on the all-tournament team. Junior post Stephen Branham added 14 points and five boards, Jobe added nine points and Jacob Blount had two.
Carlis was joined in double figures by Checotah teammate Spencer Nero with 10 points. The Wildcats improved to 5-1 with the win.
Sallisaw dropped to 2-2 with the setback.
Stigler 45, Sallisaw 27 (Girls)
The Lady Panthers avenged an earlier loss to Sallisaw by topping the Lady Diamonds in Saturday's third place game at the Black Diamond Invitational.
Heather Kirkland scored 17 points and Rebecca Stubblefield added 14 as Stigler overcame a halftime deficit to grab control in the second half.
Sallisaw (2-2) managed just three points in the third quarter and fell behind by eight before the visitors closed the game with a 17-7 run in the fourth period.
Molly Hadley and Lyndsey Daggs led Sallisaw with seven points apiece, while Amanda Toney and Caitlyn Hall both scored four, Meghan Smith three and Courtney Patterson two.
Sophomore point guard Ashley Covington had five rebounds in the loss and represented the Lady Diamonds on the all-tournament team.
Sallisaw got off to an encouraging start when Daggs hit a pair of shots for a 5-0 lead and Hadley banked in a buzzer-beater to give the Lady Diamonds a 12-9 edge entering the second quarter. They were still up 17-16 at halftime.
However, a third-quarter dry spell allowed Stigler to go in front. Sallisaw made just 1-of-13 field goal attempts during the period and fell behind 28-20.
Northwest Classen 35, Sallisaw JV 22 (Girls)
The visitors from Oklahoma City edged Sallisaw's junior varsity for seventh place on Saturday morning.
Guard Creassia Hindman represented the Lady Diamond JV on the all-tournament team.
Westville 54, Sallisaw 48 (Boys)
Eric Rowan pumped in 21 points on Friday night as the Yellowjackets stung Sallisaw in the semifinals of the Black Diamond Invitational.
Josh Dotson added another 10 points for Westville, which made up a three-point halftime deficit to move into the finals against Boynton.
Trevor Teel led Sallisaw with 15 points while Dustin Edgmon and Stephen Branham netted 10 points each.
Westville 41, Sallisaw 38 (Girls)
Eventual tournament champion Westville built a nine-point lead in the first half and held off Sallisaw on Friday in the semifinals.
Senior post Kennilee Langley led all scorers with 17 points for the Lady 'Jackets, who are ranked fifth in Class 3A.
Ashley Covington netted 13 points for Sallisaw and Meghan Smith had another seven.
BLACK DIAMOND INVITATIONAL
Dec. 8-10 At Sallisaw High School
Girls Bracket
Thursday: Game 1 - Westville 57, Sallisaw JV 17; Game 2 - Stigler 56, Boynton 49; Game 3 - Hilldale 64, NW Classen 31; Game 4 - Sallisaw 58, Checotah 39.
Friday: Consolation Semifinals: Game 5 - Boynton 79, Northwest Classen 49; Game 6 - Checotah 41, Sallisaw JV 21; Championship Semifinals: Game 7 - Hilldale 48, Stigler 38; Game 8 - Westville 41, Sallisaw 38.
Saturday: Game 9 (Seventh place) - Northwest Classen 35, Sallisaw JV 22; Game 10 (Fifth place) - Boynton 49, Checotah 48; Game 11 (Third place) - Stigler 45, Sallisaw 27; Game 12 (Championship) - Westville 57, Hilldale 44.
Boys Bracket
Thursday: Game 1 - Checotah 68, Stigler 39; Game 2 - Boynton defeated Tahlequah JV by forfeit; Game 3 - Sallisaw 58, Hilldale 34; Game 4 - Westville defeated Muskogee JV by forfeit.
Friday: Consolation Semifinals: Game 5 - Stigler 86, Tahlequah JV 31; Game 6 - Muskogee JV 73, Hilldale 57; Championship Semifinals: Game 7 - Westville 54, Sallisaw 48; Game 8 - Boynton 66, Checotah 56.
Saturday: Game 9 (Seventh place) - Hilldale 68, Tahlequah JV 55; Game 10 (Fifth place) - Stigler 54, Muskogee JV 52; Game 11 (Third place) - Checotah 62, Sallisaw 52 OT; Game 12 (Championship) - Boynton 63, Westville 33.
