if a player saves the ball, can they be the first to touch if they re-establish themselves in bounds? or does someone else have to touch the ball first?

There is no restriction of any player that is legally inbounds to touch the ball, no matter where they were before coming inbounds.

You are getting a football rule mixed up in basketball. ;)

Peace

thanks, thats what i thought, b-cuz when i was playing with a bunch of guys this weekend, i had saved the ball and was the first to touch it, and then an argument broke out, and i told him he was thinking football, but he told me other wise thank you again for clearing that one up