CPHS Basketball: Lady Sandites fall 59-53 to 5A No. 1 Tahlequah

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After going 1-for-11 on field goals the day before, Isabella Regalado came out hot against Class 5A No. 1 ranked Tahlequah (6-2) and scored on her first three attempts, all from three-point range, en route to a 15-0 lead that would ultimately be undone.

After starting the year 8-0, the 6A No. 1 Charles Page High School Lady Sandites (8-2) dropped their second-straight in the consolation semifinals of the 53rd Annual Tournament of Champions at the Oral Roberts Mabee Center. 

Jacie Taber and Holly Kersgieter followed up Regalado's onslaught with a barrage of free throws and a Kersgieter layup for a 15-0 lead before the Lady Tigers got on the board with a pair of free throws. Kersgieter added another layup and Taber scored two more free throws for a 19-6 first quarter advantage.

Tahlequah shaved off some of their deficit to start the second quarter with four free throws and a layup before the Sandites found their feet. Regalado put herself in double digits with a free throw then Johnson and Kimi Presnell scored back to back off steals. The game was back and forth from there until the Sandites went on a five-point run to close the half 34-20.

The Sandites' first two possessions of the second half were fruitless and Delaney Nix drew first blood for the Tigers. Presnell scored with an assist from Taber, Nix hit two from the charity stripe, Kersgieter scored a free throw, then Nix and Sierra Smith cut it to  37-28. The rest of the stanza was back-and-forth but three-pointers from Taber, Presnell, and Bree Berge pushed the Sandites back to double digits at 48-38.

Tahlequah staged a rally in the fourth period with ten straight points to tie it before Kersgieter broke the streak. Nix hit a pair of free throws, Taber reclaimed the lead with a long two, Nix tied it again, then Alyson Hart gave the Tigers their first lead of the game at 54-52. The Tigers tacked on five more points, all from desperation fouls, and held on for the 59-53 victory. 

Nix led all scorers with 24 points, followed  by Taya Green with eighteen. Kersgieter led the Sandites with twelve, followed by Johnson and Regalado with eleven apiece. 

The Lady Sandites will play for seventh place Friday at 9:00 a.m. against the loser of 6A No. 5 Westmoore (5-3) vs. 3A No. 6 Holland Hall (6-3). Tahlequah will play the winner of that game at noon for fifth place.

THS 59 CPHS 53

1Q CPHS 19-6
2Q CPHS 15-14
3Q THS 18-14
4Q THS 21-5

Free Throws: THS 23-of-26, CPHS 12-of-23.
Field Goals: THS 16-of-47, CPHS 17-of-52.
Offensive Rebounds: THS 11, CPHS 11.
Defensive Rebounds: THS 30, CPHS 21.
Total Rebounds: THS 41, CPHS 32.
Steals: CPHS 15, THS 7.
Fouls: CPHS 19, THS 18.

(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Kersgieter 12, Johnson 11, Regalado 11, Taber 9, Presnell 7, Berge 3.
Offensive Rebounds: Johnson 2, Kersgieter 2, Regalado 2, Presnell 1, Taber 1, Burris 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Johnson 5, Kersgieter 5, Presnell 3, Taber 3, Regalado 2, Berge 1, Burris 1.
Total Rebounds: Johnson 7, Kersgieter 7, Presnell 4, Taber 4, Regalado 4, Burris 2, Berge 1.
Steals: Johnson 7, Taber 3, Presnell 2, Kersgieter 2, Berge 1.
Assists: Johnson 6, Kersgieter 2, Berge 2, Regalado 1, Burris 1.
Fouls: Presnell 5, Taber 4, Kersgieter 4, Regalado 3, Johnson 2, Burris 1.

(Tahlequah Stats)
Scoring: Nix 24, Green 18, Stayathome 7, Bowin 4, Sierra N Smith 2, Sierra L Smith 2, Hart 2.
Offensive Rebounds: Hart 4, Bowin 2, L. Smith 1, Nix 1, Green 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Nix 7, Green 4, Davis 4, Stayathome 4, Hart 3, N Smith 1, L Smith 1, Fishinghawk 1, Bowin 1.
Total Rebounds: Nix 8, Hart 7, Green 5, Davis 4, Stayathome 4, Bowin 3, L Smith 2, N Smith 1, Fishinghawk 1.
Steals: Stayathome 3, Hart 2, Bowin 2.
Assists: Nix 3, N Smith 2, Hart 2, Green 1, Davis 1.
Fouls: Nix 4, L Smith 4, Davis 4, Hart 3, Fishinghawk 2, Stayathome 1.