CPHS Basketball: Lady Sandites win Regional Championship 60-51 over Bixby

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Third quarters haven't been kind to the Sand Springs Lady Sandites this season, and Monday night was no exception. But after blowing an eight-point halftime lead against the Lady Spartans, they doubled down and finished strong, winning their Regional Tournament bracket 60-51 over Class 6A No. 10 ranked Bixby (18-8).

The No. 13 Charles Page High School girls' basketball team improved to 17-7 and advanced to the Area playoffs. They will travel to Claremore Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to take on undefeated Frontier Valley Conference Champion, No. 2 Bartlesville (25-0).

University of Kansas-commit Holly Kersgieter, and Destiny Johnson, who also has Division One offers, recorded a team-high nineteen points apiece for the Lady Sandites, while freshman standout Landry Williams posted a game-high 23 for the host team. 

Maddie Bittle scored first, stealing the Sandites’ opening possession. Jacie Taber responded, then both teams traded turnovers before Johnson made a three-point play. Williams and Isabella Regalado traded threes and the Sandites went on a seven-point run for a 12-5 lead. The Spartans wouldn’t go down without a fight, however, and rattled off eight of their own. Three-pointers from Williams and Dariann Myles gave the host team a 13-12 advantage to close the first period.

Sarah Tyree kicked off the second period with two, Holly Kersgieter retaliated, then Tyree hit a pair of free throws. Taber and Johnson made back-to-back threes and the Sandites took a 20-17 lead. Kersgieter went on a six point run for the Sandites with three steals to make it 29-20 before Tyree hit a three. Johnson scored a free throw to close the half 30-23.

The Spartans used lethal three-point accuracy to chip away at their deficit, ultimately taking the lead with back-to-back deep balls from Williams in the third period. Johnson scored on a throw in from Kersgieter with a second left to tie it at 42-all.

The basket spit out a jump shot from Johnson in the final stanza, then Williams hit another three to retake the lead. Bree Berge scored on a putback. Myles, Madison Burris, and Bittle exchanged threes, then Kersgieter went on a five point run to jump out front once and for all.

Jacie Taber missed most of the third and fourth quarters after getting into foul trouble, but came back in for a steal and a layup to make it 54-51. It was all desperation fouls from there, and unfortunately for the Spartans the Sandites were 86% from the charity stripe, finishing the game on a thirteen-point streak.

The win gives Sand Springs a little bit of security as they head to the next round of the playoffs. If they lose to Bartlesville, they will get a redemption match against the winner of No. 11 Norman North (17-8) vs. No. 14 Shawnee (21-4). Bixby will have a harder path to the State Tournament, needing to win two more games. First they will play No. 16 Deer Creek (16-9), and if they win that game they will play the loser of No. 3 Owasso (22-3) vs. No. 5 Westmoore (21-4).

CPHS 60 Bixby 51

1Q Bixby 13-12
2Q CPHS 18-10
3Q Bixby 19-12
4Q CPHS 18-9

Free Throws: CPHS 18-of-21, Bixby 5-of-12.
Field Goals: CPHS 19-of-41, Bixby 17-of-46.
Offensive Rebounds: Bixby 9, CPHS 5.
Defensive Rebounds: CPHS 18, Bixby 13.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 23, Bixby 22.
Steals: CPHS 11, Bixby 9.
Blocks: CPHS 4.
Fouls: Bixby 17, CPHS 18.

(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Johnson 19, Kersgieter 19, Regalado 8, Taber 7, Burris 5, Berge 2.
Offensive Rebounds: Kersgieter 3, Taber 1, Berge 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Johnson 5, Kersgieter 5, Regalado 3, Taber 2, Burris 1, Berge 1.
Total Rebounds: Kersgieter 8, Johnson 5, Regalado 3, Taber 3, Berge 2, Burris 1.
Steals: Kersgieter 5, Johnson 4, Taber 2.
Assists: Kersgieter 6.
Blocks: Johnson 2, Regalado 1, Burris 1.
Fouls: Regalado 4, Taber 4, Burris 3, Johnson 3, Berge 2, Kersgieter 1, Presnell 1.

(Bixby Stats)
Scoring: Williams 23, Bittle 10, Myles 6, Tyree 6, Schovanec 3, #33 3.
Fouls: Schovanec 4, Myles 3, Tyree 3, Williams 2, Bittle 2, Bradley 1, Stout 1, #33 1.