CPHS Basketball: Sandites fall 57-55 to Holland Hall, Johnson scores 21
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The Class 6A No. 1 ranked Charles Page High School girls' basketball team (8-3) finished in eighth place at their first-ever trip to the prestigious Tournament of Champions. After an 8-0 start to the season, the girls' went 0-3 at the 53rd annual invitational tournament, falling 57-55 to 3A No. 6 Holland Hall (7-4).
The Sandites were led by junior standout Destiny Johnson with 21 points and thirteen rebounds, but Holland Hall's Gabby Gregory stole the show with 41 points and eleven rebounds, ending the tournament with a tournament-record 97 points over her three games. While Gregory was the only Holland Hall player in the double digits, University of Kansas-commit Holly Kersgieter had sixteen for the Sandites and Isabella Regalado contributed ten.
After five possession changes to start the game, Gregory finally hit paydirt with a three-point play for the Dutch. Sand Springs jumped out front with five-straight, Gregory scored three more, Regalado retook the lead with her fourth free throw of the morning, then the Dutch went on a nine-point run before Johnson scored her first field goal of the game to end the first period trailing 17-11.
Johnson blew up the second quarter, scoring the first two baskets and totaling thirteen in the stanza. Kersgieter was the only other Sandite to score. Holland Hall mirrored the Sandites with seven points from Gregory and a basket from Joci Lake. The Sandites led 26-25 and were draining the clock when Johnson was called for a travel and Gregory got one last shot to reclaim the lead before halftime.
Sand Springs came out hard in the second half, scoring seven-straight to close the third period 43-39 with a three-pointer and a transition layup from Jacie Taber.
Gregory tied things up at 47-47 with a three-pointer in the fourth quarter, Kersgieter reclaimed the lead, then the Dutch jumped out front once and for all with an eight-point run, mostly from the charity stripe. Trailing 55-49 with 51 seconds left, things didn't look good for Sand Springs, but they went down swinging.
Regalado drilled a three-pointer and Kersgieter scored on a steal to make it a one-point game. Johnna Orange hit a free throw and Johnson had a shot to tie it at the line. She made her first basket, missed the second, and the Sandites look to be in good shape when Kersgieter caught the rebound. Then Kobi Thompson stripped the ball and was sent to the line for a free throw. The Sandites had the ball with 16.78 seconds and and a two-point deficit, but Carri Jones-Jackson stripped Johnson and sealed the victory.
The Sandites outperformed their foes in nearly every statistical category but accuracy, shooting 36% on field goals, which was actually their best performance of the three games. They were 9-of-19 on free throws while the Dutch were 17-of-20.
Sand Springs will return to action Tuesday, January 9th at 6:30 p.m. when they travel to 6A No. 19 Jenks (4-2 overall, 2-1 conference) for a Frontier Valley matchup. The Sandites are 4-0 in conference play. Holland Hall will host 4A Lincoln Christian (2-4) on the 9th.
HHHS 57 CPHS 55
1Q HHHS 17-11
2Q CPHS 15-10
3Q CPHS 17-12
4Q HHHS 18-12
Field Goals: HHHS 17-of-39, CPHS 20-of-56.
Free Throws: HHHS 17-of-20, CPHS 9-of-19.
Offensive Rebounds: CPHS 17, HHHS 6.
Defensive Rebounds: HHHS 23, CPHS 18.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 35, HHHS 29.
Steals: CPHS 8, HHHS 4.
Blocks: CPHS 2.
Fouls: CPHS 15, HHHS 13.
(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Johnson 21, Kersgieter 16, Regalado 10, Taber 5, Presnell 3.
Offensive Rebounds: Johnson 5, Kersgieter 4, Regalado 4, Taber 2, Presnell 1, Burris 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Johnson 8, Kersgieter 3, Regalado 3, Taber 1, Burris 1.
Total Rebounds: Johnson 13, Kersgieter 7, Regalado 7, Taber 3, Burris 2, Presnell 1.
Steals: Johnson 3, Taber 2, Presnell 1, Kersgieter 1, Regalado 1.
Blocks: Johnson 1, Regalado 1.
Fouls: Taber 5, Johnson 4, Regalado 3, Presnell 2, Kersgieter 1.
(Holland Hall Stats)
Scoring: Gregory 41, Thompson 6, Orange 5, Jones-Jackson 3, Lake 2.
Offensive Rebounds: Thompson 1, Gregory 1, Orange 1, Edwards 1, Jones-Jackson 1, Mullendore 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Gregory 10, Lake 4, Orange 3, Mullendore 2, Thompson 2, Jones-Jackson 1.
Total Rebounds: Gregory 11, Lake 4, Orange 4, Thompson 3, Mullendore 3, Jones-Jackson 2, Edwards 1.
Steals: Lake 2, Thompson 1, Jones-Jackson 1.
Fouls: Orange 5, Thompson 2, Lake 2, Jones-Jackson 2, Gregory 1, Mullendore 1.
