The Charles Page High School girls’ basketball team is filled with fresh blood, both on the bench and on the coaching staff. One of the most successful Sandite programs in recent years, the girls are coming off a 21-5 season and undefeated conference mark under Tobey Nightingale, who moved out of state after her lone season at the helm.
Now taking the reigns is Joshua Berry, the former boys’ head coach at Muskogee. In seven seasons Berry led the Roughers to a 76-90 record, but was 74-70 prior to his final year.
Just seven years ago the Lady Sandites went 3-42 over two seasons and were winless in the Frontier Valley Conference. Then came a program rebuild led by Dustin Morrow, who took his alma mater to three winning records in five seasons, and began a tradition of success.
Three straight Regional Championships. Three straight Area Championships. Two Conference Championships in the past three years. Six regular-season tournament titles in the past five years. Not all of that success can be credited to the coaches, however. Morrow and Nightingale were blessed with a wealth of Division 1 talent.
Both coaches had the benefit of leading a unit with Northeastern State University’s Isabella Regalado, University of Tulsa-bound Destiny Johnson, and the University of Kansas’s Holly Kersgieter, who recently picked up Big 12 Player of the Week honors. Morrow also had Gloria Mutiri, who is a starter on the Kansas State University volleyball team, and both had Jacie Taber, who is a freshman on the Missouri State University softball team.
Coach Berry will have a tough task in front of him, rebuilding a team that graduated 75% of its scoring power and 69% of its defense (rebounds/blocks/steals). Fortunately, the team has run a deep bench in recent years, and he has ten returners with varsity experience, as well as two starters. He also has an ace in the hole: a young move-in with a bright future.
Coaching Staff
Joshua Berry coached the Muskogee boys to a 76-90 record, but was 74-70 prior to his final year. He led the Roughers to three straight winning seasons from 2013-2017, including one State Tournament berth, but was dismissed after a 2-20 mark last year. Before joining Muskogee he was an Assistant Women’s Coach at Independence Community College in Kansas, then was Girl’s Head Coach at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa from 2010-2012. In his two seasons with the Ropers he went 14-11 and 8-12 with one State Tournament appearance, and was named All-Metro Coach of the Year in 2011. As a player, Berry was on the Booker T. Washington team that took state in 2002.
Yukon native Brad Mallam is in his second season with the Sandites. Mallam spent eight years in El Reno in various roles: 8th Grade Boys, Freshman Boys, and Varsity Boys’ Assistant. He went 4-44 as Head Boys’ Coach at Elgin from 2012-2014, then returned to El Reno. As the Girls’ Interim Head Coach from 2015-2016, Mallam led the Indians to a 13-13 mark and Area Tournament appearance.
Jordan Evans is in her first year with the Sandites. She was an All-Conference selection from Daniel Webster High School, where she helped the Warriors to a historic 21-9 mark in the 2011-2012 season. Coincidentally, her last high school game was the Area Consolation playoff, which was held at Sand Springs’s Ed Dubie Field House. She played collegiate ball for two seasons at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, then finished up at Rogers State University. Evans played in the Women’s Minor League Basketball Association this past year, helping the Oklahoma Warriors to a Championship Finals appearance in the team’s first season.
Terence Buckley has worked as a Physical Education teacher at Tulsa Public Schools’ Unity Learning Academy, and as a basketball coach with We R One Basketball Club.
Returning Players:
5’9” senior Madison Burris started 25 games last year, shooting 35% in the field, 33% on threes, and 53% on free throws. She averaged 4.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game, and scored a career-high 14 points in the Area Championship against Moore.
5’8” junior Raegan Padilla played 25 games and started 12, shooting 31% in the field, 26% from three-point range, and 76% at the charity stripe. She averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, and put up a career-high 14 points against Owasso.
5’8” junior Darrian Jordan played 25 games last year and started 4, shooting 46% in the field and 56% on free throws. She averaged 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game, and scored a career-high 16 points against Muskogee.
5’8” senior McKenzie Harris played 9 games last year and started 1, averaging 1.6 points per outing. She shot 36% in the field and 40% on threes, and scored a career-high 6 points against Muskogee.
5’5” Sophomore Mikah Hampton played 19 games last year, shooting 54% in the field, 33% on threes, and 77% on free throws. She averaged 1.3 points per game, with a career-high 6 points against Ponca City.
5’8” Junior Bayleigh Chaney played 6 games last year, shooting 25% in the field, 20% on threes, and 100% on free throws. She averaged 1.2 points and 1.0 rebound, and scored a career-high 3 points against Broken Arrow.
5’6” junior Jentry Hughes played 12 games last year, shooting 29% in the field and 50% at the stripe for 5 total points, with a career-high of 2.
5’4” senior Jade Shrum played 11 games last season, shooting 13% in the field, 20% on threes, and 20% on free throws. She scored 4 points, including a 3-point performance against Tulsa Memorial.
5’6” junior Haden Brown saw action in 5 games.
Newcomers who could get called up to varsity include 5’9” Alison Day, 5’5” Avery Tanner, Desiree Ramos, Heaven Pahsetopah, Layne Kirkendoll, Abby Hughes, 5’6” Faith Walker, 5’9” Sophia Regalado, and 5’11” Haley Jackson.
Also on the roster is 5’9” sophomore East Central move-in Journey Armstead, who helped her team to a Class 5A State Quarterfinals appearance last year. She averaged 16 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds as a freshman, and put up a career-high 27 against Ponca City.
