CPHS Basketball: Lady Sandites fall 51-38 to Choctaw at State, Kersgieter scores 18
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For the second-straight year the Charles Page High School Girls’ Basketball Team (18-8) made it to the 6A State Tournament. This year the No. 13 ranked Lady Sandites overcame a first-quarter thumping to give the defending State Champions a run for their money before running out of steam in the fourth quarter against No. 6 Choctaw High School (23-5).
Choctaw won the opening tipoff and never looked back, building a massive lead in a turnover-ridden opening stanza. Aaliyah Llanusa and Destiny Johnson traded layups, then the Yellowjackets went on a run. Bailey Golden scored back-to-back from both three and two-point range, then Makayla White made it 11-4 before Isabella Regalado hit a three. That didn’t slow Choctaw down any and they rattled off nine more points before Johnson hit a jump shot to break up the streak. Llanusa had the final say of the quarter and took a 22-9 advantage into the second.
The Sandites wouldn’t go down without a fight, however, and Johnson and Regalado hit back-to-back threes to open the second period. Golden and Trinity Gooden hit a pair of twos, then the turnovers began to sway in the Sandites’ favor. University of Kansas-commit Holly Kersgieter scored thrice from the field and twice from the charity stripe to cut it to a manageable 26-23 halftime deficit.
Golden kicked off the second half, Kersgieter responded, Llanusa and Jordan Saxton scored back-to-back, then Kersgieter went on a five-point run. The Yellowjackets rattled off five of their own, then Johnson scored in transition to keep it close. With under a minute in the quarter, Johnson went to the bench with her fourth foul.
Kersgieter made a free throw to start the fourth period, Golden and Kersgieter traded twos, then Choctaw ran away with it. The Yellowjackets scored ten straight before Johnson hit a three, then Crusoe tacked on a pair of free throws to wrap it up.
Choctaw will play the winner of No. 1 Putnam City West vs. No. 10 Bixby Friday at noon at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center.
CHS 51 CPHS 38
1Q CHS 22-9
2Q CPHS 14-4
3Q CHS 11-9
4Q CHS 14-6
Free Throws: CHS 12-of-16, CPHS 6-of-9.
Field Goals: CPHS 14-of-35, CHS 18-of-46.
Offensive Rebounds: CHS 14, CPHS 2.
Defensive Rebounds: CPHS 15, CHS 12.
Total Rebounds: CHS 26, CPHS 17.
Steals: CHS 10, CPHS 6.
Blocks: CHS 1.
Fouls: CPHS 15, CHS 14.
(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Kersgieter 18, Johnson 14, Regalado 6.
Offensive Rebounds: Johnson 1, Kersgieter 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Regalado 5, Kersgieter 4, Johnson 4, Taber 2.
Total Rebounds: Regalado 5, Kersgieter 5, Johnson 5, Taber 2.
Steals: Taber 2, Regalado 2, Kersgieter 1, Presnell 1.
Assists: Kersgieter 1.
Fouls: Taber 5, Regalado 4, Johnson 4, Presnell 1, Burris 1.
(Choctaw Stats)
Scoring: Golden 14, Crusoe 10, Llanusa 10, White 6, Saxton 4, Gooden 4, Whitaker 2.
Fouls: White 4, Saxton 3, Golden 3, Whitaker 2, Crusoe 1, Llanusa 1.
