No. 3 CPHS Girls top No. 17 Union 58-46 in Regional Championship

CPHS senior Sydney Pennington scored a team-high points in a playoff victory over No. 17 Union. (Photo: Scott Emigh).

CPHS 58 Union 46

1Q Union 17-11
2Q Sand Springs 17-8
3Q Sand Springs 16-15
4Q Sand Springs 14-6

Scoring: (CPHS) Pennington 14, McGee 13, Mutiri 11, Kersgieter 10, Regalado 6, Johnson 4. (Union) Malham 26, Thomas 10, Moyer 6, Collins 3, Burgess 1.

(CPHS only)
Offensive Rebounds: Kersgieter 4, Pennington 4, Mutiri 1, Johnson 1, Taber 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Pennington 6, Mutiri 5, Kersgieter 3, Regalado 3, McGee 2, Taber 1.
Steals: Kersgieter 3, Mutiri 2, Pennington 2, McGee 1, Regalado 1.
Blocks: Mutiri 2.
Assists: McGee 5, Pennington 3, Regalado 1.
Fouls: Johnson 4, Mutiri 4, Kersgieter 4, Regalado 1.

By: Virgil Noah, Staff Writer

The No. 3 ranked Charles Page High School girls basketball team (22-1) erased a sloppy start to defeat No. 17 Union High School (14-11) by a final score of 58-46 to win the Regional Championship Saturday afternoon at Broken Arrow High School.

Lady Redskin De'Asia Thomas got the game underway with a layup that was quickly answered by a three ball from Kierra McGee. Ohio State University volleyball-committed junior Gloria Mutiri made a pair of free throws, but Taylor Malham scored through contact and made the bonus free throw, followed by a three pointer from Sadie Moyer. After a timeout was called by Sand Springs the Lady Sandites got things going a bit. Oklahoma State University softball-signed senior Sydney Pennington made a pair of layups and McGee hit a jumper. The Lady Redskins led 17-11 going into the second quarter. 

The second quarter got off to a much better start for the Lady Sandites as Mutiri hit a layup and Holly Kersgieter scored seven-straight points. Malham made a layup to stop the bleeding for Union, only to see McGee hit her second three pointer. The Lady Redskins went on a brief 5-0 run, but McGee hit her third three of the game in the final seconds of the first half to put Sand Springs up 28-25 at the break.  

Both teams came out for the second half fighting. Malham and Thomas combined for all 15 third quarter points for Union. Pennington scored eight of her team high 14 in the third, as well as Destiny Johnson and Isabella Regalado getting on the board. The fourth quarter would get under way with the Lady Sandites up by four. 

Sand Springs refused to relent, however, scoring the first eight points of the quarter to push the lead to 12, a number that was insurmountable for the Lady Redskins as they were unable to cut the lead to single digits for the remainder of the game. Pennington hit a pair of free throws followed by a Regalado triple. Mutiri posted up for a layup followed by a breakaway layup for Kersgieter, and McGee sealed the game with a pair of free throws. 

Four Lady Sandites scored in double figures led by Pennington who also pulled in a game high 10 rebounds. Malham led all scorers with 25 for Union. 

Both teams will advance to the Area playoffs after winning their first Regional games. Sand Springs will take on No. 6 Booker T. Washington (21-4) next weekend, with the winner advancing to State. Union will face No. 9 Norman North (15-9) in the first game of the Area Consolations. The winner of that game will face the loser of Ponca City (15-6) vs. No. 5 Putnam City West (23-2) for the ticket to State.