CPHS Basketball: Destiny Johnson scores 31 points to knock off No. 11 Ponca City

Destiny Johnson guards a Shawnee player during the 2016-2017 season. (Photo: Morgan Miller).

The No. 3 ranked Charles Page High School Lady Sandite basketball team jumped out to an early lead over No. 11 Ponca City in their season-debut Tuesday night, and the Wildcats were never able to bounce back. The Sandites prevailed 77-61 over their visitors at the Ed Dubie Field House. 

CPHS 77 PoHi 61

1Q CPHS 22-10
2Q All 21-21
3Q PoHi 16-15
4Q CPHS 19-14

(Sand Springs stats)
Scoring: Johnson 31, Regalado 18, Kersgieter 16, Burris 7, Presnell 3, Taber 2.
Rebounds: Johnson 7, Regalado 7, Kersgieter 6, Taber 4, Burris 3, Berge 2, Presnell 1.
Steals: Kersgieter 4, Johnson 1, Regalado 1, Presnell 1, Berge 1. 
Assists: Taber 5, Regalado 3, Johnson 2, Berge 2, Burris 1, Kersgieter 1. 
Blocks: Johnson 1, Regalado 1.
Fouls: Kersgieter 5, Taber 5, Johnson 4, Regalado 3, Burris 3, Presnell 2, Berge 1.

Three Lady Sandites scored in double figures led by Destiny Johnson's 31 points. Holly Kersgieter and Isabella Regalado contributed sixteen points and eighteen points respectively. Regalado tied her previous best performance, while Johnson surged past her prior record of twenty. 

Johnson's big night got off to a fast start as she scored the first six points of the game for Sand Springs. The two teams traded baskets for a few possessions before the Lady Sandites went on a 14-2 run to end the first quarter, sparked by a pair of three-pointers by Regalado. Sand Springs held a 22-10 lead to end the first quarter and saw their lead cut to single digits only once for the remainder of the game.

The second quarter was a dead draw 21-21 with both squads alternating baskets for much of the quarter. Ponca forward Jalissa Garcia scored eleven of her team high 22 points in the second to keep things close and send the Lady Sandites to the half leading 43-31. 

The third quarter turned into the Johnson and Kersgieter show, as the two combined to score all fifteen Sand Springs points. Kersgieter scored nine points in the stanza, seven of them coming from the foul stripe. Ponca trimmed a single point off the lead heading into the final period. 

Kersgieter was called for her fifth personal foul early in the fourth quarter leaving the majority of the scoring duties to Johnson who was more than capable, scoring eleven points to seal the win for her squad. 

Both teams are coming off State Tournament appearances in their prior season, and the game was reminiscent of the Lady Sandites' season-debut in 2016 when they easily handled a top-ten ranked Bartlesville 51-34 and went on to win fourteen-straight.

Sand Springs will host 5A No. 17 Bishop Kelley for the Comets' season-debut Friday at 6:00 p.m. The game will mark the kickoff of Frontier Valley Conference play, and the Lady Sandites are the defending FVC Champions. Ponca City will travel to 5A No. 3 El Reno (1-0) who knocked off No. 8 Piedmont 44-29.