Cape boys clamp down on St. Georges 74-54

The Cape Henlopen boys’ basketball team celebrated its Senior Night in style Feb. 16 in Lewes, pulling away from St. Georges Tech 74-54 behind 25 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks from senior forward Ian Robertson. 

Senior forward Randy Rickards added 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Vikings (17-2, 10-1 Henlopen North), who won their 13th consecutive game on the strength of their long, swarming defense. Cape limited St. Georges junior wing Nah’shon Hyland, the state’s leading scorer at 30 points per night, to 15 points on 4-for-12 shooting. The Vikings allowed the Hawks to connect on just 20 of their 56 field goal attempts (36 percent) and forced 21 turnovers.

Cape held a 37-24 advantage at the break and looked ready to run St. Georges all the way back to Middletown, but the Hawks cut the deficit to three late in the third quarter behind the powerful post play of forward Michael McCants. The Vikings responded like champions, outscoring St. Georges 31-14 the rest of the way. 

“We maintained our heads tonight,” said Cape head coach Steve Re. “When it got close and we could’ve gotten out of it, we brought ourselves back mentally and just kept grinding.”

Sophomore wing Sh’Kai Chandler scored 15 points and made what may have been the most critical play of the night for the Vikings. With his team ahead 55-50 early in the final frame, Chandler drained a three-pointer from the right wing while being fouled. He added the free throw to extend Cape’s lead to nine, and St. Georges never got any closer. 

Robertson credited the win to chemistry. 

“This is a tight-knit group,” Robertson said. “When things get rough like in the third, we don't ever come too far apart, which is the difference between this year’s team and the others I’ve been on.”

The highlight of the night came from Rickards, who brought the Big House to its feet when he threw down a one-handed baseline dunk on the head of a Hawks defender in the second quarter.

The Vikings got six points and four assists from senior guard Izaiah Dadzie, five points and five assists from sophomore guard Skylar Johnson, and a five-point night from sophomore guard Kris Rushin. McCants led St. Georges (12-7) with 20 points.

Cape closed out its regular season at Caesar Rodney Monday, Feb. 19.