Cape clanks its way to 52-36 loss at Smyrna
Presented with a golden opportunity to upend the Henlopen Conference frontrunners and perhaps earn a bye in the upcoming state tournament, the Cape boys’ basketball team fell flat in a 52-36 setback at Smyrna Feb. 15.
The Vikings brought their characteristic heart and hustle to the floor, but simply couldn’t buy a bucket, as they made just 11 of their 51 field goal attempts on the night (22 percent). Junior forward Randy Rickards notched team highs of 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks for the Vikings (12-6, 8-3 Henlopen North), whose four-game winning streak was snapped in emphatic fashion by a physical, fundamentally sound Smyrna squad.
Smyrna (16-2, 11-0 Henlopen North) was paced by junior guard Caleb Matthews, who poured in 16 points and dished out eight assists despite being held without a three-pointer for only the second time all season. The Eagles also got 14 points and 16 rebounds from sophomore forward Jaymeir Garnett, while senior forward Anthony Watson chipped in with 12 points.
Azubuike Nwankwo, a 7-foot-2 center, anchored the Smyrna defense by swatting four shots, altering countless others and casting a Mutombo-sized shadow over any and all Cape forays to the rim. Nwankwo also contributed nine points and nine boards.
Vikings head coach Steve Re couldn’t overstate Nwankwo’s impact under the basket.
“I thought we played really hard,” he said. “When we can’t score the ball, it becomes a frustrating thing and then it becomes mental. The big man inside affects everything. He dropped out of the sky and has been a huge difference for them.”
The Eagles are one of just two teams in Delaware that surrender fewer than 40 points per game, the other being - you guessed it - St. Mark’s. Their brick-wall D was in full effect against Cape, as they overcame a slow start by holding the Vikings to two points over the final six minutes of the second quarter. Up by a comfy 25-16 margin at the half, Smyrna clamped down in the third period. The Eagles limited Cape to just two field goals in the frame, both three-pointers by Rickards.
The Vikings trimmed a 14-point third-quarter deficit to eight when senior guard Rasheed Woods drained a three-pointer early in the fourth. With his team up 39-31, Watson answered with two big baskets for the Eagles and put the game out of reach.
Smyrna earned its 11th straight victory despite playing without starting guard Dymer’e Richardson. No team has come within 11 points of the Eagles during their win streak, and no Henlopen foe has gotten closer than that all year.
Junior forward Ian Robertson tallied nine points and four rebounds for Cape, hitting two trifectas along the way. Woods added five points, while freshman guard Cory Barnes finished with four points, four boards and four steals. The Vikings also got four points and two assists from senior guard Jerry Harden and a three-pointer from freshman guard Sh’Kai Chandler.
Re was frustrated with his team’s anemic offense given its stellar showing on the other side of the ball.
“Defensively, we were good - really good. We played hard and took them out of rhythm. We held them to, what, 52 points? We just didn’t have an answer offensively.”
Cape returns to action Friday, Feb. 17, when it celebrates Senior Night at home against Sussex Central.
