Sussex Tech boys pull away to beat Cape 44-33
The Cape boys’ basketball team will enter the season's final month on a three-game losing streak after dropping an away game against rival Sussex Tech Jan. 30. A pair of Mariner alums, Isaiah Ayers and Derrieus Johnson, were key to the Ravens' victory.
“How do we play the No. 2 team in the state [Dover] and St. Vincent Pallotti the way we did and then come out here and do this against Tech? The inconsistency is outrageous,” said Cape coach Steve Re.
As the Vikings push toward the post-season, the current losing streak comes on the heels of a three-game win streak against Henlopen Conference teams. Cape relied on stingy defense in the wins, holding their opponents to under 50 points. Dover and St. Vincent Palloti eclipsed the half-century mark in their wins over the Vikings; however, Sussex Tech was held to just 44 points in the Jan. 30 loss.
“I just didn’t think we competed, and I don’t understand why we don’t compete when we’re in the hunt for a playoff spot,” Re said. “We scored 14 points in the first and ended the game at 32. When we can’t put the ball in the basket, it seems to affect everything we do.”
Sussex Tech jumped out to an early lead, but the Vikings battled back to make it 13-11 at the end of one. Sussex Tech’s team and fans came alive in the second quarter, holding Cape to just three points and claiming a 25-14 lead at the break.
Attempting to turn the tables in the second half, the Vikings trailed 33-24 heading into the final frame. Cape got within seven, but it was unable to overcome the halftime deficit as Sussex Tech clamped down to pull off the 44-33 victory.
“We got it to 39-32 and then we missed point-blank lay-ups,” Re said. “The physicality that Tech was playing with bumped us off our line and we didn’t finish. We’re not able to overcome when we’re not being able to make shots. It’s not like teams are taking us out of our offense or we’re not getting good looks – we had a ton of good looks we didn’t make.”
The Vikings will travel across state lines to take on Stephen Decatur at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6 in Berlin. The Seahawks defeated Smyrna and Dover to end December.
