Cape basketball boys down no-luck Milford 63-60

Tyreik Burton rolled a little 9-ball Elks Hoop Shoot on the Milford Buccaneers Dec. 18 at the new gym that looks like the the old gym with brighter lights, hitting a trio of 3-pointers and going 9 for 10 from the free-throw line as Cape survived 63-60, pushing the team's December record to 4-1. The Vikings will host a talented Arundel High School of Maryland at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 21.

Milford, under the direction of Cape grad B.J. Joseph, fell to 0-5 on the season.

Burton calmly drained seven fourth-quarter nothing-but-net free throws to ice the victory for Cape. Reik was asked, ”Were you one of those little kids who was an Elks Hoop Shoot winner?” The lightning-quick guard smiled and said, ”Yes.”

Coach Steven Re smiled in victory after a 54-45 fourth quarter lead eroded to 61-60 with 2:33 left to play when Milford's Shymer Hanzer - 23 points on the game - hit a 3-pointer. But Burton was ice in the bucket down the stretch, hitting four straight free throws.

“Milford is a very scary 0-5 team that has been in every game until the end,” Re said. “It was a trap game for us. We had no energy in the first half; it looked like we were slowing it down, but it just took a while for us to get into our offensive execution.”

Cape’s role players were crucial in the win. T. T. Hazzard, looking like Spiderman in the paint, all arms and legs, got his “take to the rack” game going, scoring 14 points. Gekwan Pritchett came off the bench in his best effort of the season, handling pressure and dropping 8 points. E.J. Fountain scored 6 crucial points and kept the ball alive on the offensive glass.

“Andrew Grau was all over the place,“ Re said. “He brings a lot of energy on defense, blocks shots and gets rebounds.”

Cape will play in the Governors Challenge at the Wicomico Civic Center Friday, Dec. 28, facing Easton High at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 29, versus Flowers High School at 4:30 p.m.