Cape basketball falls to Howard in quarters
Three players scored in double figures, but seventh-seeded Cape fell to No. 2 Howard 72-64 in the DIAA quarterfinals March 7 in Wilmington.
The Vikings had previously defeated the Wildcats 80-76 Jan. 6, outscoring Howard 20-16 in double overtime.
The quarterfinal matchup was intense from the start. Cape led 18-17 at the end of the first quarter, but trailed 35-31 at halftime. The Vikings, who are typically a strong second-half team, fell behind 53-42 after the third quarter, as Howard went on a 24-5 run from late second quarter to late third period.
The Vikings rallied in the fourth quarter, but ultimately came up short.
“Howard was a team full of seniors, nine of them, who played with relentless energy,” said Cape coach Steve Re. “It was a great playoff game. Every time we made a run, they responded immediately. We had a hard time maintaining momentum. We handled their full-court press really well, but didn’t do a good job executing in the half court, which has been one of our strengths all year. Defensively, we broke down too much and didn’t adjust accordingly.”
Junior Stephen Sivels led the Vikings with 18 points and two rebounds. Senior forward Braxton Figgs added 15 points, six rebounds and six blocks. Senior Dell Richards finished with 12 points.
Junior Jameson Tingle contributed seven points, 10 rebounds, six assists and six blocked shots. Junior Geordan Downing added eight points, including a pair of three-pointers.
“We definitely thought we were going to come out in the second half hitting our shots, because that’s how we’ve been all season,” said Richards. “Usually the energy gets turned up no matter where we’re at on the scoreboard. By the time we got the momentum, it was too late.”
Richards was quick to praise his coach and teammates.
“I’m truly grateful for coach Re,” he said. “He’s made me a better person and a better man, inside basketball and outside basketball. I’m really thankful for my teammates because they made me want to go harder every day.”
“It’s not how I thought our season would end, but I couldn’t imagine going out with any other group of guys,” Figgs said. “We’ve been playing together our whole lives, and I really love sharing the hardwood with them every day. I miss it already.”
Re reflected on the Vikings’ season.
“Overall, this team has been one of our best,” he said. “They played some really good basketball this season and had fun doing it. An absolute great group of young men to coach.”
The Vikings finish the season at 18-4, with wins over perennial powers William Penn, Caesar Rodney, Smyrna and Howard.
Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs.
