Fruchtman surpasses two milestones

Delaware might know how much game the Cape girls’ basketball team has this season, and now Maryland and Pennsylvania are aware too after the Vikings’ 39-37 win over Haverford Dec. 13.

Making the win all the more impressive was that the 10:55 a.m. tip-off was at St.John’s College in Washington, D.C., and the game was played a little over half a day after Cape knocked off Sussex Central 59-30 Dec. 12.

Ready for the icing on the cake? Senior Amalia Fruchtman joined the 500-rebound club when she scooped up her sister Amara’s shot attempt with about 2:30 left in the first quarter. She became a likely trivia question when just seconds later she took a pass from her longtime teammate Maya Yngve and scored her 1,000th point. One quarter, two milestones that individually secure a legacy.

“I didn't really know about the rebounds,” Fruchtman said. “I just went out there, was playing my game and it all kind of just happened. It was exciting sharing with my teammates and stuff.”

For Amalia’s first accomplishment, her dad Jason, a staple on the end lines photographing his daughters, saw something play out on the court he has seen throughout the years in his driveway. His daughter Amara just missed a lay-up while Amalia swooped in for the board. Not exactly how they drew it up, but a memory nonetheless.

“That's actually really cool!” Amalia said. “Before the game, we were talking about [Amara] assisting me for the 1,000th point, but I’m just happy she's out here playing again. I have so much fun with her.”

Yngve, who’s knocked down a few kickbacks from Amalia, helped make the other game-stopping moment when she eased a pass over to the senior leader.

“I've been playing with her since I've probably started playing basketball, like first grade, so that was really full circle,” Amalia said. “I just love her so much.”

The Fruchtman family was easy to spot with their constant grins, but the stands were also packed with middle school basketball players, JV players, volleyball players and former teammates. Parking was hard to find, but the love was everywhere.

“It really just shows how tight Cape is to see the middle school girls coming,” Amalia said. “I have some of my friends that are already in college that are here, so I think it's just really cool to see the impact, and then also being able to inspire the younger girls.”

“You get your 500 rebounds and 1,000 points in the same night, you can't ask for anything more than that, especially in front of the home crowd, in front of your family,” said first-year coach Ron Dukes.

Despite making history, Amalia thinks there was another sweet memory for her. Every Cape player got minutes in the victory.

“That's her big piece,” Dukes said. “She is 100% our leader for this ball club. She does everything we ask of her and more. She talks all the time. She's very vocal in the locker room. She's the one that's saying, ‘Hey look, we need to do this, we need to do that, we need to focus on the things it takes to win.’ You can't ask for anything out of a player more than what she gives us.”

Amalia led the team with 19 points and nine rebounds Dec. 12. With the 59-30 victory over the Golden Knights, the Vikings remain undefeated in the Henlopen North.

“There are 14 games in the North and two of them are down, so if we win out, we are where we want to be,” Dukes said.

In the 39-37 victory over Haverford (Pa.) Dec. 13, Fruchtman led the way again, this time with 17 points and six rebounds.