Cape beats Central, falls to Dover
The Cape boys’ basketball team split a pair of games last week, cruising past Sussex Central before dropping a hard-fought road contest to Dover. Cape is 15-3 on the season.
Cape rolled to a 73-25 win over Sussex Central Feb. 12, then fell 59-55 to the Senators two days later in Dover.
There was no love lost on Valentine’s Day, as Henlopen North champion Dover used relentless defensive pressure and timely shooting to outlast the Vikings.
“We started off slow and came out a little flat,” said Cape coach Steve Re. “But we got it together in the second half. Dennis [Jayvion] hit two back-to-back threes with our defense right in his face. You can’t guard it any better. I think those two baskets were the difference. If we had come out stronger in the first half, it could have been different. We had some miscues and got tired. We rebounded well enough and defended well enough. The first half hurt us. It was a good game though.”
Three Cape players finished in double figures against Dover. Geordan Downing led the way with 16 points, knocking down five three-pointers. Jameson Tingle and Stephen Sivels added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Tingle also recorded six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and four steals, while Sivels added four steals of his own. Braxton Figgs chipped in eight points, four rebounds and three blocks.
“We came out flat,” said Tingle. “It wasn’t that Dover did anything special. We just didn’t capitalize on opportunities in the first half. They went on their run, we went on ours and we just came up short.”
“As a little kid, you live for games like that,” said Figgs. “That’s the best of the best. We didn’t get the win, but we learned a lot. I’m super proud of my guys.”
Jayvion Dennis led Dover with 27 points, including four three-pointers.
Two days earlier, the Vikings delivered one of their most efficient offensive performances in the past 14 years, shooting 66% from the field and 60% from three-point range, and garnered 17 assists, in a dominant 73-25 victory over the Golden Knights.
Cape went on a 34-0 run and held Central scoreless for 11:21 of game time, including a 22-0 third quarter. The Vikings didn’t commit a turnover in the second half.
Downing poured in 25 points, connecting on six shots from beyond the arc. Tingle and Sivels added 16 and 13 points, respectively. Sivels dished out seven assists, Tingle handed out six and grabbed seven rebounds, and Figgs pulled down five boards.
“I feel like I’m out of the slump I was in earlier in the season,” said Downing. “We’re all playing our roles heading into the last few games. I think we’ll be okay.”
“I think this was a team-first dominant win from the beginning,” Re said. “I liked our energy. I liked how we shared the ball and defended, holding them to 25 points. We’ve matured to the point where even if we don’t shoot well, we can still win and compete. We’ve got to stay ready and prepare the right way.”
The Vikings host Polytech Tuesday, Feb. 17, for Senior Night.
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.
