Caesar Rodney power surge fries Cape 70-57
Senior swingman Craig Williams scored 17 points, and the Caesar Rodney boys’ basketball team embarked on a white-hot mid-game run to outlast Cape Henlopen 70-57 Jan. 18 in Lewes.
The Vikings came out full of fire and led 23-20 on a lay-in from junior forward Dylan Fannin with 3:15 left in the second quarter, but CR couldn’t miss for the next 10 minutes. The Riders connected on 15 of their next 17 field goal tries to blow the game open, going ahead 55-39 when 6-foot-6 senior big man Messiah Antwi rattled home a hook shot in the paint with less than a minute remaining in the third.
CR’s offensive explosion seemed to come out of nowhere, as the Riders started a miserable 7-for-24 from the floor.
Trey Leggins played the game of his young life for Cape, pouring in 17 of his career-high 20 points in the second half. The junior guard scored from all three levels, showcased a throwback mid-range game, and knocked down three 3-pointers to keep the Vikings within striking distance until the closing minutes.
Leggins kept the focus on his team in the post-game interview.
“We came out and trusted each other,” said Leggins, who finished 8-for-13 from the floor and snagged five rebounds. “We swung the ball and executed our plays well. We just couldn’t get stops in the second half.”
Cape got a career-best 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting from junior center Odin Potemski and a 10-point, eight-rebound night from Fannin.
The Vikings played without three starters for the second straight contest, but they acquitted themselves well against a fast, physical Caesar Rodney squad. Cape shot a solid 43 percent from the floor, matched the Riders rebound for rebound, and moved the ball masterfully, piling up a season-high 15 assists on the night.
Head coach Shemik Thompson brimmed with positivity despite the defeat.
“I was really pleased with our effort today,” Thompson said. “We did a good job of boxing out and rebounding. I thought our only weakness was dealing with [Antwi]. He got a lot better from the first meeting. Whether we were in zone or man, we couldn’t do anything with him. I told our guys not to be disheartened about that. I thought we played well. Trey played well today and shot the ball well. Odin’s been emerging as a playmaker, which is why we kind of run everything through him. Dylan played exceptionally hard today, too. It was clear from the tip that he was being assertive, and I hope that continues for him. It’s all growth from kids that’s been reflected in our practices the last few days."
Long-range shooting helped the Vikings stay within nine points until late in the fourth, as Cape knocked down 10 of its 21 three-point attempts (48 percent). Leggins (three long-balls), junior guard Drew Zimmerman (three), Fannin (two), Potemski, and junior guard Timmy Hitchcock all contributed from beyond the arc.
Zimmerman, coming off a 22-point outburst against Sankofa (Pa.) three days earlier, was limited to nine points on 3-for-14 shooting but picked up three assists. Hitchcock (three points), junior guard Ronnie Lofland (two), and junior forward Tiarnan Hefferan (two) rounded out the scoring for the Vikings.
Antwi registered a 13-point, 10-board double-double for CR (4-4, 4-3 Henlopen North).
