Wilmington, NC - Cape Fear women's basketball lost a closed exhibition to Shaw University 67-75. TaKwana Bland would lead the Sea Devils with 15 points and four rebounds, while Destiny Campbell would finish with 12 points and a team high eight rebounds.
The game was highly competitive. Neither team lead by more than eight, and the result remained in question until late in the fourth quarter.
The teams traded points to start the game, with the lead switching back and forth.
Defensively, Cape Fear started by pressuring the ball handler one-on-one full court. However, poor perimeter defending allowed Shaw to knock down five 3-pointers in the first quarter.
Shaw would jump out to 14-8 lead, but a 3-pointer by TaKwana Bland would cut the deficit to three with under three minutes to play in the quarter. Shaw, however, would respond with a 3-pointer the next possession down to negate it. Despite shooting 60 percent in the first quarter, Cape Fear found it difficult to get shots off, and trailed 13-18 at the end of the first quarter.
Cape Fear opened the second quarter with a strong defensive stop. Their energy picked up on defense, leading to consecutive turnovers that resulted in points on the other end.
With 6:30 left in the second, Ari Young would grab an offensive rebound and score the putback to tie the game at 24-24. Shaw would take the lead back two possessions later, after Bland fouled her opponent in the post following a made layup.
Shaw would hold a small lead for most of the quarter. Cape Fear would begin full-court pressing around the 2:45 mark. They'd cut the score to one, but a 3-pointer by Shaw's Falecia Cabral would extend it briefly back to four, as Jaleesa Dillard would answer with a three of her own.
Towards the end of the half, Shaw extended their lead to seven by drawing shooting fouls in the post. The half would end with Cape Fear trailing 34-41. Cape Fear shot 45 percent from the field, and 20 percent from the 3-point line, while Shaw shot 45.5 percent from the field, and 50 percent from the 3-point line.
A turnaround shot in the post by Desaree Green would open the the second half. Two possessions later, Christina Caesar would score on a fastbreak to cut Shaw's lead to three.
Cape Fear would force three turnovers in the opening three minutes, disrupting Shaw's offense, leading to baskets in transition.
Offensively, the Sea Devils were more patient, working the ball around, and feeding the post for easy points.
Bland would give her team a 46-45 lead with just under 6:00 minutes remaining in the third. Baskets by Destiny Campbell and Bland on the ensuing possessions would give them a five point lead, their largest of the game to that point.
A 3-pointer by Shaw would cut the lead to one with 3:30 left in the quarter. They would then take the lead off a pair of free throws. Young, however, would draw and convert an and-1 the next possession down to put Cape Fear back on top.
The end of the quarter was highly competitive, with each team trading leads once again. After going down by one, Dillard would knock down a 3-pointer to put Cape Fear up by two. A buzzer beater by Teshanna Phillips would then give the Sea Devils a 62-57 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Cape Fear outscored Shaw 28-16 in the quarter.
Turnovers, however, would plague the Sea Devils to start the fourth quarter. Four were committed in the first three minutes, allowing the Bears to cut the lead to one. A 3-pointer by Shaw's Severija Narkute would give them a 64-62 lead with 6:45 left in the game. After Shaw increased their lead to four, Cape Fear would call timeout.
After falling behind 62-69, Cape Fear would attempt a late comeback. They'd get into good scoring positions, but would be unable to convert consistently.
Down 67-73 with 1:38 remaining, Cape Fear couldn't afford to allow another basket. They'd force Shaw into a miss, but the Bears would get two offensive rebounds during the possession, running off more than a minute of time. By that point, there wasn't enough time to come back, and Shaw would end the game on top.
Their next game is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26th, where they will hit the road to play UNC Pembroke in an exhibition. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m.
Courtesy of Nick Denning
