In Short: Cape Fear Women's Basketball kicks things into high gear and defeats Guilford Tech in an exciting overtime matchup.
Highlights:
After letting a close road loss slip through their grasp to conference frontrunners Richard Bland earlier a few weeks back, Cape Fear Women's Basketball returned to their home court on Wednesday night eager to get back on a winning streak. Cape Fear remains #3 in the Region 10 Conference as they geared up to face the #8 Guilford Tech Titans in the Schwartz Center.
Both the Sea Devils and the Titans struggled to finish offensive drives strong in the first quarter - ending the period only 12-8 in favor of Cape Fear. While the Sea Devils' shot selection continued to improve in the second quarter, the Titans picked up scoring momentum and were able to draw some effective foul calls in their favor to send players to the foul line. As Cape Fear began to lock things down defensively, they continued to struggle with making outside shots and were only finishing offensive plays effectively through contested layups and quick jumpers in the paint.
Moving into the third quarter, The Titans put the Sea Devils on their back foot and were able to rack up 31 points in the third quarter alone. Cape Fear struggled with defensive communication and foul trouble as they began turning over the ball more frequently and felt generally out of sync.
However, Cape Fear decided that they had enough and stepped onto the floor in the fourth quarter as a powerful force to be reckoned with. They hustled to force countless turnovers followed by poised fast break transitions to the basket to even up the score. Newcomer Senali Moss led the charge totaling 23 points and 9 rebounds at the end of the matchup while freshman Armani Hayes played a crucial role in transitioning the ball from one end to the other in the final moments of regulation. Before we knew it, Guilford Tech was held to a mere 3 points in the 4th quarter as both teams prepared for overtime play.
Prior to overtime, Sophomore stronghold Imani Sutton was putting in solid work on both ends of the floor (11 points, 4 blocks, and 9 defensive rebounds) before exiting the game due to a leg injury.
Cape Fear was calm, cool, and collected as they tipped off in overtime. Sophomore Alonna Dunlap continued to be a powerhouse on the post to widen the score gap while the rest of the team practiced quick, decisive ball movement to make the most of their offensive opportunities as the clock ran down. Cape Fear finished the game with their heads held high and another win on their conference record.
"So proud of how we finished the game…we showed up as Cape Fear and made adjustments as necessary," says Assistant Coach Taylor Todd-Williams. "We played in those final moments like the team we actually are and it felt good to see them playing together with hard work and effort."
Up Next: Cape Fear Women's Basketball will host Region 10 Conference opponent Bryant & Stratton (VA) on Sunday, February 19th at 1PM.
