Boys basketball: Cape Henry rolls in TCIS debut

Terrell Allen scored 15 points and snagged 15 rebounds as Cape Henry opened TCIS play with a 51-31 win over Walsingham in Williamsburg.

 

The Dolphins (13-5, 1-0) snapped Walsingham's seven-game winning streak by holding the Trojans (11-4, 0-1) to only six first half points, including zero field goals in the second quarter.

 

Walsingham's first shot of the game was an airball. It proved to be prophetic.

 

Cape Henry held a 17-6 advantage at the end of the first quarter and proceeded to double it at the half, without a response on the scoreboard from Walsingham.

 

It didn't matter if the Trojans were firing from three-point territory, driving to the basket or hoisting mid-range jumpers, nothing was falling.

 

It wasn't until midway through the third quarter — and after Cape Henry had managed 27 unanswered points — that Walsingham broke the drought. By the conclusion of the third, the Trojans managed to crack double-digits, but the Dolphins held a comfortable 31-point lead.

Cape Henry closed out the half with a putback off an offensive rebound from Allen and a well-executed two-on-one break finished by Chris Astorga (5 points), to make it 34-6.

 

"I was pleased with the defensive effort, but it was a little bit of luck. [Walsingham] can shoot it better than they showed tonight," said Cape Henry coach Larry Ward.

 

The Trojans were able to connect on four three-pointers in the fourth quarter and some sloppy play on Cape Henry's part  prevented the result from being uglier.

 

Still, Ward was glad the team began TCIS play with a victory. "This league, from top to bottom, is pretty good," he said.

The Dolphins, #4 in the latest VIS state rankings of Division II schools, have won three in a row and nine of their last 11.

 

Darriann Freeman added 10 points, while Damiane Ryans, second in the TCIS in scoring, finished with 11 points, just half of his normal average

 "We've got a lot of guys that can score," Ward said.

 On this night, outstanding offensive output wasn't required.