Cape Henry catches the upset bug

VIRGINIA BEACH

For the fourth consecutive week, a South Hampton Roads top-ranked team has bitten the dust.

This time, it was Cape Henry. The Dolphins blew an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to host Bishop Sullivan 39-37 Friday night.

Bishop Sullivan guard Vince Miles, who was quiet most of the game, caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of 10 points, including two free throws with 5.5 seconds left, to help the Crusaders pull off the upset.

"I had to do whatever I had to do to help us win it," he said. "This win just shows we can play."

Cape Henry (13-4, 2-1) led 36-28 with 6:42 left. The Dolphins, also the top-ranked team in the VISAA Division 2 state private school poll, seemed to have the game under control as Bishop Sullivan missed its first nine shots to start the fourth quarter.

But the Dolphins couldn't capitalize as they had several turnovers to keep the Crusaders in the game. Cape Henry also struggled from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, making just 2 of 6.

Dolphins guard Devon Hall made a free throw with 1:56 left that gave the Dolphins a 37-33 lead. But that was it for Cape Henry.

Miles hit a free throw with 47.6 seconds left to cut the deficit to three and then teammate Mitch MacCartney followed with a 3-pointer that tied the game with 30.1 seconds left.

Cape Henry had a chance to set up for the win with 8.1 seconds left, but Chris Clarke's inbounds pass sailed errantly to the backcourt. Miles picked up the loose ball and was fouled with 5.5 seconds left. He sank both free throws.

The Dolphins had one more chance.

"I went right back to Chris right after he turned the ball over and drew up a play," said Cape Henry coach Mark Hall. "And he threw the ball the length of the court (to Ayron Hutton) to give us a chance to take the game into overtime."

But Hutton's layup rolled off the front of the rim. The Dolphins got the rebound, but couldn't get off another shot as Bishop Sullivan fans stormed the court.

The Crusaders (10-6, 1-1) were led by Marcus Burwell's 12 points.

"I can't blame the game on the one possession," said Hall, who put more fault on missed free throws and gimme layups. "I told them maybe we can't handle being No. 1. We came in here to play a conference opponent that we should beat and we lost. We're eating humble pie. Now we have to go back to the drawing board."

Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com