CAPE ELIZABETH—Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ basketball team’s Opening Night victory over rival Wells was as easy as one, two, three.

Or more accurately, 16 3’s.

Friday evening, the host Capers unveiled their new offense, came out shooting and rolled to a decisive win as they served notice that they’re going to be a team to be reckoned with all season in Class B South.

After a sluggish start, Cape Elizabeth closed the first quarter on a 15-2 run, highlighted by a pair of 3-balls from senior Tony Dell’Aquila, for a 20-10 advantage.

The Warriors then held their own in the second period and got as close as three points before a late Dell’Aquila 3 made it 27-21 Capers at the half.

Cape Elizabeth then came out for the second half and put on a long-range shooting display, making seven 3-pointers in the third quarter alone and putting up a jaw-dropping 33 points to turn a six-point advantage into a commanding 60-28 lead.

The Capers never looked back from there and went on to a 79-53 triumph.

Cape Elizabeth scored 48 points from behind the 3-point arc, put four different players in double figures and opened victoriously for the second year in a row.

“It’s a fun start,” said Dell’Aquila. “We were on fire. We were electric. It was one of those nights where the basketball Gods were on our side. We were ready to shoot.”

The fun begins

Cape Elizabeth and Wells are no strangers to meeting in February when playoff survival hangs in the balance. Last February, the Capers eliminated the Warriors, 58-43, in the Class B South preliminary round, then were ousted by York (67-51) in the quarterfinals to finish with a record of 12-8.

Cape Elizabeth then graduated top scoring threats Will Bowe and Jake Frame and saw big man Evan Reeves transfer to a prep school, but the pieces remain in place to compete.

Wells expects to be in the mix too and with Troy Brown back as coach for a 15th season, that should come as no surprise.

Friday, the Capers opened with a victory over the Warriors for the second consecutive season as long range shot after long range shot f0und the mark.

Wells actually opened the scoring with a 3-ball, as junior Keith Ramsey converted with 6:09 to go in the opening stanza.

Cape Elizabeth’s first points came from senior Sam Lombardo on two foul shots 27 seconds later, but Ramsey broke the press and set up senior Caden Dufort for a layup and a quick 5-2 advantage.

With 5:25 to go in the first, senior James Rickman sank the Capers’ first 3 to tie the score and after Ramsey countered with a 3-pointer for the Warriors, Rickman made a basket, then with 4:05 on the clock, a bank shot from Lombardo put the home team on top for good.

Junior Alex Van Huystee added a 3 from the corner and after Dufort set up sophomore Jeremy Therrien for a layup with 1:34 left in the quarter, Cape Elizabeth closed with the final eight points, as Dell’Aquila drained a 3, Van Huystee made a layup after a steal, then Dell’Aquila took a pass from senior Ben Altenburg and made another 3 for a 20-10 advantage.

When Van Huystee opened the second period with a layup, the Capers’ run was 17-2, but Wells would respond.

First, Ramsey made his third 3-pointer. After senior Michael Lewinski sank one free throw, Ramsey buried another 3 and with 2:01 left, Ramsey added two foul shots to cut the deficit to three, 22-19.

With 1:34 to go before halftime, Cape Elizabeth finally snapped the Warriors’ 9-0 run and a 5 minute, 30 second scoring drought, as senior Eddie Caldera was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer and he made two free throws.

Lewinski set up Therrien for a fastbreak layup, but with 11.7 seconds showing, a 3-ball from Dell’Aquila put the Capers on top, 27-21, at the break.

In the first 16 minutes, Ramsey had 14 points for Wells, but Cape Elizabeth held the lead.

The Capers then came out and ended all doubt with a third quarter explosion for the ages.

Rickman set the tone by opening the second half with a leaner and senior Owen Tighe, hindered by foul trouble in the first half, scored on a second-effort putback to make the score 31-21.

After Dufort countered with a layup, Rickman got a 3-point shot to go in-and-out-and-in.

With 5:56 on the clock, Lewinski drove for a layup to cut the deficit to 34-25, but in the blink of an eye, Cape Elizabeth put the game out of reach.

First, senior Andrew Trachimowicz made a free throw. Next, senior Heiki Kuhrt converted an old-fashioned three-point play (layup, foul, free throw), forcing Brown to call timeout.

It didn’t help, as first Trachimowicz, then Dell’Aquila buried 3-balls for a 44-25 advantage.

Brown called timeout again and again, it didn’t stem the tide, as Lombardo, who had assisted on several previous 3s, got a pass from Trachimowicz and sank a 3-pointer, then with 3:13 to go in the third, Altenburg took a pass from senior Jack Carignan and made a layup for a 49-25 lead.

“We asked them to take it from seven to 15 to 20 and they did exactly what I asked,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Jeff Mitchell. “The beginning of the third quarter is pivotal.”

Twelve seconds later, a free throw from Lewinski ended the 15-0 run, but the Capers weren’t finished, as Carignan made a 3, Dell’Aquila set up Van Huystee for a 3 from the corner, Caldera made a layup after a steal, then Van Huystee ended the onslaught with a corner 3.

Ramsey made a jump shot in the waning seconds, but Cape Elizabeth took a 60-28 lead to the fourth quarter.

To its credit, Wells fought to the finish, but couldn’t muster a comeback.

The Warriors opened the final stanza with consecutive 3-balls from Therrien. After Tighe drove for a layup, sophomore Tanner Fifield made a free throw for the visitors, but Dell’Aquila answered with a 3 that went in-and-out-and-in and Tighe hit a 3 of his own to make it 68-35.

Sophomore Ben Greve made a layup for Wells, but Lombardo sank a free throw, then, after Altenburg kept play alive with an offensive board, he fed Lombardo for a 3 and a 72-37 advantage.

Sophomore Riley Murphy made two foul shots, then Therrien sank a 3 and Fifield converted a three-point play, but a 3-ball from Capers’ senior Ian Giacobazzi pushed the lead back to 30.

Therrien made a free throw, but junior Gabe Berman countered with a layup after a steal.

After Therrien scored on a putback, then buried a long 3, a jumper from junior Owen Bromage accounted for Cape Elizabeth’s final points.

A Greve bank shot then brought the curtain down on the Capers’ 79-53 victory.

“We’re small, but we have big hearts and we’re ready to play,” Dell’Aquila said. “We love to hustle and get up-and-down and shoot. The message was this is who we are and who we want to be. Coach said, ‘You have to make a name for yourselves the first game of the season.’ I think that’s what we did.”

“It’s a good start,” Mitchell said. “I know Wells is down some key players, but the guys did what we asked them to do.”

Dell’Aquila led the way with 15 points, all on 3-pointers. Van Huystee added 13 points off the bench. Lombardo had 11 points (to go with six assists) and Rickman finished with 10 points. Tighe tallied seven points and had six rebounds, Caldera and Trachimowicz both had four points, Carignan, Giacobazzi and Kuhrt all finished with three and Altenburg (five rebounds, three assists), Berman and Bromage added two apiece.

Cape Elizabeth made just a dozen two-point field goals to the 16 3-pointers it drained.

“Our offense is designed to get spot 3s,” said Mitchell. “The guys did a great job doing that tonight.”

The Capers only turned the ball over 13 times and hit 7-of-11 foul shots.

Everyone on the 17-man roster saw action.

“I always love to play everyone,” Mitchell said. “The more we play, the more I realize we can go 10-, 12-deep.”

Wells was paced by a game-high 19 points from Therrien, who also had five rebounds. Ramsey added 16 points, Dufort (three rebounds, three assists), Fifield, Greve and Lewinski (a game-high 11 rebounds) contributed four apiece and Murphy two.

The Warriors had a 34-32 advantage on the glass, but turned the ball over 22 times and made just 9-of-21 free throws.

Game two

Wells is back in action Monday at Traip Academy. The Warriors then begin the home portion of their schedule versus Poland next Friday.

Cape Elizabeth’s first road game Tuesday will be another tough test, at Class C South contender Waynflete. The Capers then welcome York next Friday.

“We’ll have some tough games coming up,” Dell’Aquila said. “We’ll try to bring the same energy we brought tonight and keep rolling.”

“So far, so good,” said Mitchell. “We just talked about having a 24-hour rule. Win or lose, we have 24 hours. We have Waynflete Tuesday. We played them a bunch this summer in the South Portland League. We’re familiar with them and we’ll be prepared.”

Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.