Sea Devils Pick Up Win
Homecoming is Sweet for Sea Devils
Zachary James / Sea Devil Student Journalist
Wilmington, NC - Before the game I had a chance to speak with head coach Ryan Mantlo asking him if there were any different strategies since the last game against USC Sumter, he said "You know I think it's just the same thing, boils down to us playing and executing and just focusing on the small things".
After the National Anthem both teams were fired up and ready for action Friday night. Cape Fear controlled the pace throughout the first half. The ball movement was impeccable, and they seemed to keep USC Sumter off balance.
The majority of the first half the Sea Devils bench was chanting "defense" and the players really responded holding USC Sumter to only 15 points.
The players had an extended halftime because of homecoming night. Both teams seemed to come out of the game a little out of sync and cold. But nonetheless, Cape Fear got things rolling in no time.
One of the big contributors Friday night was the 6-foot-7-inch freshman, Tony Menton. He had been averaging 4.5 points a game, but this game was different. Menton turned it on, having a big game scoring a team high 19 points. Menton was everywhere, catching a beautiful lob in the second half from Emmanuel Andrews causing the entire gym to erupt.
Cape Fear was up by 20 points the majority of the second half, with USC Sumter attempting to make a few late game runs, but could never pull it together.
As you watched the game you could see Cape Fear getting tired. Coach Mantlo called a few timeouts to gather his team, giving them a few words of motivation. This pushed his team to dig deep and finish the game strong. Coach Mantlo said post game, "I think that we got a little tired at the end, but it was a good all around effort. We need a win. I'm really happy."
The final score was 69-50 giving Cape Fear a huge win that will boost the team's moral, giving them a chance for a late season run.
If you want to catch the Sea Devils men's basketball team in action, they are on a home stretch until February 29th. So come out and support your Sea Devils.
Check out the exclusive story courtesy of Star News.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120210/ARTICLES/120219954
