Ocean City Falls Short in Attempt to Avenge Loss to Lower Cape May

A couple of missed shots falling. A call or two more going their way. Fewer turnovers.

These are all things that easily could have turned Thursday night's game into a win for the Ocean City High School boys' basketball team.

But after the contest, Ocean City coach John Bruno didn't focus on what his team didn't do, but instead on what visiting Lower Cape May did during its 51-45 victory at the Dixie Howell Gymnasium.

"They are a good team," Bruno said. "Sometimes 30 minutes after a game you have to take a step back and say the better team won. You can talk about that foul, that travel, that layup. The bottom line is that they were better tonight."

The Caper Tigers swept the season series, and the Red Raiders were disappointed they couldn't avenge their loss from earlier this season.

"It was a big game because they beat us at their place and we wanted to get revenge, but unfortunately we couldn't," said Ocean City guard Andrew Kimball, who scored 10 points. "They are a playoff-caliber team, so it will help us get ready for the playoffs."

The Red Raiders trailed by nine entering the fourth quarter, and were down by as much as 13, but rallied to make it a game in the closing minutes.

Kimball's two free throws made it a three-point game with 1:17 left. After two more free throws by Lower Cape May, Kimball drove and dished off to Matt Bosch, who scored a team-high 13 points, for an easy layup and a 45-42 score with 41 seconds remaining.

However, the Caper Tigers' Brandon Pascucci split the Ocean City defense, which was trying to foul, for a basket in the lane.Pascucci, who finished with a game-high 17 points, then stole the ball and added another bucket to put Lower ahead by seven and put the game out of reach.

"It was a real physical game," said Ocean City guard Tom Ballezzi, who scored eight points. "We played tough. They got steals at the end of the game and knocked down some shots."

"It was a tough one," Kimball said. "It got away from us in the third quarter. We came back, and got it within (three), but we just couldn't finish it out."

The Caper Tigers' pressure defense gave the Red Raiders troubles, especially in the third quarter. Lower outscored the Red Raiders 19-12 in the third.

"The few times they pressured us, we gave up the ball," Bruno said. "Toward the end of the third quarter, it was a two- or three point game, and we gave it up three straight times. Their pressure isn't something you can set up against. You have to react to it. They kind of scramble around, and you never know where they are coming from."