VIDEO: Hawks use hot shooting from distance to rally for win over Middle

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — The Middle Township High School boys basketball team seemed on the verge of running away from Cape May Tech at numerous times of Monday’s game.

Each time, however, the Hawks answered.

And finally, in the final dramatic moments, Cape May Tech wrestled a win away from one of its biggest rivals.

A three-point shot by Judah Thomas with 1 minute, 20 seconds to play gave Cape May Tech the lead for good in what turned into a 57-53 victory over the Panthers.

The three-point basket capped a brilliant outside shooting performance by Thomas and the Hawks. Cape Tech shot 9 for 18 as a team on three-point tries, with Thomas leading the way by going 4 of 6 from that distance.

“Coming into the year I thought we might have some guys that can shoot but we’ve had some early struggles,” first-year Cape May Tech coach Sam Picketts said. “We came out focused and locked in and our guys hit big shots tonight. We hit nine threes and that’s more than we’ve had in any game recently. We were taking good shots and we hit a couple huge shots.”

Middle Township led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, only to see Tech move to within two at 32-30 before Middle’s Ben Harris made a three-pointer with less than 10 seconds to go in the half.

Middle then forged to a 42-33 lead in the third quarter before the Hawks rallied for seven straight points to pull to within two. A Jeremiah Camacho three-pointer restored Middle’s five-point lead going into the fourth period.

Thomas hit a three-pointer and Joel Robinson-Hutchinson scored at the rim to tie the game at 47-47 midway through the fourth. It was tied again at 51-51 after a free throw by Harris but Thomas made his go-ahead three-pointer on Tech’s next possession.

A Jermain McNeil bucket in the lane pulled Middle to within a point, but Dylan Delvecchio made two free throws and Middle failed to score on its last possession. A foul shot by Robinson-Hutchinson with two seconds to go sealed the win for the Hawks (1-4).

“We tell the kids to just keep playing, keep believing in each other and keep grinding away,” Picketts said. “We’re a young team that lacks experience but we have really good kids, they’re coachable and they work hard. This is a rivalry game for us. The kids brought energy all night and they were able to finish at the end.”

Delvecchio led all scorers with 18 points. Thomas added 12. The teammates were named the CoastSportsToday.com/98.7 The Coast co-Players of the Game for their efforts.

John Torres was also in double figures for Tech with 13 points.

Camacho finished with 17 points for Middle (2-3). Da’Shaw Hawkins added 13 points and 11 rebounds.