PHOTOS: Improved depth helps Caper Tigers to another Boardwalk Classic win

Posted: December 31st 2023

Lower Cape May coach Scott Holden talks to his team during a timeout in Saturday's game against Penns Grove.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – Last season, if Macky Bonner were held without a field goal in the first half a game, chances are the Lower Cape May Regional High School boys basketball team would have faced a significant deficit.

So far, the Caper Tigers are proving that won’t be the case so far this season.

On Saturday in a showcase game at the Boardwalk Basketball Classic, Bonner scored just one point in the first half against Penns Grove. But thanks to 16 points from players off the bench in the opening half, Lower jumped to a 24-11 lead. The Caper Tigers, despite Penns Grove making several charges in the second half, went on to a relatively comfortable 51-38 victory.

“Penns Grove had a little funky defense on us, making everyone beat them but Macky, and I would probably do the same thing against us,” Lower coach Scott Holden said. “But we had other guys step up.”

One of those other guys was sophomore guard Josh Gretta, who has been providing instant offense off the Lower Cape May bench this season. One game after posting 14 points in a win over Wildwood, Gretta fired in four three-pointers and scored another 14 points in the opening half alone against Penns Grove. Another substitute, junior forward Mason Cronin, added two critical buckets in the second period.

“Our improvement with our depth is a testament to our practices,” Holden said. “They’re the best we’ve ever had since I’ve been here as head coach, and that’s because with what we have one through 10 we can have some legitimate practices with guys really getting after it. Guys are getting better because of it. It’s not like we have a starting five and there’s this big dropoff. We can really mix it up at practice and that’s helping all the guys get better.”

Macky Bonner got on track in the second half, scoring eight points, and his younger brother, Ty, posted 10 of his 13 points in the second half.

Lower went 5 for 6 from the foul line in the final quarter to ice away the victory.

The Caper Tigers, who have won four straight after a loss in their season opener, face Wildwood Catholic Sunday at 2:45 p.m. in the final game of the 2023 Boardwalk Basketball Classic. The game will be streamed live on the Cape Atlantic Live YouTube channel and Facebook page.