VIDEO: LCM’s rally falls short in season opener vs. Hammonton

Posted: December 16th 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

OCEAN CITY – The Lower Cape May Regional High School boys basketball team’s shots wouldn’t fall at the most critical times Saturday afternoon.

The Caper Tigers fell, 52-49, to Hammonton in their season opener at the Prime Events/Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend showcase event after failing to score on numerous key opportunities late in the game.

“You have to make shots,” Lower coach Scott Holden said.

The Tigers trailed, 49-39, with less than five minutes to play before making a big surge to put itself in position to tie or take the lead. But Lower missed on good looks twice on possessions while down by a point and later missed an open layup and an open three-point shot on consecutive possessions while down by three points.

“We missed a wide-open layup and a wide-open three,” Holden said. “I thought we got good shots pretty much the whole game. I just think Hammonton shot a little better than us and that’s the tale of the game.”

Macky Bonner scored a game-high 20 points for Lower. Ty Bonner added eight, getting three of his four field goals in the fourth quarter.

Lower forced a couple of Hammonton turnovers to help its rally from the 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. But, for the most part, Hammonton point guard Kenny Smith beautifully handled the Tigers’ pressure defense throughout. Smith finished with eight points and also had numerous assists, many to teammate Azzir Smith-Bey, who finished with 18 points for the Blue Devils.

“We upped our pressure to get back in it and that was key,” Holden said. “But we weren’t as effective with it early in the game so we pulled out of it. Smith is a heck of a player. He handled the pressure and really calmed his team down.”