Playoff recaps: Milestones at Middle, WC girls stunned in OT, LCM teams lose on road

Posted: February 26th 2024

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

It was a rather eventful evening for the Cape May County high school basketball teams as the state playoffs resumed Monday.

The Middle Township boys team saw a couple of milestones reached in a win over Oakcrest, the Middle girls outlasted Haddon Heights in overtime, Wildwood Catholic Academy’s girls were beaten in overtime, Wildwood Catholic’s boys fell to one of the state’s best and both of Lower Cape May’s teams lost on the road.

MCNEIL, TROMBETTA REACH MILESTONES IN WIN OVER OAKCREST

Middle Township junior Jamir McNeil and senior Anthony Trombetta each recorded major milestones in the Panthers’ 73-57 win over Oakcrest in a South Jersey Group II quarterfinal game.

McNeil netted the 1,000th point of his career on a free throw late in the third quarter en route to a game-high 29 points in the win. Earlier in the third quarter, Trombetta sank his 87th three-pointer of the season, breaking the record of 86 set by current Middle assistant coach Marcus Harmon in 2011.

Middle controlled the contest throughout, although Oakcrest did manage to cut the Panther lead to three points late in the third quarter. A Trombetta three-pointer at the buzzer of the period upped the lead to six and Middle quickly built the lead into double digits in the third quarter.

In addition to McNeil with 29 points, Trombetta (13 points) and Re’Ale Basquin (10) also each scored in double figures.

Middle (27-2), the No. 1 seed in the tournament, will host No. 4 Haddonfield on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Middle Township's Anthony Trombetta (left) broke the program's single-season three-point field goal record previous set by current Middle assistant coach Marcus Harmon in 2011. 

MIDDLE GIRLS ADVANCE IN OT

Middle Township’s girls team, the No. 2 seed in the South Jersey Group II Tournament, got a major test from No. 7 Haddon Heights but controlled the overtime session and posted a 38-33 victory to advance.

Reagen Powell’s putback of a missed three-pointer with 2 ½ minutes to go in overtime gave Middle the lead for good.

The Lady Panthers trailed by four points early in the fourth quarter. A three-pointer by Hannah Cappelletti and a free throw by Powell tied the game, only to see Haddon Heights retake the lead on a layup on the next possession with 3 ½ minutes to play. A free throw by McKenzie Palek and two free throws by Cappelletti gave Middle a three-point cushion in the final minute, but Haddon Heights’s Emma Harris converted a traditional three-point play in the final 15 seconds to send the game to overtime.

After Powell’s basket gave Middle the lead in the extra period, the Lady Panthers sank 5 of 6 free throws to put the game away.

Powell led Middle with 13 points. Palek chipped in eight and Cappelletti produced seven.

Middle (21-8) will host third-seeded Manchester Township in a sectional semifinal on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

REAGEN POWELL

WILDWOOD CATHOLIC GIRLS SHOCKED IN OT

The Wildwood Catholic Academy girls basketball team appeared poised to advance in the South Jersey Non-Public B Tournament after taking a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.

But Ranney rallied with a 16-4 run in the fourth quarter to force overtime and got the winning basket on a layup by Claire Doherty following an offensive rebound just prior to the buzzer to stun the Crusaders, 52-50.

Kaci Mikulski scored 18 points in her final high school game to lead Wildwood Catholic (23-4). Lola McGonigle added 11.

WILDWOOD CATHOLIC BOYS FALL AT ST. ROSE

Wildwood Catholic’s boys team had its season ended with a loss at St. Rose, the top-ranked team in the state.

The Crusaders, seeded eighth in the South Jersey Non-Public B Tournament, fell behind by more than 20 points in the second half before rallying late to fall 57-46 to the top-ranked Purple Roses.

St. Rose played the game without Matthew Hodge, a Villanova commit who sat out with an illness.

LOWER BOYS BATTLE BUT FADE LATE

Lower Cape May’s boys team was in position to pull off a second-round upset but saw Haddonfield pull away in the fourth quarter.

The Caper Tigers, seeded fifth in the South Jersey Group II Tournament, trailed by just four points after three quarters against No. 4 Haddonfield but the Bulldogs pulled away for a 51-42 victory.

Lower Cape May senior Macky Bonner ended his career with a 17-point effort in the loss.

Lower finished the season at 21-7.

LADY TIGERS FALL AT MANCHESTER

Devyn Quigley and Manchester Township proved to be too much for the Lower Cape May girls team in a second-round South Jersey Group II game.

Quigley, the state’s leading scorer and a North Carolina State signee, posted 24 points, 10 rebounds, seven steals and six assists to pace Manchester to a 62-38 win.

Hailey Elwell made four three-pointers and finished with 15 points and Alex Vogt added 11 points for Lower (19-7).