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Cape girls post 69-31 win

By Staff | Feb 4, 2009

The Cape Coral Seahawks had a consistent offensive approach Tuesday night in a District 5A-15 Girls’ Basketball Tournament game against Ida Baker. They wanted to get the ball inside to 6-foot senior Christine Gaywood.

That plan succeeded, but the Seahawks needed to show more defensive intensity after a sluggish first half at “The Nest.”

“They got a good tongue-lashing at halftime,” Cape assistant coach Kirk Myers said.

Leading by 11 at the break, the Seahawks responded and outscored the Bulldogs 37-10 in the second half. The end result was a 69-31 victory that advances the No. 2-seeded Seahawks to the district semifinals Friday night against No. 3-seeded Gulf Coast, which disposed of Lehigh 55-22 Tuesday night.

After scoring 13 points in the first half, Gaywood added 12 more in the third quarter. She finished with a career-high of 25 points and tallied 10 rebounds.

“Right now she is playing some good basketball,” Myers said. “We try to start the game off by going to her in the middle and that opens things up for the shooters, and then we go back inside to her. It keeps the defense guessing.”

Senior point guard Jardin McCarthy chipped in with 17 points and senior Alexiss Griffin added 12 for the Seahawks (17-7).

The Seahawks earned their third victory of the season against the Bulldogs (7-17), but the Bulldogs hung tough through the first half.

Gaywood took control early on, scoring seven points, as the Seahawks grabbed a 13-2 lead.

The Bulldogs answered with a 9-4 spurt. Senior Jessica Osegueda score five of her team-high 10 points. Senior Brooke Bursiek converted a layup and sophomore Jessica Sanchez sank two free throws.

McCarthy ended the first quarter with a three-pointer, giving the Seahawks a nine-point lead.

The Bulldogs continued to battle on the defensive end in the second quarter that led to some turnovers and easy baskets. Freshman Alicia Emmons scored all six of her points in that quarter as the Bulldogs trimmed the lead to 24-19.

“I don’t think we were mentally prepared,” Myers said. “We thought (Baker) would automatically lay down, but at district time, everybody comes to play. I thought Baker did a good job, their intensity was great and they gave us a run for the money in the first and second quarters.”

As soon as the second half began, the Seahawks swarmed to the ball and created several turnovers with their press.

Gaywood, again, was the catalyst, scoring eight straight points to push the lead to 40-21.

Collectively, the Seahawks clamped down on the defensive end. The Bulldogs missed all nine field goal attempts in the third quarter and connected on just 1-of-22 shots in the second half.

“We played hard but had another cold spell shooting,” Baker coach Craig Witte said. “That’s been our downfall most of the year.”

“I give Cape credit,” he added. “They did what they had to do. I’m proud of my girls. They stuck with it all year and went out with their heads held high.”

In Tuesday’s other quarterfinal matchups, North Fort Myers upended No. 4-seeded Fort Myers 54-48 and No. 1 seed Barron Collier trounced East Lee County 76-15.

Collier faces North Fort Myers in the semifinals Friday after the Seahawks play Gulf Coast, tipping off at 6 p.m. at “The Nest.” The winners square off in the championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Ida Baker 11 10 3 7 – 31

Cape Coral 20 12 21 16 – 69

Ida Baker 31 – Bursiek 7, Osegueda 10, Je.Sanchez 3, Glaser 3, Emmons 6, Price 2. Totals: 9-43 13-20 31.

Cape Coral 69 – Gaywood 25, De Los Santos 8, A.Griffin 12, C.Griffin 3, McCarthy 17, Vasquez 4. Totals: 24-59 18-22 69. 3-point goals: McCarthy 2, A.Griffin 1.