CENTRAL 'DEFENDS' HOME TURF FROM ND

The Cape Central girls basketball team squeaked out a win in a closely contested defensive struggle and defeated Notre Dame 38-35 at the Cape Central Field House Wednesday night.

Cape Central improved to 4-1 with a victory over the previously undefeated Lady Bulldogs, who fell to 4-1.

The Lady Tigers smothered the speed of the Notre Dame girls with a tenacious defensive effort.

"We preach that defense wins ballgames," said Cape Central coach Darrick Smith. "I believe we got quality minutes from everyone on the floor tonight."

Cape Central started out rather cold, making only six of 21 attempted field goals in the first half, including a 1-for-8 stretch for the entire second quarter. Smith ignited Central's engine at halftime, however.

"I told them we put a lot of time on this floor," said Smith. "And that we had to win half a ballgame on our home court. The first three minutes of the second half are the most important of any contest. I thought the girls went out and did what they needed to do to win."

Katie Dougherty was the leading scorer for Cape Central, knocking down 16 points. Dionna Webb was probably the most active athlete on the floor, scoring 12 points and drawing defenders which opened up shots for her teammates.

"The Webb girl is quick, big and leaps well," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim of the state-champion long-jumper. "She made things a lot easier for the others."

The second half saw both teams stepping up their defensive intensity, and Cape Central began to work for higher percentage shots, making 10 out of 12 field goals in the second half of the game.

The Lady Bulldogs started out hot, making six of their first 10 shots in the first quarter, but their offensive output mirrored Cape Central's in the second quarter, and they netted only one out of eight attempts.

In the second half, Notre Dame began to have trouble handling the Cape Central zone defense, and the Lady Bulldogs began to shoot from the perimeter with mixed success. Offensive rebounds for Notre Dame kept them in the game, with several multiple-shot attempts on nearly every trip down the floor.

"We were giving Notre Dame way too many third looks," said Smith. "We really didn't rebound very well at all."

The Lady Bulldogs began to apply a full-court press in the last three minutes of the contest and this strategy resulted in some three-point chances. Three Notre Dame players hit for 3-pointers in the second half, including a pair of long-range shots in the last two minutes of the ballgame that cut the Cape Central lead to 36-33.

"I wish I had started the press sooner," said Grim. "It seemed to be working pretty well."

Deana McCormick scored 12 points for Notre Dame, while teammate Ashley Millham, a freshman guard, led her team in scoring, notching 13.