While it’s far too early to properly project how the Cape Central girls basketball team will fare in Aaron Lee’s second season as head coach. However, after two games in the SEMO Conference Tournament, one thing is for certain.
The Tigers have their star player.
Junior Emani Summers scored 24 points to lead the Tigers past the Poplar Bluff Mules 57-43 in the consolation round of the tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at New Madrid County Central High School in New Madrid, Mo.
Summers previously led the Tigers with 12 points in a loss against Kennett in the first round on Tuesday. The green and beige gym in New Madrid felt familiar to Summers, as it was her home court for two years before transferring to Cape Central.
“It's a lot different,” Lee said. “I wouldn't say we're a one-man band. It's gonna take everybody to do their part. Everybody played a role where there were defensive rebounds. And since you can't replace 2000 points with one person, it's got to be a collaborative effort and everybody's got to help us do that.”
Cape Central was previously led by two seniors who finished their careers with over 1,000 points. To lose that duo but gain a surprisingly prized transfer over the offseason has been a welcomed dose of good luck for the Tigers.
“When you lose two thousand-point scorers, you spend the whole summer figuring out where you're gonna get their points,” Lee said. “Adding her to our lineup has been a welcomed addition.”
Summers provided 17 of the Tigers’ 25 points in the first half to help Cape Central take a commanding 24-13 halftime lead. She cooled off in the second half with seven points, letting the rest of the team contribute. Gracyn Morris was the closest leading scorer to Summers with nine of her own. Cape Central collectively shot 14-off-25 from the free-throw line.
Poplar Bluff was led by Kennedy Zgaynor, who scored 18 points, seven of which came from the charity stripe. Abby Wilson also scored 13 points for the Mules, all of which came in the second half. The Mules were 13-of-22 from the free-throw line.
With their first win of the season secured, Cape Central (1-2) will face Saxony Lutheran in the tournament’s consolation final on Friday. It will be a rematch of the first game of the season, in which Saxony Lutheran won 59-41 last week.
The Crusaders advanced by defeating Sikeston 55-50 on Wednesday, led by Evie Caruso’s 16 points.
Regardless of the result, the fact that The Tigers get to play an extra game, which is good for their growth.
“The opportunity to play in a tournament this early in the year when you got five freshmen in your program playing varsity, that's the kind of game that we need early on,” Lee said. “So maybe down the road, we're a little bit more accustomed to it.”
Poplar Bluff (1-4) travels to Park Hills Central on Dec. 4.
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