FOR LOVE OF THE GAME: GIRLS NEED SOME FAN SUPPORT TOO

Sorry girls, sometimes gender equity just doesn't exist.

Case and point, the Notre Dame-Cape Central game Thursday night.

Here was a game that pitted two Cape Girardeau rivals who are each state-ranked. Notre Dame is fifth in Class 2A. Central is ninth in 4A.

I arrived early and waited for the crowd to arrive. And waited. And waited. It never happened.

Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture?

You might, had you attended the Notre Dame-Cape Central boys basketball game just a couple weeks ago. Two mediocre teams hooked up and almost filled the gym.

I'm the first to admit that I prefer the pace of a boys game. I'd rather watch a good boys basketball game than a good girls game. But I'd much rather watch a good girls game than a bad boys game and trust me I've seen several of those over the last two years.

But this really isn't about which is more entertaining. It's about showing support.

These girls, these players -- they go to the boys games. They see the crowds that fill the gym, that get rowdy, that love their team no matter how mediocre.

Then, when it's their turn, they're introduced to a crowd not even half of what they saw a few nights earlier.

And I wouldn't be bringing this up if Notre Dame (15-4) and Cape Central (14-3) were two average girls basketball teams.

But how discouraging is it to these girls knowing that they represent two of the best teams in the state, play in the same city, and can hear echoes because the gym is so empty?

If they can't draw a crowd in that situation, when will they ever?

The fact is, the girls work just as hard, shoot just as many free throws and run as many sprints as the boys do. On the whole, more girls teams from this region have a chance to advance to the final four than boys teams. It's probably that more girls from this area will play college basketball than boys.

So, I'm sure these girls feel a little slighted when they draw about half of what the boys do.

What's worse, is that the small crowd Thursday night could've affected the game Thursday night. I'm not about to say Notre Dame -- which lost 58-49 in a game that was not as close as the score would indicate -- would've won had there been a large crowd.

But both Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim and Cape Central coach Darrick Smith acknowledged that once a team gets in a hole, it's hard to get out of it.

And did the Lady Bulldogs ever come out flat. Sloppy. Lifeless.

Notre Dame missed its first eight shots and committed seven turnovers -- just two fewer than it made in the entire game at Jackson last week -- and found itself trailing 9-0 in the first quarter.

Would the Lady Bulldogs have come out flat if there was a loud, packed house? Maybe. Maybe not.

And let's get one thing straight. There is nothing wrong with the support of the fans who were in attendance (particularly the fellows doing the cartwheels during time outs). But half a gym can only get so loud.

And it's not just Notre Dame's lack of fans that is disappointing. There weren't very many Central fans there either. And the ones who weren't there missed Dionna Webb nearly completing a triple-double.

It's no secret that Cape Central hasn't fared well in its boys varsity athletic programs this year. Here's an opportunity to go see one of the state's best basketball teams. Chances are the home team will win so why not take advantage of it?

And despite popular opinion, it is not like this everywhere. I covered a 2A state-ranked girls team in mid-Missouri two years ago and it drew crowds just as large as the boys. And Jackson, well Jackson's support for its girls team -- even this year at just 9-8 -- is heads and shoulders above any other school around.

Grim said Thursday night that the girls haven't played well at home for the last four or five games. He was obviously disgusted with the no-shows.

And he had every right to be.

Oh, by the way. The Lady Tigers play their next home game Monday against New Madrid. Notre Dame plays host to Sprinfield Catholic next Saturday.

I'm sure the girls would like to hear from you.

Bob Miller is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.