TIGERS HIT UP OAKVILLE FOR MUCH NEEDED WIN

Cape Central needed this.

The Tigers, who have struggled this season, played a nearly flawless game Saturday night in the final game of the Tiger Showcase, beating Oakville 59-48.

"We lost three or four in a row and I thought winning this game was critical," said Cape Central coach Brett Reutzel. "There are times when you need a win desperately and I think that was the case tonight."

The game wasn't really as close as the score indicated as Central (5-9) held a lead as large as 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Offensively, the Tigers' shooting was about as precise as an atomic clock, missing just five shots from the field in the final three quarters. Overall, Cape Central led by Ross Conner's 24 points shot 56 percent from the field (20-of-36).

"That's pretty good," said a grinning Reutzel when told of the percentage. "We're getting the right people the ball in the right circumstances. When we're patient, we're looking to get the ball to Ross and Ross is looking to kick it out. We made good decisions tonight. We didn't force a lot of shots and that's critical."

Cape Central trailed 14-11 after the first quarter and, making four of 10 shots.

Then the Tigers caught fire.

Cape Central made seven of their nine shots in the second quarter and got 10 points from Conner as Central took a 28-22 lead into halftime.

The Tigers kept their hot hand in the third quarter, making six of eight shots from the field.

"I thought a big part in the game was the beginning of the third quarter when they hit their shots and we didn't," said Oakville coach Terry Cochran.

But that wasn't the only deciding factor. Perhaps the most important detail was Oakville's inability to contain Conner.

Conner was unstoppable, even when he was fouled. The 6-foot-5 post player scored on four conventional 3-point plays and had an opportunity to make another, but missed the free throw.

"He's a good player," Cochran said. "We knew he'd be a handful. We tried to get help on him, but some of their other guys stepped up and hit some threes. They played well."

Eric Wessel was the most dangerous outside threat, scoring 14 points and hitting three treys. Chris Cole and Chad Jones each knocked down threes as well and helped spread things out and make Oakville pay for packing in its zone.

Oakville was led in scoring by Javon Sykes, a 6-foot-3 forward who scored 20 points including a two-handed dunk in their second possession in the second quarter, which gave Oakville a 16-11 lead the Golden Griffins' largest lead of the game. Justin Pasternak added 16 for Oakville.