Sea Devils Clinch Well-Earned Home Win

Location: Joe & Barbara Schwartz Center - Wilmington, NC

Updated Record: 11-9

Score: Cape Fear 93, Brunswick 86

In Short: CFCC Men's Basketball team rallied together to defeat local rivals, the Brunswick Dolphins, for the second time this season.

Highlights:

After a long road drought, the Sea Devils came together to pull out a win against the competitive Brunswick Dolphins team. With the home court advantage, Cape Fear took the floor with a noticeably positive mindset and reinvigorated team energy.

Both teams kicked off the night wearing matching shooting shirts in support of the organization Young Hearted 15, which was founded by former Brunswick Men's Basketball player Mike Coger in memory of his brother and former Sea Devil, Tyrek Coger, who passed away due to an exacerbated heart condition. The mission of Young Hearted 15 is to encourage young athletes to seek out appropriate preventative testing and care, as well as provide preventative testing opportunities to athletes in need so that they can identify underlying heart conditions as early as possible. Fans can learn more about Young Hearted 15 and their clothing line at younghearted15.com.

While the Sea Devils established their presence early in the First Half, the Dolphins did not make it easy. Daniel Ransom led an early charge with 2 major 3-pointers to put the Sea Devils ahead, while Jakob Moore solidified himself under the basket on both ends of the court as the team's leading rebounder. Jalen McAfee-Marion came off the bench with impressive energy across the board to keep the tempo high as the Dolphins attempted to disrupt their flow.

Moving into the Second Half, the Dolphins attempted to close the score gap and were able to penetrate the paint through a few key defensive breakdowns by the Sea Devils. However, Cape Fear's defensive pursuits worked in their favor for the most part as they minimized shooting fouls and managed to capitalize on defensive rebounds following contested shots by the Dolphins. The Sea Devils worked as a cohesive unit without becoming complacent as they sustained their lead and ended the game with a well-deserved win.

"Our players battled," said Head Coach Mark Lane. "We talked all week about getting consecutive stops, that's why we held the lead for most of the game. We need to keep the same intensity and urgency moving forward."

Up Next: The Sea Devils will return to the Schwartz Center for Military Appreciation Day presented by Salty Turtle Beer Company this Saturday, February 12th at 3PM in the Schwartz Center.