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No matter what it was a game that was not going to be lost for the basketball team at The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, 901 S. Broad St.
After a 0-13 start to the season, the CAPA boys’ basketball squad had nothing else to lose — except maybe some pride — as it faced Rush Academy in the final game of the campaign Tuesday. After a third-quarter offensive assault, CAPA managed a 20-point cushion that would eventually give them the elusive 60-50 win.
“Players were all smiles and very proud of themselves. We all felt a great sense of accomplishment because we worked hard to earn the win and we deserved it,” CAPA head coach John Dunphy said. “It’s a good way to end the year. It kind of lessens the reality of what our season has been.”
With morale fluctuating throughout the season, Dunphy recognized his team’s desire to earn its first win of the season.
“It was a great thing for our seniors because they are going to be able to look back and say they finished their high school career with a win,” he said.
One of which is Matt Powers, the leader and captain of the team, who this season hit the 1,000-point plateau.
“It feels really good to go out with a win. I mean we played a really good game collectively, so getting the win means that much more,” the former resident of Second and Greenwich streets said.
But the win did not come that easy. Down by one at the half in an all-too-familiar scenario, CAPA took the initiative and went bonkers from behind the arc at the start of the third quarter, which helped the team take a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“We felt pretty confident coming out of the locker room at the half,” Powers, who tallied 25 points and two steals in the game, said.
The fight of Dunphy’s team throughout the season was not always about wins and losses, but instead of getting better every game.
“If we looked at records, I don’t think we would have been able to survive the season,” Dunphy said.
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