SJ Sports: Olympic-Cape Challenge

The action should be great, and the cause is even better. It’s the third annual Olympic-Cape Challenge. This is a two-day boys’ basketball bonanza that will take place at Hammonton High. There will be a total of 13 games matching teams from the Olympic Conference against opponents from the Cape Atlantic League.

Virtually all the top teams from both leagues will be in action. More importantly, the proceeds will benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in their fight against childhood cancers. The Olympic Cape Challenge is associated with the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation Inc. All sponsorship proceeds from the event will be donated to this foundation and in turn be sent to the Oncology Division of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Over the past four years, the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation has donated $75,000 to CHOP to help in their fight against childhood cancers. Admission is just $6 for the entire day. Below is the schedule.

Olympic-Cape Challenge at Hammonton
Saturday Feb. 15
Vineland vs. Oakcrest, 10am; Cherry Hill West vs. St. Joseph, 11:30am; Triton vs. Millville, 1pm; Washington Township vs. Wildwood Catholic, 2:30pm; Camden vs. Egg Harbor Township, 4:15pm; Cherokee vs. Middle Township, 6pm; Shawnee vs. Holy Spirit, 7:45pm.

Sunday Feb. 16
Pennsauken vs. Sacred Heart, 11am; Bishop Eustace vs. Buena, 12:45pm; Cherry Hill East vs. Hammonton, 2:30pm; Timber Creek vs. Pleasantville, 4:15pm; Woodrow Wilson vs. Atlantic City, 7:45pm; Winslow Township vs. St. Augustine, 7:45pm.

The best part about the tournament is that the organizers tried to match up teams with equal ability. This isn’t always easy because the tournament is picked well before the basketball season begins, but it appears as if the organizers did an excellent job. At least three of the games are against teams that both are serious contenders to win a South Jersey title. Those games are Camden vs. Egg Harbor Township; Woodrow Wilson vs. Atlantic City and Winslow Township vs. St. Augustine.

Camden, which already owns a prestige win this season against Woodrow Wilson, will be among the main contenders in Group 3. Egg Harbor Township had been in Group 3 until this year and now the Eagles are in Group 4, where they could join a long list of contenders.

Woodrow Wilson advanced to the South Jersey Group 3 finals last year before losing to Lakewood. With point guard Kris Polk leading the way, Wilson will again be among the teams to beat. In the Olympic-Cape Challenge, Wilson will face an Atlantic City team that already owns a big win over Egg Harbor Township and will be one of the teams to watch in Group 4.

Maybe the best of the 13 games will be the final one between Winslow Township and St. Augustine. Winslow Township, led by hot-shot guard Antraye Miles, is expected to join the line of contenders in Group 4. St. Augustine is the defending South Jersey Parochial A champion and figures to battle Camden Catholic for the crown this year. In addition, there are other high profile games such as Shawnee against Holy Spirit. While Spirit may be a year away from contending in Parochial A, the Spartans did lose by just seven points in their first meeting with St. Augustine. Shawnee is the defending Group 4 champion and the only team in South Jersey to have beaten this year’s Group 4 favorite Lenape.

Other teams in the Challenge such as Middle Township and Pleasantville are serious contenders in Group 2.

These two days will be paradise for hoops junkies in South Jersey and also a way to help an excellent cause.

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Author: Marc Narducci