Playing at tiny Heritage Academy in Florence, Ky., Bert Capel spent his high school career trying to get noticed by big schools. He never got to prove himself against the top talent. That's what made Tuesday so special.

        Capel held his own as a member of the Cintas team that won the annual Deveroes Summer Basketball League, trumping Stan Litz Law Office 99-86 in the championship game at Oak Hills High School.

        “I wanted to win the tournament,” he said. “But mainly I want to show I can compete at this level. I may not stand out, but I know I don't bring many flaws to our team.”

        As a freshman at Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., he helped take his team to the NAIA national tournament this winter. His five points and steady play Tuesday against a lineup of Division I talent answered any doubts.

        Capel was a reserve, but he wowed the crowd with a 3-pointer, a stickback basket and a no-look pass that Dayton's David Morris converted for a layup.

        “I love playing in this,” Capel said. “It's a lot harder, a lot quicker.”

        Cintas led most of the night, building to a 17-point lead with 5:46 left and never being seriously threatened thereafter. Cintas' Cain Doliboa, a Springboro grad who will be a senior at Wright State this season after transferring from UD, was named tournament MVP after scoring a game-high 24 points, including six 3-pointers. Cintas made 16 3s.

        “It was a good time to shoot good,” Doliboa said. “We weren't a very high seed (No.4 in the tourney), but when we upset the No.1 team (Mike Albert Leasing) in the semifinals, it gave us a lot of confidence.”

        Stan Litz had beaten Cintas 72-62 on June 19. Tuesday, Cintas was missing Keith Jackson, the Xavier-bound star from Purcell Marian who scored 25 points in the semis, and the University of Cincinnati's Jamaal Davis, who led Cintas with 15 points in its earlier meeting with Stan Litz.

        “With fewer players (seven suited up Tuesday), we could spread it around better,” Doliboa said.

        Morris and XU's Romain Sato scored 22 points apiece for Cintas, with Doliboa's brother and Wright State teammate, Seth, adding 20. Dave Esterkamp, a La Salle High and Bowling Green grad who played last season in France, led Stan Litz with 23 points.

        “You don't see a lot of defense in this league, but everyone plays hard,” Esterkamp said. “I know we put on a good show.”

        CINTAS (99) — Maurice McAfee 2 2 6, David Morris 7 4 22, Romain Sato 9 1 22, Cain Doliboa 9 0 24, Seth Doliboa 6 6 20, Bert Capel 1 1 5. Totals: 35 13 99.

        STAN LITZ (86) — Mike Monserez 1 1 3, Nick Monserez 0 2 2, Dave Esterkamp 8 4 23, Joel Cornette 5 0 10, Keith Waleskowski 3 4 10, Doug Davis 6 0 17, Larry Drake 7 0 17, Nate Vander Sluis 0 2 2, Brady Merchant 1 0 2. Totals: 31 13 86.

        Halftime score: Cintas, 58-49. 3-point field goals: C—C. Doliboa 6, Morris 4, Sato 3, S. Doliboa 2, Capel; SL—Esterkamp 3, Davis 3, Drake 3.

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