BINGHAMTON – When Norwich steps on the floor to play Vestal for its first STAC championship since 1994, it will see a team that looks the same, but is playing much better than the one Norwich defeated by one point back in December.
The Tornado (17-2) meet the Golden Bears at 8:45 p.m. at the Binghamton University Event Center Saturday, and each club can safely say they are playing pretty darn well.
Norwich hasn’t lost in over a month and is riding an eight-game winning streak. As for Vestal, its blowout win over Seton Catholic Central to reach the final – on the Saints’ home floor no less – speaks for itself. “We were not surprised by the fact Vestal won, but by how convincing it was,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott. “Both are talented clubs, and to see that Vestal was up nearly 30 points at halftime is mind boggling.”
The Golden Bears are sizable – every starter is at least 6-foot-2 – and returning all-STAC player Jeremy Baltz is set to appear in the second clash of this two clubs. Baltz was injured in the earlier meeting. “Baltz brings the slashing dimension that they didn’t have the first time,” Abbott. “They’re big, fast, and powerful, but at the same time, I like our guys. We’re in this thing, one through 13.”
Norwich, who last appeared in the STAC finals in 2003, received a season-high 22 points from Josh Borfitz and 19 from Richie Bonney in a 66-55 win over Elmira Southside earlier this week.
––––
MAC Girls’ Basketball Championship Game
Harpursville vs. Greene, Saturday, 6 p.m.
It’s a return meeting Saturday night at Oneonta State when Harpursville and Greene square off for the second time this season. The two clubs met in Greene’s opening game, and the unbeaten and number one ranked Trojans rallied from double digits down to defeat the Hornets, 50-45. Harpursville hopes to not only avenge that defeat, but keep Greene from a repeat title win.
“Obviously Harpursville has a couple of outstanding players,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton, whose club has been ranked number one among Class C schools in New York for at least a month. “Alycia Kimmel is a good shooting guard, and Hannah Kimmel is a superstar who can do it all. Those two are about 85 percent of their offense.”
Greene, as has been its tradition, spreads the offensive numbers across the board. Barb Borst leads the team in scoring and Megan McDermott is close behind. Of late, Erin Smith had chipped in with double-digit scoring, and Megan Kinne along with Liz Wentlent are capable double figures scorers. “The first time we played Harpursville was a great way to launch our season,” Gorton said. “We showed a lot of guts coming back, and I’m comfortable that this team knows how to execute in close games.”
–––––
