Boys’ Basketball
Norwich 64, Susquehanna Valley 40
NORWICH – Norwich is finally in position to repeat as STAC Central Division champions.
The Tornado raced away from the Sabers over the final three periods Friday night at Jack Jones Gymnasium to cruise to the easy win. Next up, Norwich hosts second-place Johnson City Wednesday night for the right to compete in the STAC Championships.
“To be 14-1 overall at this point of the season is a phenomenal accomplishment, and now it all comes down to Wednesday,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott. “I truly hope we’re playing before a packed house.”
Sus Valley was able to match Norwich basket for basket, or more aptly put, the Sabers were matching the Tornado’s Jon Foulds hoop for hoop over the first eight minutes.
After SV took the initial lead, Foulds began a hot shooting spree where he hit four three-pointers and pulled up for a pair of short jumpers. He had 16 of Norwich’s 18 firt-quarter points, and his three ball from the left wing with 1 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter broke a 15-15 tie and gave Norwich the lead for good.
“I think it was really important for Jon to get off to a good start,” Abbott said. “He’s been struggling with his shot, and our team has been struggling offensively in the first quarter. It was doubly good for Jon, and it relaxed our team.”
Foulds was relatively quiet the rest of the contest finishing with a game-high 20 points, but the rest of the Tornado proved more than able to speak up on the offensive end. Seth Thomsen finished with a double-double scoring 12 points and grabbing 13 boards for his fifth double figures rebounding game in six contests. Dennis Oralls scored nine points and had seven rebounds as NHS enjoyed a 42-33 rebounding edge, one that helped overcome a 37.5 percent shooting night.
Norwich led 34-27 at halftime, before starting the second half on a 12-1 spurt. Thomsen scored eight points during that surge, two of those baskets on offensive rebound putbacks. By the end of the third, the margin was a comfortable 16 points.
The start to this season is the best in several years for Norwich, who won the opening 16 games nearly a decade ago, and won a sectional championship behind leading scorer Nick Brunick. This Norwich team did not return a starter from last year’s Section IV finalist, but will likely have one of the top seeds in the Section IV tournament later this month.
“This is a team that the entire community can take pride in,” Abbott said. “They are selfless, they are humble, and they are extremely hard working. This is a blue-collar team all the way.”
Jacob Kelly chipped in with eight points and a team-high seven assists for Norwich
Norwich’s junior varsity team needed extra minutes to defeat the junior Sabers winning 64-55 in overtime. Grant Brightman scored 18 points for NHS, and Michael D’Abbraccio added 12 markers.
SV: Sam Green, 0 0-0-0; Jordan Galusha, 1 5-6-7; Taylor Deeter, 1 0-0-3; Austin Simon, 2 2-2-6; Josh Swanger, 0 3-6-3 Dylan Brandow, 2 0-0-4; Colin Manchester, 2 0-0-4; Taylor Sullivan, 1 0-0-3; Trenton Benton, 4 2-5-10. Totals: 13 12-19-40.
NHS: Nate Ashton, 2 0-0-5; Dennis Oralls, 1 7-10-9; Patrick Taylor, 0 0-2-0; Josh Favaloro, 1 0-0-2; Jacob Kelly, 3 2-2-8; Frank Somich, 0 0-0-0; Ian Weaver, 1 2-4-4; Grady Thompson, 0 0-0-0; Seth Thomsen, 4 4-8-12; Jon Foulds, 8 0-0-20; Eric Walling, 0 0-0-0; Zach Martinson, 1 2-2-4. Totals: 21 17-28-64.
SV 17 10 7 6–40
NHS 18 16 16 14–64
Fouled out: none. Three-point goals: (N) Foulds 4, Ashton, (SV) Sullivan, Deeter. JV: Norwich won 64-55 (OT). Officials: Ciotoli, Berg.
Bainbridge-Guilford 60, Unadilla Valley 56
NEW BERLIN – Unadilla Valley recovered from a 20-2 deficit in the first quarter to take a six-point lead in the second half only to see B-G regroup and pull out the win Friday night.
Ryan Porter had 20 points and 20 rebounds for B-G, and was 5-for-6 from the foul line late in the game to seal B-G’s fifth Midstate Athletic Conference division win.
“We just made too many little mistakes down the stretch,” said UV coach Matt Osborne. “We missed the front end of 1-and-1s, and we turned it over when we weren’t pressured much.”
Justin Hofer kept UV in the game with 12 points in the first half, and he finished with 19. Brett Smith added 14 points for UV.
Porter scored 15 points in the first half to lead his team to the quick start. Steve Patten added 13, and Jordan Smith’s lone basket of the game, a three-pointer int he fourth, sparked his team’s comeback.
B-G: Jordan Smith, 1 0-2-3; Tim Herrmann, 0; Connor Glassett, 2 0-0-5; Steve Patten, 6 1-2-13; Corbin Palmer, 1 0-2-3; Ryan Porter, 6 8-11-20; Austin Bauerle, 3 1-4-9; Brooks Harmon, 1 0-0-3; Ray Frederick, 1 2-5-4. Totals: 21 12-26-60.
UV: Glidden, 0; Jack Wilcox, 2 1-2-5; Jesse Ranger, 0; Brandon Miles, 1 0-0-2; Justin Hofer, 7 4-6-19; Gunnar Sheldon, ; David Blomquist, ; Brett Smith, 6 0-0-14; Travis Conklin, 3 1-2-7; Mason Talbot, 0; David Anderson, 0; Mitch MacDuff, 4 1-1-9. Totals: 23 7-11-56.
B-G 22 10 8 20–60
UVa 12 17 15 12–56
Fouled out: none. Three-point goals: (UV) Smith 2, Hofer, (BG) Bauerle 3 , Harmon, Palmer, Glassett, Smith. JV: UV won. Officials: DuMond, Rockefeller.
Morris 51, G-MU 41
COPES CORNERS – G-MU dropped its third Tri-Valley League game of the season on Friday night losing at home to Morris.
Mike Deluca scored 17 points for the Mustangs and Corey Forgit had 14 as Morris was able to even the season series with G-MU.
The Raiders, who have lost three of five games since starting the season 9-0, had 14 points from DeMario Reed.
Morris pulled away in the final quarter outscoring G-MU (12-3) 20-10 over the final eight minutes.
