Boys’ Basketball

Norwich 79, Elmira 65

ELMIRA – The two-hour bus ride to Elmira did nothing to slow down the Purple Tornado Monday night.

Norwich (11-4) stopped a two-game losing streak, and re-established itself as a premier Section IV, Class B school in tying its season-high scoring output.

Locked in a close, high-scoring game, Norwich built an eight-point lead at halftime following senior Eric Walling’s three-pointer late in the half.

A defensive adjustment in which Norwich went strictly to a man-to-man defense helped put the game out of reach. Norwich scored the first 12 points of the third quarter, and with the high scoring trio of Seth Thomsen, Dennis Oralls, and Kyle Edwards combining for 23 of their team’s 25 points in the quarter, NHS was firmly in command extending its margin to 72-43 with eight minutes to play.

“Eric’s three gave us a lot of momentum,” said Norwich coach Tom Collier. “It was important for us to get back to playing Norwich basketball, and that is sharing the ball and playing tough defense. The kids did that.”