Evening Sun Report
Boys’ Basketball
Norwich 59, Chenango Valley 37
NORWICH – Norwich started fast and and finished just as fast in a STAC division-clinching win over the Warriors Wednesday on senior recognition night.
The Purple Tornado scored the first 12 points of the game, and scored 13 straight in the final four minutes before CV ended the game with a meaningless three-point play. It was easily the most convincing win for Norwich over the Warriors over the past two seasons, and the win will send Norwich into the league playoffs next month.
“The one thing about us is that we match up well with (Chenango Valley),” said Norwich coach Tom Collier. “We were able to take care of business tonight. It’s always good to close out a division championship when you have the opportunity, and especially on senior night in front of the home fans.”
Mike Sutton led Norwich’s fast start with seven points and four assists in a 22-8 first quarter. The Tornado attack suffered through a bout of turnovers in the second quarter, and if not for Zan Stewart’s seven points – all but one of the NHS’s output – the Warriors may have been closer than the 10-point halftime margin.
“They made a little bit of a run at us, and you have to credit their defense,” Collier said. “We turned it over too much up top, and they converted on the other end.”
Sutton hit a foul line jumper to end the third quarter, and it was the Tornado scoring balance in the fourth that put the game out of reach. Eight of Norwich’s 10 players scored in the last quarter, a testament to the team-wide contributions Collier has praised all season.
“Everyone plays for us and everyone can score,” Collier said. “We’re not the biggest team or the fastest, but we play good team defense and we play with great effort. That keeps us in every game.”
Stewart and Mike Oralls – both sophomores – led Norwich with 13 and 12 points respectively. Sutton had nine points and 10 assists.
Norwich (8-1, 10-3) plays at Chenango Forks Friday.
CV: Gavin Ashman, 1 0-0-2, Brian Ball, 0, Shane Callan, 0, Zach Cole, 0, Zach Collins, 4 1-2-10, Kasey Edwards, 0, John Ferranti, 0, Evan Grunder, 0, Luke Grunder 0, Robby Hess, 0, Pat Norris, 1 0-0-3, Matt Personius, 1 1-1-3, Chris Ruffo, 5 2-6-14, Eric Silvanic, 1 0-0-2, David Trudeaux, 1 1-1-3. Totals: 14 5-10-37.
Norwich: Kyle Edwards, 1 0-0-2; Danny Carson, 4 0-0-8; Mike Oralls, 5 2-3-12; Michael Sutton, 3 2-2-9; Zan Stewart, 5 2-4-13; Matt Burke, 2 0-0-5; Storm Cook, 1 0-0-2; Michael D’Abbraccio, 1 0-0-2; Grant Brightman, 2 0-0-4; Cody Barnes, 1 0-0-2. Totals: 25 6-9-59.
CVall 8 12 9 8–37
Norw. 22 8 10 19–59
Fouled out: none. Three-point goals: (CV) Ruffo 2, Norris, (N) Stewart, Sutton, Burke. JV: CV won 54-41. Officials: Adrian, Barker.
S-E 53, Holland Patent 45
