Boys’ Basketball
Norwich 72, Windsor 45
NORWICH – Norwich came at Windsor in waves – points and players – to clinch the STAC East division title Tuesday night.
The Purple Tornado saluted the four outgoing seniors before the festivities, then proceeded on a 10-0 hor d’oeurve to open the game. After some resistance from Black Knights, NHS went straight to the entree with a terrific second quarter spurt, and another prolific salvo in the third.
Three of Norwich’s four seniors led NHS in scoring. Zan Stewart had 15, Michael Oralls scored 14, and Colin Stewart netted 12. The fourth senior, Chris Trevisani, had five points in Norwich’s 10-point offering to start the game.
“I thought it was an unselfish, total team effort against a hard-luck team that battled us hard,” said Norwich fourth-year head coach, Tom Collier.
Norwich was poised for an early blowout, much like last week’s 43-point romp over Susquehanna Valley. Zan Stewart nailed a three at the top of the key to start, Trevisani followed that with a trifiecta one possession later, then Colin Stewart and Trevisani had back-to-back steals and layups for the 10-point lead just 2:10 into the game.
Windsor turned the tide with eight straight points, one bucket a nifty alley-oop dunk in which Marc Lentini fed 6-foot-4 junior Michael Beebe.
Dre Bosket’s pull-up jumper for Windsor in the final minute of the quarter deadlocked the game at 12-12.
“I thought Brian (Collier) made a nice adjustment on defense in the second quarter switching to a three-two zone, and that helped a lot in the second and third quarters,” Tom Collier said.
What also helped was a fresh set of legs as four-fifths of the lineup to start the second quarter was made up of Norwich reserves.
The NHS second unit, facing Windsor’s starting lineup, had four buckets to start the second stanza with Tre Bonham, Jordan Vinal, Jake Walsh, and Carlos Ithier – the lone starter – leading the way.
The starters re-entered at that point to help finish off a 17-0 run. Norwich extended the lead in the third quarter to 18 points, then rolled the Black Knights during mop-up time.
“It was great for our seniors to have success on senior night, and we need to keep it going at Oneonta,” Tom Collier said. “It’s a tough place to play, and every game for us the rest of the way will be a playoff game. We’re undefeated in our league, and we have one more to finish.”
Norwich’s junior varsity improved its record to 12-3 beating the Black Knights, 77-50. Dashawn King scored 23 points, Ky’sawn Veale netted 11, and Michael Carson added 10.
Norwich (14-2) plays at Oneonta Thursday.
Windsor: Jake Woodrow, 0; Marc Latini 0; Nate Wrighter, 6 5-6-17; Michael Beebe, 6 0-2-12; Nate Hagerman, 0; Trent Webb, 0; Dre Bosket, 5 0-0-10; Dustin Blair, 1 0-0-2; Stephen Centorani, 1 0-0-2;; Jake Conroy, 1 0-0-2; Corey Hagerman, 0. Totals: 20 5-8-45.
Norwich: Jake Walsh, 2 0-0-5; Chris Trevisani, 2 0-0-5; Michael Oralls, 6 2-2-14; Matt Parrella, 1 2-4-4; Carlos Ithier, 3 0-0-8; Cameron Edwards, 0; Colin Stewart, 4 4-4-12; Zan Stewart, 5 3-4-15; Tre Bonham, 2 0-0-5; Jordan Vinal, 1 0-0-2; Jamison Luke, 1 0-0-2. Totals: 27 11-14-72.
Wind. 12 10 13 10–45
Nor. 12 23 18 19–72
Fouled out: none. Three-point goals: (N) Ithier 2, Z. Stewart 2, Walsh, Bonham, Trevisani. JV: Norwich won 77-50. Officials: McPeek, Dadamio.
