CONKLIN – The Norwich varsity girls basketball team traveled to Susquehanna Valley high school last night, Feb. 24, to take on the Sabers in a Semi-final matchup.
This rematch of an earlier regular season game fell once again in favor of Sus. Valley as it would come down to the wire but end 48-42.
The flow of the game saw Norwich semi-slow start but improve each quarter of play.
That is the story until the fourth quarter came around, and a full on Norwich collapse seemed to be in effect.
“There were a couple plays going to the rim where I would’ve hoped we would get calls and we didn’t. And there was a block charge call that went against us, but those didn’t cost us the game,” said Norwich head coach Josh Bennett in regards to some questionable play calling.
Bennett continued explaining the fourth quarter debacle saying, “We expended a lot of energy defending them. They are a great offensive team, it takes a lot to keep them off the scoreboard, and I think at the end we just ran out of opportunities a little bit on offense.”
The epic Tornado and Saber nail biter saw the halftime break score be a slight lead to the Sabers at 23-18.
However, it was after the half when Norwich would net an impressive 20-points in just the third quarter. Meghan Komendarek of Norwich would help lead this charge in the third from the foul line, where she went 5-5 with a basket, just in the third quarter. Komendarek finished a team high 15-points, going 9-11 from the charity stripe.
To start the fourth quarter of play Norwich would lead Sus. Valley 38-35. Sus. Valley the defending Section IV Class B champions had their backs up against the wall after having to keep pace with the 20-point onslaught.
However, defense proved crucial for both squads. The game found itself tied at 42 a piece with 2:37 left in the game. Norwich would not score again the rest of the game, and perplexingly after scoring 20-points the previous quarter was held to just one free throw and one basket for the whole 8-minute quarter.
“It was a war and the kids play their guts out very tough way to end the season,” said Bennett.
