WAVERLY – Battling back from being 13 points down in the second quarter of the contest and keeping the game within arms length, Norwich pulled within one point with seven seconds left. Waverly’s Gavin Judson hit the second of his two free throw attempts for a two point lead.

Following a Tornado timeout, Carson Maynard had a good look at a three as the buzzer sounded. As the ball hung in the air, the Purple Tornado and their fans held their breath hoping his attempt would fall. Sadly, Maynard’s shot hit off the back of the rim and Norwich ended their season to the Waverly Wolverines, 59-57.

The first quarter of play ended with a two point difference in favor of the Wolverines as each basket was exchanged by the opponent on the next trip up the floor.

In the second, Waverly opened up a 10 point lead on the Tornado following a 12-4 run in the first three and a half minutes. The Wolverines extended the lead to 12 after a Jason Jequinto three-pointer with 3:18 left in the first half.

But in the blew the Tornado, cutting the lead down to five after an 11-3 of their own. In that run, Marcus Cashman scored seven points and Marcus Benjamin capped off the run with a put back at the buzzer.

Out of the intermission, Michael Carson scored five straight points following a Waverly basket by Matt VanHouten to start the half. Carson’s mini-run cut the lead to two with 4:45 remaining in the third.

In the quarter, Benjamin picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench with just two minutes left.

Keeping it close, Norwich trailed by four with the final quarter remaining. Again the game was back-and-forth in the last eight minutes of play with Waverly clinging to their four point lead.

The Wolverines made it nine after a VanHouten jumper and a Scott Woodring finish at the wide-open rim. But Maynard hit his second three of the game, cutting the lead to five.

Mujuni Mutabiilwa had a nice drive to the basket, drawing Benjamin’s defender. With a perfectly timed pass, Mutabiilwa dished to Benjamin who got the bucket to go with a foul called. He made the free-throw pull Norwich within two.