Purple Tornado coming together after fifth straight victory
NORWICH – Coming off a dramatic come-from-behind win on Friday, Norwich’s home contest with Owego was no less intense and exciting as the Tornado won their fifth straight game, 69-66.
Four of the five victories have come in league play and on the road, and Norwich is alone in second place in STAC’s central division finishing the first tour through division opponents, 3-1. “You would have to say the team is coming together,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott. “This is a great bunch of guys that work hard, but we have to keep going. Our next three league games after the Unadilla Valley tournament are Susquehanna Valley, Seton Catholic Central, and Windsor, and all of them are good teams.”
Owego senior Jack Keough was unstoppable in the first quarter scoring on a variety of inside and outside shots, while also drawing fouls and getting to the foul line. He had 12 points in the first quarter, one less than Norwich’s team total, leading his club to a nine-point lead.
Abbott went to his bench and got a big spark. Reserve Brian Wightman was charged with guarding Keough most of the second quarter, and despite giving up five inches in height, was a main contributor in limiting Keough to just one point in the second quarter. Keough also had to take a seat the final 2 1/2 minutes of the quarter when reserve Tyler Saroka drew a charge on a driving Keough for the Owego senior’s third foul.
Seven Norwich players scored in an 18-point second quarter, the last three on a three ball from Josh Borfitz cutting a nine-point deficit to 33-31 at halftime.
Momentum was headed Norwich’s way, and an 6-0 run late in the third quarter put Norwich in front for the first time since the opening basket. Tim Clark hit two free throws, Nate Foote scored on a layup after a David Carson steal, and Borfitz hit a layup following a Nate Foote offensive rebound and assist making it 49-47.
The two clubs traded baskets for most of the fourth quarter until Keough’s fifth foul and ensuing technical foul broke a 60-60 tie.
Patrick Coates, who came up with several offensive rebounds along with Vaughn Labor, hit two free throws to break the tie game, and Nate Foote added one more free throw upping the lead to 63-60 with 1:40 to play.
Norwich was 6-for-8 from the foul line the last 35 seconds to seal its win. “Winning Friday was very important in that it showed our players you have to play the whole game,” Abbott said. “I felt our depth and conditioning were factors in Saturday’s win. We play a lot of people, and the teams we played this weekend do not. That benefited us in the second game.”
Foote led Norwich with 17 points to go with five assists and five steals. Coates had 15 points, and Labor finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Abbott was especially pleased with the play of his second unit in the second stanza. “Keough is a stud, but I thought the two big keys for us were Wightman’s job guarding Keough and the charge that Tyler took. Wightman did a tremendous job on Keough, and those two factors were crucial for us.”
Prior to Saturday’s contest, Norwich dedicated the 2007-2008 basketball program to Norwich graduates and former basketball players Jon Gorski (2002), Chris Brightman (2003), and Mike Abbott (2006). All three were recognized for their exceptional work in the classroom, leadership skills on their respective teams, and the commonality of suffering a serious injury that took away all or part of their senior basketball seasons.
Owego: Ryan Bullock, 3 1-2-7; Harley Edwards, 4 2-3-11; Kevin Kie, 2 0-0-5; Bryan Wagstaff, 3 2-5-8; Kenny Sharpe, 1 1-1-3; Sean Linehan, 1 0-0-2; Phil Arnold, 0; Jack Keough, 9 10-16-30. Totals: 23 16-27-66.
Norwich: Tim Clark, 2 4-4-9; Patrick Coates, 6 2-2-15; Corey Dietrich, 1 1-2-4; Nate Foote, 5 4-6-17; Josh Borfitz, 2 0-0-5; Vaughn Labor, 4 4-5-12; Tyler Saroka, 1 0-0-2; David Carson, 0; Brian Wightman, 0 1-2-1; Justin Ballin, 2 0-1-4; Craig Berg, 0 0-0-0. Totals: 23 16-22-69.
Owego 22 11 15 18–66
Norwich 13 18 18 20–69
Fouled out: (O) Keough. Three-point goals: (O) Keough 2, Edwards, Kie. (N) Foote 3, Dietrich, Coates, Clark, Borfitz. JV: Norwich won 58-43, officials: Blair, Dadamio.
Four of the five victories have come in league play and on the road, and Norwich is alone in second place in STAC’s central division finishing the first tour through division opponents, 3-1. “You would have to say the team is coming together,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott. “This is a great bunch of guys that work hard, but we have to keep going. Our next three league games after the Unadilla Valley tournament are Susquehanna Valley, Seton Catholic Central, and Windsor, and all of them are good teams.”
Owego senior Jack Keough was unstoppable in the first quarter scoring on a variety of inside and outside shots, while also drawing fouls and getting to the foul line. He had 12 points in the first quarter, one less than Norwich’s team total, leading his club to a nine-point lead.
Abbott went to his bench and got a big spark. Reserve Brian Wightman was charged with guarding Keough most of the second quarter, and despite giving up five inches in height, was a main contributor in limiting Keough to just one point in the second quarter. Keough also had to take a seat the final 2 1/2 minutes of the quarter when reserve Tyler Saroka drew a charge on a driving Keough for the Owego senior’s third foul.
Seven Norwich players scored in an 18-point second quarter, the last three on a three ball from Josh Borfitz cutting a nine-point deficit to 33-31 at halftime.
Momentum was headed Norwich’s way, and an 6-0 run late in the third quarter put Norwich in front for the first time since the opening basket. Tim Clark hit two free throws, Nate Foote scored on a layup after a David Carson steal, and Borfitz hit a layup following a Nate Foote offensive rebound and assist making it 49-47.
The two clubs traded baskets for most of the fourth quarter until Keough’s fifth foul and ensuing technical foul broke a 60-60 tie.
Patrick Coates, who came up with several offensive rebounds along with Vaughn Labor, hit two free throws to break the tie game, and Nate Foote added one more free throw upping the lead to 63-60 with 1:40 to play.
Norwich was 6-for-8 from the foul line the last 35 seconds to seal its win. “Winning Friday was very important in that it showed our players you have to play the whole game,” Abbott said. “I felt our depth and conditioning were factors in Saturday’s win. We play a lot of people, and the teams we played this weekend do not. That benefited us in the second game.”
Foote led Norwich with 17 points to go with five assists and five steals. Coates had 15 points, and Labor finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Abbott was especially pleased with the play of his second unit in the second stanza. “Keough is a stud, but I thought the two big keys for us were Wightman’s job guarding Keough and the charge that Tyler took. Wightman did a tremendous job on Keough, and those two factors were crucial for us.”
Prior to Saturday’s contest, Norwich dedicated the 2007-2008 basketball program to Norwich graduates and former basketball players Jon Gorski (2002), Chris Brightman (2003), and Mike Abbott (2006). All three were recognized for their exceptional work in the classroom, leadership skills on their respective teams, and the commonality of suffering a serious injury that took away all or part of their senior basketball seasons.
Owego: Ryan Bullock, 3 1-2-7; Harley Edwards, 4 2-3-11; Kevin Kie, 2 0-0-5; Bryan Wagstaff, 3 2-5-8; Kenny Sharpe, 1 1-1-3; Sean Linehan, 1 0-0-2; Phil Arnold, 0; Jack Keough, 9 10-16-30. Totals: 23 16-27-66.
Norwich: Tim Clark, 2 4-4-9; Patrick Coates, 6 2-2-15; Corey Dietrich, 1 1-2-4; Nate Foote, 5 4-6-17; Josh Borfitz, 2 0-0-5; Vaughn Labor, 4 4-5-12; Tyler Saroka, 1 0-0-2; David Carson, 0; Brian Wightman, 0 1-2-1; Justin Ballin, 2 0-1-4; Craig Berg, 0 0-0-0. Totals: 23 16-22-69.
Owego 22 11 15 18–66
Norwich 13 18 18 20–69
Fouled out: (O) Keough. Three-point goals: (O) Keough 2, Edwards, Kie. (N) Foote 3, Dietrich, Coates, Clark, Borfitz. JV: Norwich won 58-43, officials: Blair, Dadamio.
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