Norwich girls impress on first impression
By Shaun Savarese
Sun Sports Writer
ssavarese@evesun.com
Walking into the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday afternoon, I went to a door, the right door, but not the door where I was supposed to be. I was attending my first sporting event as a writer for The Evening Sun: The Section IV Class B Basketball finals.
I found the press entrance on my own and waited for Evening Sun Sports Editor Patrick Newell and longtime photographer Frank Speziale. They arrived in no time after finding parking on a very difficult traffic day in Binghamton.
I have lived in the Binghamton area for four years, working as a production assistant for the Binghamton Mets. Having grown up in Sidney, I have been to a number of events at the Arena, but this was my first as a member of the press.
I was anticipating covering my first Norwich basketball game, and excited to see how the teams would fare.
We sat down courtside just as the Norwich girls varsity basketball team was surging onto the court preparing to play. Oneonta had won its last two meetings against Norwich, not to mention six straight sectional championships.
Coming off a 24-point playoff win over Waverly in February, it was clear that Norwich knew this was a big game. Oneonta looked determined as well, but the Tornado’s energy was channeled through its head coach Josh Bennett. He was motivated and focused early in the game.
The Arena’s court is a little different than what high school athletes are used to playing on as it a temporary hardwood floor built on top of an hockey rink. Along with the playing surface – and as a former Section IV football player at Sidney – I know the atmosphere in the locker room before a playoff game can be tense; however, both teams appeared relaxed during warmups and at the start of the game.
“Tornado!” shouted Bennett, following the opening tip. His team immediately reacted and slid into position. There was a bit of contact on the first play, and he was visibly concerned.
Early in the game, Meghan Komendarek, the 6-foot-1 freshman, scored baseline and I was immediately impressed.
Oneonta all-star Mariah Ruff answered back with a steal and a quick basket. Norwich’s Bennett redirected his team, urging them to “communicate.”
Senior guard Jenni Borfitz listened to her coach, and clamped down defensively, but Ruff could not be contained, draining a three-pointer. Carin Kuhn heeded the pleas of her coach, focused, and answered back with a three of her own. With 3:55 left in the first quarter, Norwich led 10-7 and I was locked into this Section IV Class B final.
On the opposite side of the court, Oneonta Yellowjackets head coach, Matt Miller, appeared more subdued, crouching and peering into his own zone defense, seemingly speculating the distance between each defender. As the first quarter ended, he stood up and welcomed his players into the huddle as Norwich led, 15-13.
The Norwich girls varsity basketball team shot five for 16 in the first quarter and the Oneonta Yellowjackets were subsequently five for 12. Neither club shot particularly well, but it got much worse for Norwich, especially the second half.
With 6:45 left in the second quarter, Borfitz drained a spot-up 15-footer. In Pat’s statistical notebooks – he has over a decade on hand in our files – I noticed that Borfitz came up as a freshman in 2010, but missed ten games to injury.
She had her best game as a sophomore in 2012, scoring 23 points in a 43-19 victory over Dryden. Borfitz was named all-state after her junior year and will likely be chosen again. In her two games against Oneonta this season, Borfitz scored nine points in the first game, and 12 points on Jan. 22. In this game, though, she would finish with just six.
Coming into the second quarter, the Purple Tornado clearly made an adjustment, were beginning to work the basketball inside in an attempt to penetrate Oneonta’s two-three zone.
Borfitz dribbled inside and performed a ballhandling technique that originated in Europe called the “euro-step.” It was a clear attempt to elude the defender using her stride and collapse the zone around her.
The whistle blew, it was a traveling violation. Perhaps if she had used the collapsing defense against itself to pass to a perimeter teammate, she may not have been whistled. However, the referees determined that her stride was excessive, and it was ruled a travel.
With 4:31 remaining in the second quarter, the score was tied 20-20.
Norwich’s interior defense clamped down, but the Purple Tornado struggled with turnovers. A reappearing inside presence, Komendarek displayed her ability to get position and draw fouls. The forward had 10 free throw attempts on the night, her highest total in any game this season.
At one point, Bennett turned to his scorekeeper, Komendarek’s father, and said, “she’s playing the game of her life.”
The Purple Tornado did well defensively against Oneonta’s Mariah Ruff, who has committed to play at St. Bonaventure next year. Ruff, though, managed to make plays in all areas of the game.
“She’s the best player on the floor,” said Bennett of Ruff, who averaged 20 points per game this season.
Norwich senior, Breanna Cashman, drained a three-point field goal with 5:48 left in the third quarter of this big game. The big shot gave the Tornado a 30-23 lead. Moments late Kuhn hit her second three of the game giving Norwich its biggest lead.
Ruff then displayed her Division 1 talent with a nifty steal and fast break bucket to narrow the Norwich lead. With 58 seconds left in the third, the Jackets grabbed an offensive rebound and scored after the offense reset. Norwich’s 5-foot-11 sophomore, Shelby Benjamin ,fouled Oneonta senior Brittney Herrick, and Herrick converted the three-point play. Oneonta took a 37-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Norwich began with possession, but could not convert. Ruff flew past the Tornado defense, going coast to coast and extending the run to 18 straight points.
Norwich was held scoreless for seven minutes, but Komendarek was determined to snap the streak. She clutched to an offensive rebound and drew Oneonta’s sixth team foul. She converted from the charity stripe and ended a 22-0 Oneonta spurt on her tenth free throw attempt. She was five for ten from the free throw line on the night, and contributed 11 points. While the statistics weren’t available, she was likely in the 10-plus rebound range as well.
Oneonta overpowered Norwich in the second half, primarily through the play of Ruff. This was demonstrated by a harrowing block at the three-point line and a difficult offensive rebound in the waning minutes of the sectional title game.
“We struggled in the third quarter handling their pressure,” Borfitz said. “That motivated them, we had some turnovers, and they got a spark.”
Oneonta (18-2) coach Miller watched as Norwich (13-7) beat the two-three zone in the first half and he made a mid-game adjustment to man defense.
“Give coach Miller all the credit. He made an incredible adjustment going to man. It took us a while to figure it out, by the time we did, we had dug ourselves a hole,” Bennett said.
The Yellowjackets outscored the Tornado by nine points in the second half.
While Ruff played an excellent game, the motivation of Norwich’s Meghan Komendarek, shined brightest. The freshman forced a turnover, and was still fighting for boards, down eight points with 22 seconds in the game.
After the loss, you could see the dejection and disappointment in the eyes of the Norwich players.
I never played varsity or junior varsity basketball, but I was manager of the Sidney Warriors boys modified basketball team. I understand what goes through an athlete’s head after a tough loss, and very little of it is good. Doubts, second guessing, and regrets are all natural responses to failure, but the Norwich girls have nothing to be ashamed of.
They played a great game holding the opposing team to 37 percent shooting from the field. The seniors should remember this game as an achievement; a milestone they reached together. The underclassmen can learn from the loss and get better because of it.
Norwich girls basketball has a bright future under Bennett, and I look forward to covering the team next year.
Sun Sports Writer
ssavarese@evesun.com
Walking into the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday afternoon, I went to a door, the right door, but not the door where I was supposed to be. I was attending my first sporting event as a writer for The Evening Sun: The Section IV Class B Basketball finals.
I found the press entrance on my own and waited for Evening Sun Sports Editor Patrick Newell and longtime photographer Frank Speziale. They arrived in no time after finding parking on a very difficult traffic day in Binghamton.
I have lived in the Binghamton area for four years, working as a production assistant for the Binghamton Mets. Having grown up in Sidney, I have been to a number of events at the Arena, but this was my first as a member of the press.
I was anticipating covering my first Norwich basketball game, and excited to see how the teams would fare.
We sat down courtside just as the Norwich girls varsity basketball team was surging onto the court preparing to play. Oneonta had won its last two meetings against Norwich, not to mention six straight sectional championships.
Coming off a 24-point playoff win over Waverly in February, it was clear that Norwich knew this was a big game. Oneonta looked determined as well, but the Tornado’s energy was channeled through its head coach Josh Bennett. He was motivated and focused early in the game.
The Arena’s court is a little different than what high school athletes are used to playing on as it a temporary hardwood floor built on top of an hockey rink. Along with the playing surface – and as a former Section IV football player at Sidney – I know the atmosphere in the locker room before a playoff game can be tense; however, both teams appeared relaxed during warmups and at the start of the game.
“Tornado!” shouted Bennett, following the opening tip. His team immediately reacted and slid into position. There was a bit of contact on the first play, and he was visibly concerned.
Early in the game, Meghan Komendarek, the 6-foot-1 freshman, scored baseline and I was immediately impressed.
Oneonta all-star Mariah Ruff answered back with a steal and a quick basket. Norwich’s Bennett redirected his team, urging them to “communicate.”
Senior guard Jenni Borfitz listened to her coach, and clamped down defensively, but Ruff could not be contained, draining a three-pointer. Carin Kuhn heeded the pleas of her coach, focused, and answered back with a three of her own. With 3:55 left in the first quarter, Norwich led 10-7 and I was locked into this Section IV Class B final.
On the opposite side of the court, Oneonta Yellowjackets head coach, Matt Miller, appeared more subdued, crouching and peering into his own zone defense, seemingly speculating the distance between each defender. As the first quarter ended, he stood up and welcomed his players into the huddle as Norwich led, 15-13.
The Norwich girls varsity basketball team shot five for 16 in the first quarter and the Oneonta Yellowjackets were subsequently five for 12. Neither club shot particularly well, but it got much worse for Norwich, especially the second half.
With 6:45 left in the second quarter, Borfitz drained a spot-up 15-footer. In Pat’s statistical notebooks – he has over a decade on hand in our files – I noticed that Borfitz came up as a freshman in 2010, but missed ten games to injury.
She had her best game as a sophomore in 2012, scoring 23 points in a 43-19 victory over Dryden. Borfitz was named all-state after her junior year and will likely be chosen again. In her two games against Oneonta this season, Borfitz scored nine points in the first game, and 12 points on Jan. 22. In this game, though, she would finish with just six.
Coming into the second quarter, the Purple Tornado clearly made an adjustment, were beginning to work the basketball inside in an attempt to penetrate Oneonta’s two-three zone.
Borfitz dribbled inside and performed a ballhandling technique that originated in Europe called the “euro-step.” It was a clear attempt to elude the defender using her stride and collapse the zone around her.
The whistle blew, it was a traveling violation. Perhaps if she had used the collapsing defense against itself to pass to a perimeter teammate, she may not have been whistled. However, the referees determined that her stride was excessive, and it was ruled a travel.
With 4:31 remaining in the second quarter, the score was tied 20-20.
Norwich’s interior defense clamped down, but the Purple Tornado struggled with turnovers. A reappearing inside presence, Komendarek displayed her ability to get position and draw fouls. The forward had 10 free throw attempts on the night, her highest total in any game this season.
At one point, Bennett turned to his scorekeeper, Komendarek’s father, and said, “she’s playing the game of her life.”
The Purple Tornado did well defensively against Oneonta’s Mariah Ruff, who has committed to play at St. Bonaventure next year. Ruff, though, managed to make plays in all areas of the game.
“She’s the best player on the floor,” said Bennett of Ruff, who averaged 20 points per game this season.
Norwich senior, Breanna Cashman, drained a three-point field goal with 5:48 left in the third quarter of this big game. The big shot gave the Tornado a 30-23 lead. Moments late Kuhn hit her second three of the game giving Norwich its biggest lead.
Ruff then displayed her Division 1 talent with a nifty steal and fast break bucket to narrow the Norwich lead. With 58 seconds left in the third, the Jackets grabbed an offensive rebound and scored after the offense reset. Norwich’s 5-foot-11 sophomore, Shelby Benjamin ,fouled Oneonta senior Brittney Herrick, and Herrick converted the three-point play. Oneonta took a 37-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Norwich began with possession, but could not convert. Ruff flew past the Tornado defense, going coast to coast and extending the run to 18 straight points.
Norwich was held scoreless for seven minutes, but Komendarek was determined to snap the streak. She clutched to an offensive rebound and drew Oneonta’s sixth team foul. She converted from the charity stripe and ended a 22-0 Oneonta spurt on her tenth free throw attempt. She was five for ten from the free throw line on the night, and contributed 11 points. While the statistics weren’t available, she was likely in the 10-plus rebound range as well.
Oneonta overpowered Norwich in the second half, primarily through the play of Ruff. This was demonstrated by a harrowing block at the three-point line and a difficult offensive rebound in the waning minutes of the sectional title game.
“We struggled in the third quarter handling their pressure,” Borfitz said. “That motivated them, we had some turnovers, and they got a spark.”
Oneonta (18-2) coach Miller watched as Norwich (13-7) beat the two-three zone in the first half and he made a mid-game adjustment to man defense.
“Give coach Miller all the credit. He made an incredible adjustment going to man. It took us a while to figure it out, by the time we did, we had dug ourselves a hole,” Bennett said.
The Yellowjackets outscored the Tornado by nine points in the second half.
While Ruff played an excellent game, the motivation of Norwich’s Meghan Komendarek, shined brightest. The freshman forced a turnover, and was still fighting for boards, down eight points with 22 seconds in the game.
After the loss, you could see the dejection and disappointment in the eyes of the Norwich players.
I never played varsity or junior varsity basketball, but I was manager of the Sidney Warriors boys modified basketball team. I understand what goes through an athlete’s head after a tough loss, and very little of it is good. Doubts, second guessing, and regrets are all natural responses to failure, but the Norwich girls have nothing to be ashamed of.
They played a great game holding the opposing team to 37 percent shooting from the field. The seniors should remember this game as an achievement; a milestone they reached together. The underclassmen can learn from the loss and get better because of it.
Norwich girls basketball has a bright future under Bennett, and I look forward to covering the team next year.
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