OXFORD- The annual Oxford varsity girl’s basketball tournament began yesterday, Dec. 29. The event featured four schools: Oxford, Greene, Afton and Walton.
The second game of the day featured the hosts Oxford taking on Walton. The Blackhawks suffered their eighth loss of the season on a score line of 52-16.
Walton came out of the tunnel fired up and ready to go as they jumped out to a quick eight point lead. “We came out a little lethargic. Walton came out and scored those eight points in the first minute and a half. They hit two three pointers. They came out and played really well. We have to give them credit, they came out and made plays,” said Oxford head coach Chris Palmer.
The Warriors continued their dominance throughout the quarter, outscoring the Blackhawks 18-5. Walton number 10, Kelsey Smith, hit seven of her 10 points in the quarter.
As they entered the second quarter, Walton did not relent. They finished the quarter on a high note with number 14 Carissa Crandall draining a three pointer to put them up by 18 points at the half, 27-9.
Oxford didn’t fare much better in the second half. The Blackhawks didn’t score a point in the third quarter until the final minute and in the fourth they were outscored 19-3.
The star of the game was Olivia Harby, who netted a game high 19 points for the Warriors, with seven coming in the fourth quarter.
Blackhawks number 11, Leah Karn, was their standout player of the night, netting seven of Oxford’s 16 total points.
“I think the best thing we can do is look forward to tomorrow and the next game,” said Palmer. “We have to come out with some energy. I think we have to come out with some enthusiasm for the game of basketball. That has to be our starting point. Of course, we have to play better fundamentally, in every aspect of the game, but it has to start with some enthusiasm. Come out with some energy and effort.”
The Blackhawks will play Afton tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. in the consolation game while Greene, who beat Afton in the first game of the day, will take on Walton for the Championship at 6:30 p.m.
Oxford: S. Hodge, 1 0-0-2; K. Roys, 0, 1-2-1;J. Murrer, 1 0-0-2; L. Karn, 2 2-2-7; H. Ryan, 1 0-0-2; R. Seiler, 1 0-0-2. Walton: Kimmie Huntress, 1 0-2-3; Kelsey Smith, 4 0-0-10; Kate Macguire, 2 3-3-7; Hannah Wagner, 0; Carissa Crandall, 1 0-0-3; McKenzie Clough, 4 2-4-10; Olivia Harby, 5 9-14-19.

Score by quarter:
Team 1 2 3 4 Total
Oxf 5 4 4 3 16
Wal 18 9 6 19 52

Norwich

Kieran Coffey
Evening Sun Contributor

ONONDAGA- It was a heartbreaking, last second loss for Norwich as they fell to Fayetteville-Manlius 46-45 yesterday, Dec. 29 in the More Than A Game Foundation Tournament Final.
“We had a one point lead with 15 seconds left in the game. With three seconds left on the shot clock, we ran a play and didn’t get a very good shot. Their point guard, Ricks, got the rebound and went the length of the court to score with 1.1 seconds left to go to put them up a point,” said Purple Tornado head coach Josh Bennett. “We called a timeout to set up a play but couldn’t get off a good shot and that was the loss.”
After the loss, The Tornado falls to a record of 7-2 on the season.
Norwich led the entirety of the game, up until the final bucket. They came out strong in the first quarter, jumping out to a six-point lead.
The second quarter was much tighter, and the two teams battled back and forth in a bid to establish dominance. “It was the kind of game with runs the entire game. We would take a five or six point lead and then they would run back at us and pull the score even. We followed that same routine for basically the whole game,” said Bennett. Norwich entered half time with a lead of five.
In the second half, Fayetteville-Manlius began to take control, behind the terrific play of their point guard, number 1 D.P. Ricks. She scored 15 of her game high 17 in the half, with six coming in the fourth quarter. Tornado number 21, Megan Komendarek, who finished joint leader of the team, had eight of her points in the third quarter, but it just wasn’t enough in the end.
“It was obviously a difficult loss for my kids, especially with the three game stretch we’ve been on. The four OT loss to Johnson City, a close, hard fought win on Monday and now the one point loss on a shot that went through with 1.1 seconds left in the game today,” said Bennett. “I’m proud of their never quit attitude and I know that we will fight through this stretch. We have a couple of days off now, which is well needed.”
Next up for the Purple Tornado is Chenango Forks on Tuesday, Jan. 5 in Chenango Forks.
Norwich: Taylor Hansen, 4 2-2-11; K. Evans, 2 0-1-4; Seary, 1 0-0-2; M. Maynard, 3 1-2-7; M. Komendarek, 5 1-2-11; B. Murphy, 1 0-0-2; S. Benjamin, 3 2-2-8. Fayetteville-Manlius: DP Ricks, 8 0-0-17; Lexy Gray, 2 1-2-5; Natalie Amico, 1 0-0-2; Alex Schneider, 3 0-0-6; Abbey Harris, 2 0-0-4; Eliza Mento, 2 1-3-5; Cary Assimon, 3 0-0-7.

Score by quarter:
Team 1 2 3 4 Total
F-M 9 12 17 8 46
Nor 15 11 15 4 45