Yellowjackets sting Norwich Boys in final minutes
ONEONTA – The Oneonta and Norwich rivalry was alive and well on Tuesday night as the Purple Tornado traveled to take on the Yellowjackets in a boys basketball contest. In the final waning minutes of the game, Oneonta was able to fend off the Norwich offensive onslaught 49-46.
With a bevy of classic games between the two historic programs, the events of the evening proved to be no different as Oneonta took a commanding 40-29 lead into the fourth quarter.
After holding the Purple Tornado to just four points in the third stanza, Oneonta was poised to keep the lockdown defense as precious time ticked away from Norwich.
And then all at once it clicked.
With two minutes remaining in the game Norwich's Torin Lawrence finished an old-fashioned three point play after a steal from teammate Logan Ford, shrinking the Oneonta lead to 45-40.
On the ensuing Oneonta possession, Norwich's full court defense pressured the Yellowjacket guards as NHS senior guard Lex Genute led the stifling defensive charge for the Tornado forcing an Oneonta turnover to put Norwich into the driver's seat once again.
“I thought Lex brought out our comeback defensively…he did a great job, he really takes opposing players out of the game” said Norwich Head Coach Tom Collier, “I was trying to maneuver offense-defense, trying to get Andrew Mullen in there to play on offense and Lex would play on defense.”
And boy did Collier’s guard-play combination work to perfect as Norwich called upon the outside shooting prowess of Andrew Mullen after Genute’s critical defensive stand. Mullen promptly canned a three pointer with 1:45 left to go, closing the NHS gap at 45-43. And while Norwich’s subsequent offensive possessions would provide clean looks at the rim, all of their attempts just bounced the wrong way until entering the final seconds of play.
With 15 seconds remaining, Oneonta's Carter Mackey emerged victorious from a scramble for a loose ball near half-court with Norwich's Keagan Franklin. Mackey, all alone on a fast break proceeded to extend the lead for Oneonta to 47-43 with power and authority by delivering a two-handed dunk.
Proving to be equal to the task, Norwich senior guard Carson Thornton crossed the timeline and cashed in a trifecta to put Norwich down one with 10 seconds to play. Once again, Carter Mackey dashed the hopes of NHS winning in regulation by sinking two crucial free-throws with 7.7 seconds left. Norwich needed a timely three point basket- something they had already received in spades just mere minutes before.
Junior guard Torin Lawrence who led Norwich in scoring with 22 points on the night found himself a clean look at a corner three for the tie that just wouldn't go down as Oneonta held on for the eventual slim margin of victory.
“We had three great shots to win the game, and they just didn’t go down” added Collier, “Our players played really hard tonight, but we just fell short.”
In addition to Lawrence's 22 points, Norwich received 10 points from Keagan Franklin.
Carter Mackey led Oneonta with 20 points on the evening, and was the only Yellowjacket to record double-digit scoring in the contest.
Norwich (2-2) will look to avenge their loss to the Yellowjackets when they return to the court tonight as Oneonta travels to NHS' Jack Jones Gymnasium to take on the Tornado once again with game time slated for 7:30pm.
NHS: 12 13 4 17- 46
OHS: 18 14 8 9 - 49
NHS: Corbin 0 0-0 0, Craddock 0 0-0 0, Ford 2 2-2 6, Franklin 4 2-5 10, A. Genute 1 0-0 2, L. Genute 0 0-0 0, Lawrence 6 8-11 22, Mullen 1 0-0 3, Ragonese 0 0-0 0, Thornton 1 0-0 3, Turner 0 0-0 0, VanHouten 0 0-0 0, Wessels 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 15 12-18 46
OHS: Burnsworth 0 0-0 0, Breakey 0 0-0 0, Catella 0 0-0 0, Ernwood 1 0-0 3, Kurkowski 3 0-0 6, A. Mackey 1 0-0 2, C. Mackey 7 4-4 20, Platt 0 0-0 0, Shultz 1 2-2 4
Totals: 18 8-9 49
Three-Pointers: OHS- Mackey (2), Oliver (2), Ernwood; NHS- Lawrence (2), Mullen, Thornton
Fouled-Out: None
With a bevy of classic games between the two historic programs, the events of the evening proved to be no different as Oneonta took a commanding 40-29 lead into the fourth quarter.
After holding the Purple Tornado to just four points in the third stanza, Oneonta was poised to keep the lockdown defense as precious time ticked away from Norwich.
And then all at once it clicked.
With two minutes remaining in the game Norwich's Torin Lawrence finished an old-fashioned three point play after a steal from teammate Logan Ford, shrinking the Oneonta lead to 45-40.
On the ensuing Oneonta possession, Norwich's full court defense pressured the Yellowjacket guards as NHS senior guard Lex Genute led the stifling defensive charge for the Tornado forcing an Oneonta turnover to put Norwich into the driver's seat once again.
“I thought Lex brought out our comeback defensively…he did a great job, he really takes opposing players out of the game” said Norwich Head Coach Tom Collier, “I was trying to maneuver offense-defense, trying to get Andrew Mullen in there to play on offense and Lex would play on defense.”
And boy did Collier’s guard-play combination work to perfect as Norwich called upon the outside shooting prowess of Andrew Mullen after Genute’s critical defensive stand. Mullen promptly canned a three pointer with 1:45 left to go, closing the NHS gap at 45-43. And while Norwich’s subsequent offensive possessions would provide clean looks at the rim, all of their attempts just bounced the wrong way until entering the final seconds of play.
With 15 seconds remaining, Oneonta's Carter Mackey emerged victorious from a scramble for a loose ball near half-court with Norwich's Keagan Franklin. Mackey, all alone on a fast break proceeded to extend the lead for Oneonta to 47-43 with power and authority by delivering a two-handed dunk.
Proving to be equal to the task, Norwich senior guard Carson Thornton crossed the timeline and cashed in a trifecta to put Norwich down one with 10 seconds to play. Once again, Carter Mackey dashed the hopes of NHS winning in regulation by sinking two crucial free-throws with 7.7 seconds left. Norwich needed a timely three point basket- something they had already received in spades just mere minutes before.
Junior guard Torin Lawrence who led Norwich in scoring with 22 points on the night found himself a clean look at a corner three for the tie that just wouldn't go down as Oneonta held on for the eventual slim margin of victory.
“We had three great shots to win the game, and they just didn’t go down” added Collier, “Our players played really hard tonight, but we just fell short.”
In addition to Lawrence's 22 points, Norwich received 10 points from Keagan Franklin.
Carter Mackey led Oneonta with 20 points on the evening, and was the only Yellowjacket to record double-digit scoring in the contest.
Norwich (2-2) will look to avenge their loss to the Yellowjackets when they return to the court tonight as Oneonta travels to NHS' Jack Jones Gymnasium to take on the Tornado once again with game time slated for 7:30pm.
NHS: 12 13 4 17- 46
OHS: 18 14 8 9 - 49
NHS: Corbin 0 0-0 0, Craddock 0 0-0 0, Ford 2 2-2 6, Franklin 4 2-5 10, A. Genute 1 0-0 2, L. Genute 0 0-0 0, Lawrence 6 8-11 22, Mullen 1 0-0 3, Ragonese 0 0-0 0, Thornton 1 0-0 3, Turner 0 0-0 0, VanHouten 0 0-0 0, Wessels 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 15 12-18 46
OHS: Burnsworth 0 0-0 0, Breakey 0 0-0 0, Catella 0 0-0 0, Ernwood 1 0-0 3, Kurkowski 3 0-0 6, A. Mackey 1 0-0 2, C. Mackey 7 4-4 20, Platt 0 0-0 0, Shultz 1 2-2 4
Totals: 18 8-9 49
Three-Pointers: OHS- Mackey (2), Oliver (2), Ernwood; NHS- Lawrence (2), Mullen, Thornton
Fouled-Out: None
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