Norwich beats Warriors at buzzer

Boys’ Basketball

Norwich 60, Chenango Valley 59

CHENANGO BRIDGE – This time Norwich had the last word.

Three-point overtime losers to Chenango Valley a month ago after giving up a 14-point lead, Norwich again allowed the Warriors to rally from a 14-point margin, only this time, Robert Martin made sure Norwich went home winners.

“This is so typical of our season,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott. “Someone has to win it in the end.”

Martin hit a three ball with 48 seconds left to give Norwich the lead. Chenango Valley, coming out of a timeout, regained the lead with 29 seconds remaining when Matt Mullins sunk a pair of foul shots.

It appeared Norwich would see this one slip away after turning the ball over and sending Mullins back to the foul line with 12 seconds remaining. Mullins, who helped seal the earlier win over Norwich this season with clutch foul shooting, missed the front end of the one-an-one attempt giving Norwich one last attempt.

After a deflection by CV knocked the ball out of bounds, Abbott called a timeout with three seconds left to set up the final play. Martin received the inbounds pass, dribbled toward the foul line and swished an off-balance leaner at the buzzer.

“We made a conscious effort to get Robert the ball – he was getting it, no doubt about it,” Abbott said.

Amos Parry carried Norwich to a 17-3 in the first quarter scoring nine points on his way to a career-high 26. Earlier this season, Parry had 24 against Owego.

CV whittled the margin away with hot outside shooting canning eight three-pointers. Kris Boyce hit two three-pointers in the fourth quarter for the hosts, and Mullins scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half. “They just went off in the second half,” Abbott said of CV’s offense. “When they get hot, it’s like sharks in a feeding frenzy.”

Martin added 14 points for Norwich (11-8), who host Union-Endicott Thursday evening.

Norwich: Shane Thompson, 0; Patrick Coates, 2 0-0-4; Keegan Edwards, 1 2-3-4; Nate Foote, 3 0-0-8; Robert Martin, 5 2-3-14; Vaughn Labor, 1 0-0-2; Tyler Saroka, 0; Justin Ballin, 0 0-2-0; Wade Kornegay, 1 0-0-2; Amos Parry, 11 4-8-26 ; Craig Berg, 0. Totals: 24 8-16-60 .

CV: Chris Mack, 2 0-0-5; Eric Bidwell, 2 0-0-5; Matt Mullins, 6 3-5-19; Kris Boyce, 2 0-0-6; Seth Mohney, 3 7-11-13; Cola, 3 1-2-7; James Sodan, 0; Matt Bobel, 2 0-0-4. Totals: 20 11-18-59.