Boys’ Basketball

Norwich 65, Oneonta 42

NORWICH – In a matchup of the two top-ranked Class B teams in Section IV, Norwich asserted its number one status, while Oneonta is clearly a distant second.

Norwich senior guard Michael Sutton shredded the ‘Jackets’ defense for 24 points, Mike Oralls had 11 points eight rebounds, and six assists, and Storm Cook had eight points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots as the unbeaten Purple Tornado improved to 11-0 on the season.

“We’ll celebrate tonight, but we have to get back to work tomorrow,” said Norwich coach Tom Collier. “What this does give us is a two-game buffer (in the STAC East). We still have a lot of tough games ahead, and we know we have a target on our back.”

Sutton carried the Norwich offense early hitting his first three three-point attempts in the opening quarter and scoring 13 as Norwich raced to a 19-11 lead.

Oneonta weathered that early storm, and slowed the tempo of the game. Paul Bischoff had two buckets sandwiched around Albert Odero’s driving layup, and Odero completed the half with another driving layup to close Norwich’s lead to 29-23.

“Jerry (Mackey, Oneonta’s coach) really did a great job of mixing his defenses in the first half to keep his team in position,” Collier said. “Oneonta was playing at the pace they like to play at. We can play at any pace, but we’re at our best when we’re attacking.”