The Norwich Purple Tornado Boys Basketball team captured the Unadilla Valley Holiday Tournament Championship on Saturday after defeated Sherburne-Earlville 73-54. Norwich senior Carson Maynard was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and teammate Tommy Flanagan earned All-Tournament Team honors as well. The Purple Tornado defeated Vestal in the opening round on Friday 67-60. (Submitted Photo)

UV downed in consolation game by Vestal

NEW BERLIN – The Purple Tornado captured their sixth straight win of the 2019-2020 season as well as the Unadilla Valley Holiday Tournament championship by defeating inter-county foe Sherburne-Earlville 73-54 Saturday night.

The host Storm fell in the consolation game to Southern Tier Athletic Conference opponent Vestal 53-45.

Norwich’s Carson Maynard was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading in the scoring column of both the championship and consolation games. Maynard opened up the tournament with 23 in the Tornado’s win over Vestal. The Norwich senior then tallied 19 against the Marauders to record the game’s highest point total in both.

In the title game, S-E and the Purple Tornado were separated by just three points after the opening quarter. However, the Norwich team defense took over as they held Sherburne-Earlville to just seven in the second quarter while the offense put 13 on the scoreboard, taking a nine point lead into the locker room at the break.

The Tornado’s offense didn’t stop there.

Maynard, Tommy Flanagan, JT Vinal and Carson Thornton combined to score 25 points after the halftime intermission as Norwich pulled ahead by 17. In the fourth, the Purple Tornado added another 20 point quarter as Maynard scored seven of his 19 in the final stanza. Teammate Jahlil Jones added five in the last eight minutes of play.