ONEONTA- Not only were the Norwich Purple Tornado boys varsity basketball team playing their longtime rival the Oneonta Yellowjackets, but they were also playing against their own shorthanded bench with five of the Purple’s key rotational players out of their line-up in the 58-44 loss on Tuesday night.

Norwich held the game to within as little as two points for much of the contest. That is, until the visiting Purple ran out of steam and the Yellowjackets capitalized for 17 points over the final eight minutes of play. The Oneonta trio of Seamus Catella, Liam Blair and Carter Mackey combined for 13 fourth period points and were held responsible for 44 points in the game. Blair and Mackey each scored 16 points and Catella pitched in 12 points in the contest.

To Oneonta’s credit on defense only four NHS players found their way into Tuesday night’s score book, while also holding all six of Norwich’s fourth quarter points to senior guard Torin Lawrence. Lawrence, scored a game high 18 points in the setback, and freshman guard Steven Dowdall contributed 14 points- with 12 of his points coming from beyond the arc.

Norwich returns to the floor on Friday January 7th when they host the Sabers of Susquehanna Valley at Jack Jones gymnasium with tip-off slated for 7:30pm.

Norwich: 9 15 14 6- 44

Oneonta: 13 13 15 17 - 58

Norwich (4-5): T. Lawrence 18, J. Stokes 8, S. Dowdall 14, A. Ragonese 4. 17 FG, 3-7 FT – 44

Oneonta: C. Sitts 2, S. Catella 12, D. Buzzy 6, B. Erwood 4, M. Morrison 2, L. Blair 16, C. Mackey 16. 21 FG, 13-22 FT- 58

3-point goals: Norwich 7 (Dowdall 4, Stokes 2, Lawrence 1); O 3 (Catella 3)