Boys’ Basketball

Norwich 60, Sus Valley 44

NORWICH – Norwich overcame Sus Valley’s quick start clamping down on defense to take command of the game by halftime en route to an eighth straight victory.

Patrick Coates and Tim Clark shared scoring honors for Norwich (9-2), who host Seton Catholic Central Tuesday.

“Defensively, we played really good in the first half,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott, whose club has allowed 46 points or less in eight of 11 games. “They had a little spurt at the beginning, but we didn’t panic and kept doing things we wanted to do.”

Within the game’s first 39 seconds, SV converted three-point plays from Chad Starzer and Nick Pace to lead by six. It was all Norwich the rest of the half.

Clark and Nate Foote hit three-pointers, and Foote had seven of his 11 points in the opening quarter to make it a 20-13 game at the first turn.

Norwich surrendered a single field goal and just two free throws in the second quarter, while Foote added two more baskets pushing the advantage to 30-16 at the break.

The Sabers drew as close as 11 points in the third quarter, however, Patrick Coates hit a jumper, Clark downed a traditional three-point play, and Josh Borfitz canned a three ball from the corner to highlight 10-1 spurt in the middle of the quarter to expand the margin back to 20.