Girls’ Basketball

Norwich 52, Chenango Valley 45

NORWICH – Norwich turned back Chenango Valley’s fourth-quarter rally to earn a key Southern Tier Athletic Conference win Tuesday night.

In a meeting of potential Class B Section IV playoff opponents next month, Bryn Loomis fed Cassie Sutton for a short jumper with 16 seconds left that put Norwich up 50-45. Loomis had a steal on the next Chenango Valley possession, and made two more free throws in the waning seconds to ice the victory.

Chenango Valley trailed 48-38 with 2:27 to play after Norwich’s Jenni Borfitz converted a steal into a layup.

The Warriors’ Megan Pipher completed a driving layup, Kate Bigart, just five feet tall, scored an improbable inside layup, and Maddie Staiger’s step-back three ball closed the gap to 48-45 with 47 seconds left.

Norwich traded off leading scorers in each quarter to take the early lead. Sophie Stewart scored six points on the inside in the first quarter, Loomis had eight in the second stanza, and Hailey Dietrich netted eight in the third.

The Warriors held Norwich scoreless the first 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to trim a 41-30 NHS lead to 41-36. Breanna Cashman’s three-point play for Norwich ended its drought, and Loomis hit a pair of free throws after back-to-back steals to put Norwich back in control.

Loomis led Norwich with 14 points, seven assists, and seven steals. Dietrich posted a double-double scoring 13 points and pulling down 12 boards.