Senior JT Vinal of the Norwich boys basketball team drives past Hunter Stark of Whitney Point to scoring two of his 10 points in first quarter of play Friday night. The Tornado came away with a 72-55 win and Vinal finished with a triple-double. (Photo by Jamey Mullen)

NORWICH – The Purple Tornado boys basketball team secured their spot in the Section IV Class B semifinals early in the game against Whitney Point, avenge a one point loss a week earlier to top the visiting Eagles 72-55 Friday night.

Norwich’s JT Vinal came away with a triple-double in the game, scoring 22 points and pulling down 15 rebounds while stealing the ball 10 times in the win. Vinal aided in the Tornado’s 12-2 run in the first two minutes of action as he scored eight of Norwich’s points in the spurt.

The Tornado senior took the ball and finished the at the rim. On the ensuing trip up the floor for the Eagles, Vinal came out of no where for a second straight steal. He then kicked the ball ahead to a streaking Carson Maynard, who laid the ball in.

Whitney Point scored their first points of the game with 6:10 left in the first quarter. After a 3-point basket by Hunter James, the Eagles were able to cut the deficit down to seven with 3:51 remaining in the stanza.

The visiting team trimmed another two points off the Norwich lead but Maynard drove to the rim, bringing it back to seven. Maynard followed it up with another finish at the hoop to extend the lead to nine before the end of the quarter.