ONEONTA – The Oneonta and Norwich rivalry was alive and well on Tuesday night as the Purple Tornado traveled to take on the Yellowjackets in a boys basketball contest. In the final waning minutes of the game, Oneonta was able to fend off the Norwich offensive onslaught 49-46.

With a bevy of classic games between the two historic programs, the events of the evening proved to be no different as Oneonta took a commanding 40-29 lead into the fourth quarter.

After holding the Purple Tornado to just four points in the third stanza, Oneonta was poised to keep the lockdown defense as precious time ticked away from Norwich.

And then all at once it clicked.

With two minutes remaining in the game Norwich's Torin Lawrence finished an old-fashioned three point play after a steal from teammate Logan Ford, shrinking the Oneonta lead to 45-40.

On the ensuing Oneonta possession, Norwich's full court defense pressured the Yellowjacket guards as NHS senior guard Lex Genute led the stifling defensive charge for the Tornado forcing an Oneonta turnover to put Norwich into the driver's seat once again.

“I thought Lex brought out our comeback defensively…he did a great job, he really takes opposing players out of the game” said Norwich Head Coach Tom Collier, “I was trying to maneuver offense-defense, trying to get Andrew Mullen in there to play on offense and Lex would play on defense.”