Norwin girls halt Latrobe’s win streak
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Friday, January 26, 2018 | 3:56 PM
Norwin's message to Latrobe: don't play with scissors.
Latrobe will have to wait to cut down the nets to celebrate a section title after the visiting Norwin girls basketball team snapped the fourth-ranked Wildcats' seven-game winning streak with a 58-54 victory Thursday night in Section 2-6A.
Latrobe (13-3, 6-1), which has not won a section since 2007, could have clinched a share of the title with a win. But Norwin (8-8, 6-2) frustrated the Wildcats on defense and took high-percentage shots driving to the rim to pick off the win and keep its own section-title hopes intact.
The Knights are a half-game behind Latrobe for first place. Both teams have clinched playoff spots.
“Our girls embraced the environment,” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski said. “They embraced the adversity. A lot of our girls played mature basketball tonight.”
Jayla Wehner led three Norwin players in double figures with 16 points, and Jessica Kolesar added 15 and Emily Brozeski 13 for the Knights.
Laura Graytok led Latrobe with 17 but managed just six in the second half. Macknzie Markle added 12 points, and Shelby Wetzel overcame foul trouble to net 11, all in the second half.
“Our girls played extremely hard. I have no problem with their effort,” Latrobe coach Mark Burkhardt said. “You learn more from losing than you do winning. We know what we have to do from here.”
Wetzel opened the fourth with a steal-and-score to put the Wildcats back on top.
Norwin would not relent as it continued to attack the rim and get in-close shots while hounding Latrobe on defense.
A 7-0 Knights spurt put Norwin up 52-48 before Wetzel's deep 3 cut it to one.
Wehner's jumper made it 56-53 just before Norwin went into a stall offense to trim the clock.
Graytok was fouled driving to the hoop with 9 seconds left, but she missed the first free throw. Norwin got the rebound. Game over.
“They're a senior-laden team, and they can really shoot the ball,” Brozeski said of Norwin. “Like I said, it was about adversity for us. Kids these days don't face enough adversity in our society. It's good for them to be tested like that.”
Norwin led briefly at 8-6, but Latrobe put together a 15-3 run to take a 21-11 lead with 6 minutes, 36 seconds left until halftime.
Olivia Gribble hit a 3-pointer, and Jessica Kolesar scored off a steal to cut it to 21-16.
Graytok's 3 pushed the lead back to double figures before the Wildcats settled on a 27-23 lead at the half.
Norwin opened the third on an 8-2 run to take a 31-30 edge, and the lead switched sides eight times before the Knights took a 45-44 advantage to the fourth.
“Norwin made us play too hurried on offense,” Burkhardt said. “I think we were just too geared up. (Norwin) played extremely well defensively.”
Norwin held Latrobe to five field goals in the quarter and outscored the Wildcats, 22-17.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.
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