Norwood splits two Summit games

Simply put, the Summit Conference is one of the best basketball conferences in the state.
Another example of this came last week when the Norwood Pirates drew the assignment of two tough road contests in Fordland and Gainesville.
Though the Pirates were the favorites in both, they managed a split in two games decided by just two points.
The game with the Eagles came down to the final minute as Norwood trailed in the final 60 seconds of play.
The Pirates’ Remington Hill hit a 3-pointer to put Norwood in front, 50-48, with around 40 seconds left.
Hill then picked up a big steal with around 20 seconds remaining.
Fordland then battled the clock and a need to pick up three team fouls to send Norwood to the free throw line.
Hill added two free throws and Carder Kelly added one before Fordland’s late 3-pointer at the buzzer went in and the rally fell short.
Earlier in the game, Fordland led 11-7 early when Kelly made a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points to give the Pirates a 25-22 halftime edge.
Laken Coatney and Kelly both scored five points in a 17-point third.
Hill’s late five points then helped seal the win for Norwood.
Kelly scored 20 points; Hill had 13; Coatney had nine; Pierce Lawson eight; and Brady Vaughan scored three points.
Norwood ended their week trying to rally from an eight-point deficit to start the fourth quarter at Gainesville.
Unfortunately, their 22-point final frame was not enough in a 65-63 loss to the Bulldogs.
Kelly scored nine of his team’s 17 points in the first quarter to give the Pirates a 17-12 edge.
Gainesville responded with their own 17-point frame in the second quarter to take a one-point lead into halftime.
Kelly added another six points in the third, but his team was outscored 20-13, to put the Bulldogs up eight before they pulled away in the final quarter.
Kelly scored a team-high 28 points; Hill added 14; Brady Vaughan scored eight; Andrew Bradshaw had five; Coatney four; and both Carson Vaughan and Lawson had two points.
Norwood is now 15-6 on the season, but just 1-3 in the Summit Conference.