Hempfield boys hold off Norwin to end five-game losing streak

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, January 22, 2019 | 10:18 PM

For a third time in a row, Hempfield and Norwin traded boys basketball victories in a season on one another’s court.

Marcus McCarthy scored 13 points, and Reed Hipps added 11 to lead Hempfield to a 45-41 win Tuesday at Norwin, the Spartans’ first Section 3-6A victory.

Hempfield (8-8, 1-5) ended a five-game losing streak and avenged a December home loss to Norwin (7-7, 1-5).

“After what we’ve just gone through, I just wanted something good to happen for the kids,” Hempfield coach Bill Swan said.

The Spartans’ previous five losses included three in a row by a total of seven points: 49-47 to Penn-Trafford, 27-24 to Connellsville and 58-56 in a major upset bid against top-ranked Latrobe.

“I know our record doesn’t show it, but we’re right there,” Swan said.

Hempfield took a 31-29 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 3-point shot by Mike Gaffney and held off Norwin’s comeback attempt, allowing the Knights to tie the score only once.

The Spartans held a seemingly comfortable 44-38 lead with 14 seconds remaining before Norwin caused some anxious moments for the winner. Logan Liebzinski banked in an off-balance 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to cut the Hempfield lead to 44-41.

“We were just kind of hanging on for much of the game,” Norwin coach Lynn Washowich said. “Once they got the lead, we had a hard time getting to the rim. Hempfield did a good job getting the ball out in transition, and that was tough to overcome.”

Jayden Walker led Norwin with 12 points. Gianni Rizzo added 10 for the Knights, including seven in the fourth quarter.

With Hempfield holding a 40-35 lead with 46 seconds left, Rizzo connected on a long 3-pointer to pull Norwin within 40-38, the closest the Knights would get down the stretch.

“Our guards did a great job on both ends but particularly defending,” Swan said. “I really like Norwin’s team. I like their kids. They’re a tough bunch to defend, but we did a good job on their ball-screen (offense), particularly in the second half. They surprised us by going to that so often.”

Hempfield led Norwin, 14-11, after the first quarter, but the Spartans stalled in the second, scoring just four points, and trailed the Knights, who totaled just eight, at halftime, 19-18.

Norwin maintained that one-point lead after the third, 29-28, but couldn’t stop Hempfield in the fourth, when the Spartans consistently got to the free-throw line late, converting 7 of 9 attempts.

In the final 46 seconds, McCarthy, Hipps and Christian Zilli made two apiece, and Gaffney added another.

“Both teams struggled to score, and neither was able to get close looks at the rim very often,” Washowich said. “But give Hempfield credit for getting the job done when they had to.”

Dave Mackall is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin