Boys hoops: Booker T. rally ends Norview win streak

 

There were no rows of handshakes or the professing of “good game” after this hard-fought Eastern District battle Tuesday night.

 

When the final buzzer sounded on the 67-59 victory for No. 8 Booker T. Washington over ninth-ranked Norview, the Bookers huddled in front of their bench much quieter than usual after the triumph, while the Pilots made a piecemeal trip into their home locker room with an eight-game win streak halted.

 

Both exits were fitting as Norview (11-7, 6-5), which was charged with two technical fouls by DeShawn Griffin and Will Smith, relinquished a four-point fourth quarter lead to ensure the end of its recent surge, which most recently culminated in the Pilots’ cracking of South Hampton Roads’ Top 10.

 

The Bookers (11-8, 9-2) got back on track after giving Churchland sole possession of the district lead with its 53-46 loss to the Truckers last Friday. But with Churchland’s 55-53 home loss to Norcom on Tuesday, the Bookers regained control of the district’s driver’s seat with the win over Norview. And that’s what it’s all about for head coach Darren Sanderlin.

 

“I have nothing to say, really,” Sanderlin said. “We just got to keep working, that’s all.”

 

Booker T. rode a well-balanced effort from Quintin Spady, DeShawn Painter and Earl Norfleet – the trio poured in 21, 19 and 17 points, respectively – despite the absence of stalwart Desmond Lee. Sanderlin would not comment on the reason Lee was absent.

 

“I had to step up (with Lee absent),” Norfleet said, “To put more points on the board.”

 

Norview, a finesse team that lacks an answer for the Bookers’ post presence in Painter, orchestrated a nightmarish performance shooting from the field. It’s recent savior, Kendrix Brown, went 0-for-13 from the field and picked up all eight of this points from the foul line. Outside of the hot hand of reserve guard Ethan Newton, who went 4-for-6 from 3-point territory hitting all four treys consecutively, the Pilots went a staggering 8-for-32 from distance.

 

“We live and die by the jump shot,” Norview head coach Jonathan Wilson said. “Our game is playing (as) a mid-range, jump-shot shooting team, and we were off.”

 

Through three quarters, the game was shaping up to be a classic nip and tuck affair as each team never led by more than eight points and exchanged advantages five times.

 

Booker T. jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the fourth quarter that was aided by Norview’s poor shooting and inability to defend inside against Painter and Lamar Little, who posted eight points, in a man-to-man look.

 

But the Pilots converted to a zone look which limited Booker T.  down low, and Malcolm Hawkins chipping away. His 3-pointer to finish the first quarter highlighted a 9-0 run which saw the Pilots take a 16-14 lead.

 

After Painter tied it with a lay-in, a long three from Newton propelled Norview to a 10-2 which saw it build an eight-point lead in the second. Booker t. countered to regain the lead at 27-26, but a late outburst, including another set of 3-pointers from Hawkins and Newton, saw Norview carry a 34-29 cushion into halftime.

 

Fourteen of Hawkins’ 21 points were scored in the first half, as were nine of Newton’s 13.

 

The Pilots maintained their edge until the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, when Norfleet and Spady engineered a 9-0 run to give Booker T. an indefinite lead. Their surge, grouped with Norview’s shoddy shooting – it only mustered four field goals in the final frame – and the extra points allowed on the technical fouls, ensured Norview’s ride would end bitterly.

 

“This was huge, definitely,” Sanderlin said, unbeknownst to him the results at Churchland. “This is the Eastern District, that’s how it is, baby, all the way to the wire.”