The Norwood Pirates nearly completed a 16-point comeback to earn a spot in the Class 2 state championship game.
With seven minutes left in the game against the Campbell Camels, Jalen Drake’s big 3-pointer cut the deficit to just three points in the Final Four battle held inside JQH Arena in Springfield.
Unfortunately, they would go nearly three minutes without a basket, allowing the Camels to go back up by eight. Campbell held on from there for the 54-42 win.
The Pirates will take on either Salisbury or North Andrew in the third place game to be played at noon on Friday, March 12 inside Hammons Student Center.
Early on in the contest, both teams exchanged leads until Max McGowan hit a 3-pointer to put Norwood in front, 8-7, just 3:31 into the contest.
That would be the final lead for the Pirates in the semifinals.
The game then took a strange turn as Davault scored with 2:29 left in the first and was set up to convert a 3-point play. That’s when referees noticed blood running down his leg and he had to leave the game. Jacob Sinning came off the bench and missed the free throw.
Nearly the same scenario happened a just a minute and a half into the second quarter as Gavin McGraw earned a trip to the free throw line. After missing his first free throw, referees noticed he had blood on his arm so he had to leave the game. McGowan then missed the second free throw.
Campbell took advantage of the strange momentum shift as they had a 14-0 run to start the quarter to open up a 30-14 lead.
Davault scored Norwood’s first basket with 3:32 left in the half to end the big run.
He would score all of his team’s six points in the quarter as the Camels’ 17-6 run gave them a 33-20 halftime edge.
Norwood opened the second half with a 7-2 run to cut the lead back into single digits.
With five seconds left in the frame, Davault hit what would be his only 3-pointer of the game to close the gap to 40-34.
Drake made his 3-pointer just one minute into the final quarter on an assist from McGowan as the Pirates trailed 40-37.
The Camels answered with a 10-3 run to push the lead back to double digits as Norwood had three turnovers, three missed 3-point shots, a missed inside shot and two missed free throws during the six minute stretch.
Campbell would hold on for the eight point victory.
As a team, the Pirates made just 16-of-42 shots from the field (38%) while the Camels were 19-of-38 (50%). Norwood made only 7-of-18 free throws (38%) in the loss.
Davault led Norwood with 30 points though he made just 1-of-10 shots from 3-point territory and had a rare off game from the free throw line, making just 7-of-15 shots. He nearly had a double-double as he picked up eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Drake had five points, one assist and one steal; Justin Chadwell had three points and four rebounds; McGowan scored three points and one assist; and Jacob Sinning had two points and two steals. Zack Black had one rebound.
