Norwalk holds Sandusky to 1 point in fourth quarter, wins 53-35

NORWALK — Facing the best defensive team in the league on the road, the Sandusky boys basketball team knew the challenge in front of it. But one thing the Blue Streaks couldn't afford was a performance with too many self-inflicted mistakes on offense when it visited first-place Norwalk on Friday night. Trailing by eight points with 3:18 left in the third quarter, the Blue Streaks did not make another basket. They made just two free throws over the final 11-plus minutes of a 53-35 loss to drop to 8-6 overall and 6-5 in the SBC Lake Division. With the win, Norwalk improved to 11-7 overall and 8-1 in the league. The Truckers are alone in first place with three league games remaining. "We just got stagnant and stood around a lot," Sandusky assistant coach DeMar Moore said. "That's the second game in a row a team threw a zone at us and we kind of stood around and just didn't do much." Norwalk never trailed in the game, as Ian Minor scored down low and a Will Gehlhausen 3-pointer made it 5-0 just 1:19 into the game. The Truckers led by as many as nine (26-17) in the first half, then the Blue Streaks closed to within 28-24 on a Davion Henry basket with 1:24 left in the second quarter. It was again a four-point game (32-28) with 6:14 left in the third, but then the Truckers took control. Caleb Sommers made a left-corner 3, followed by consecutive baskets from Garrett Chapin and Sommers for a 39-28 lead at the 4:34 mark. After Sandusky's Omarrion Grandberry scored with 3:18 left in the third to bring the Streaks within 41-33, they did not score another basket the rest of the game. Single foul shots by Kye Scott (1:37 left in the third) and Henry (3:28 left in the fourth) were the lone points from there. For the season, Norwalk has held eight of its nine league opponents to below 50 points. The Truckers are allowing 45.3 points per game on defense within the SBC Lake, tops by more than eight points per game in the seven-team division. "I thought we played really well defensively," Norwalk coach Steve Gray said. "Ian played well offensively, but is really starting to play well at the defensive end. His ability to block shots is a big factor for us. "Getting those types of efforts will only make us better, and it shows we're more than a two-man team," he added. "I thought all seven kids tonight played really well." Gehlhausen finished with 16 points for Norwalk, while Minor had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Chapin added nine points and seven rebounds. Norwalk visits Bellevue and Perkins next weekend. Two wins would mean at least a share of the league championship. Sandusky is scheduled to visit Eastwood (8-5) on Saturday (Feb. 13). Jarrein Alexander led the Streaks with 11 points and five rebounds. Grandberry also had 11 points. "After a loss everything is magnified," Moore said. "Our message to the kids after the game was to keep working hard and keep putting our effort in the gym. We just have to work harder as a group. "We played hard in spots, we just didn't put it together long enough over the course of 32 minutes," he added. "We just need to do it for all 32 minutes, not five or 10 minutes at a time." SANDUSKY (8-6, 6-5) Kye Scott 1-1—3; DeMar Moore 1-0—2; Daylen Green 1-1—3; Jarrein Alexander 5-0—11; Israel Fletcher 1-0—2; Omarrion Grandberry 5-0—11; Davion Henry 1-1—3. TOTALS 15-3—35 NORWALK (11-7, 8-1) Andrew Mozina 2-0—4; Will Gehlhausen 6-2—16; Daniel Traczek 1-0—2; Ian Minor 7-0—15; Garrett Chapin 3-3—9; Caleb Sommers 3-0—7. TOTALS 21-5—53 Sandusky 17 7 10 1 — 35Norwalk 18 12 14 9 — 53 Three-point goals: (S) Alexander, Grandberry; (N) Gehlhausen 2, Minor, Sommers. JV: Norwalk, 48-43