Norman scores 40 in Fort Cherry win over Trojans
Mark Marietta
Fort Cherry鈥檚 Owen Norman drives while California鈥檚 Fred Conard defends during Tuesday鈥檚 WPIAL Class AA first round playoff game at Fort Cherry. Norman scored 40 points in the Rangers鈥� 80-52 win while Conard led the Trojans with 11 points.
The Rangers' Maddox Truschel attempts a driving shot while surrounded by California defenders during Tuesday's WPIAL Class AA first round playoff game at Fort Cherry.
California's Spencer Petrucci attempts to defend Fort Cherry's Owen Norman (25) during Tuesday's WPIAL Class AA first round playoff game at Fort Cherry.
McDONALD 鈥� Fort Cherry鈥檚 tandem of Owen Norman and Dylan Rogers has become a formidable one-two punch in the WPIAL and was a big reason why the Rangers went 20-2 in the regular season and earned the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL Class AA tournament.
The Rangers rolled to an 80-52 win Tuesday night over visiting California behind Norman鈥檚 career-high 40 points to advance to the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals.
With Rogers nursing a nagging ankle injury, Fort Cherry coach Eugene Briggs only planned on using him in an emergency. So, Norman felt like he was under more of a microscope than usual.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely more pressure felt because we just work really well together,鈥� said Norman.
He responded by having the game of his life.
For Briggs, Norman鈥檚 performance was another example of Fort Cherry鈥檚 offensive depth.
鈥淭his team has done a really good job this year of taking whatever we鈥檙e given,鈥� said Briggs. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had other people, I mean Maddox (Truschel) has had games (with) 24 points, and Dylan (Rogers) has had 26-point games, Adam Wolfe鈥檚 had 12-, 14-point games. So, you know, whatever they take away, we find a guy who is open.鈥�
Norman had the same sentiment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice having a team that can just score all around to get me open,鈥� said Norman.
Despite seven missed free throws in the first half, Fort Cherry led by double digits heading into halftime behind 24 of Norman鈥檚 40 points. The Rangers widened their lead in the second half, enough to where the Mercy Rule took effect with less than two minutes to go in the game.
Fort Cherry missed 14 foul shots, and Norman went just 1-for-9 from the line. Although the Rangers will want to fix this, Briggs feels that some of the problems from the foul line can be explained.
鈥淚 was told a long time ago by a coach a lot smarter than me that, a lot of times, when you play really up-tempo, aggressive defense, sometimes it makes it difficult to shoot free throws, playing so amped up,鈥� said Briggs. 鈥淚 think some of that tonight might have had something to do with it. We were just playing so hard. Free throws that we鈥檝e been making didn鈥檛 go in tonight.鈥�
Fort Cherry did play hard on defense, and Briggs cited that effort as a big reason for the success at the other end of the floor, too.
鈥淓xcept for a three- or four-minute span in the first half, we played some really good defense and took away what they like to do,鈥� Briggs said. 鈥淚 think that caused some problems (for California) and got us some easy buckets on the other end.鈥�
Derek Errett added 14 points for the Rangers. Fred Conard led the way for California (6-15) with 11 points and Noah Neil added 10.
鈥淲e had big improvements through this season,鈥� said California coach Aaron Balla. 鈥淚t was, unfortunately, a very slow start. But a lot of progress with it, too. Guys had a lot to learn since we graduated a lot of seniors the last two years 鈥� a lot of improvement this year, so I鈥檓 proud of those guys.鈥�
Fort Cherry next hosts Winchester Thurston, who defeated Carmichaels, 61-51, in the quarterfinals Friday night.
Briggs noted the key to a WPIAL championship run will be for his players to 鈥渄o what they do well.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e successful this year,鈥� said Briggs. 鈥淭he right guys take the shots. The right guys handle the ball. The right guys rebound. We don鈥檛 try to make plays that we鈥檙e not capable of (making).鈥�