Norris girls grind out two road wins
Lady Senators Kaylee Matchette had two points and five rebounds against Powell on Thursday night.
Center Addie Blevins missed both games — Monday, Nov. 3, at Gresham and Thursday at Powell — but the Lady Senators still claimed wins over the Lady Gladiators and Lady Panthers.
Norris opened the week with a 45-37 win over Gresham before notching a 31-20 victory Thursday night at Powell Middle School. The Lady Senators jumped out to a 16-4 halftime lead and never trailed on the west side of Emory Road.
“I thought we played well at times,” Norris Coach Derek Wallace said.
“But without Blevins, we’re playing to our competition.”
Powell, despite being overmatched, made a push after halftime and outscored Norris 11-6 in the third quarter to close within 22-15 by the end of the frame.
The Lady Panthers, who are rebuilding this season, were also short-handed. Several players were benched for disciplinary reasons, according to Coach Torey Hyder.
“We’re going through our rebuilding years,” Hyder said. “We dressed eight players, but none were hurt. We have standards, and if players can’t meet them, they won’t play. I brought up some girls from JV, and they got some experience. My job isn’t just to coach basketball — it’s to build character.”
Esa Minor led Norris’ balanced offense with 10 points. Addison Willoughby added six points and five steals. Emerson Irwin chipped in four points, and Kaylee Matchette finished with two points and five rebounds.
In Monday’s win over Gresham, Norris (4-0) prevailed 30-20. Matchette scored 13 points, while Sadie Housley and Minor had five each.
Wallace said the pair of wins marked an early sign of progress.
“We won against Gresham and Powell,” he said. “Last year, we lost those games, so it’s hard to be upset.”