Cadets Pull Out Another Win At Buzzer; Defeat Emerson 65-62

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – It was a full weekend of conference action for the men’s basketball team. After their victory over Johnson & Wales in the final seconds of play on Saturday afternoon, the Cadets hosted Emerson College in Andrews Hall on Sunday, where they defeated the Lions in similar fashion; a 65-62 win at the buzzer.

Supported by their new No. 1 fan, Tomohide Katagari, a 29-year-old from Sendai City, Japan, the Cadets (14-8, 10-5 GNAC) have gone 5-1 in the six games Tomo has been present for, whether he is sitting in the stands behind the team in Andrews Hall or traveling with them on the road.

 “I’m very excited,” he said. “I can’t pass up the Norwich games. It’s been a dream-come-true.”

In his final Cadets game before the flight back to Japan on Feb. 15, Tomo watched as juniors Antonio Davis and Josh Cabrera rose above their opponents to earn another conference victory.

Davis finished the game with 21 points, seven boards and two assists, while also leading the team with his two steals.

Cabrera contributed 11 points to the afternoon’s action, earning two assists and grabbing six boards.

For the Emerson Lions (9-14, 6-10 GNAC), senior Tom Messinger was a key point-scorer in the game, netting 17 and making two assists. Junior Nathan Firn contributed with 13 points, while sophomore Bilali Kalilou-Mack and senior Kabir Moss each put in 10 points apiece.

In the first half of action, it was a battle of speed between the Cadets and the Lions. Davis had already put up 12 points, as Norwich was shooting 44-percent to Emerson’s 32-percent.

The Lions had taken an early lead on a layup by Messinger, but the Cadets rallied quickly with a free throw by Davis and a trifecta by Cabrera. Norwich maintained their advantage for the duration of the half, owning a 15-point spread with four minutes remaining.

Messinger came back with a 3-pointer and a jumper before the end of the half, and the teams returned to the locker room with the scoreboard reading 38-27 in the home team’s favor.

While Norwich never surrendered their lead in the second half, it was their second game in as many days where the final outcome came down to the last few plays of the game. The Lions never let up their pressure on the Cadets, and brought the game within two points with less than a minute on the clock with a laup by Firn.

With the score at 64-62 and 11 seconds remaining, Messinger shot for the winning trifecta, but hit rim. Junior Carlos Negrete recovered the rebound for the Lions, but missed his follow-up shot.

Junior Darrell Marshall was fouled as the clock read 0:02, and by sinking his first free-throw attempt the game was decided at 65-62.

On Tuesday, Norwich will host Emmanuel College at 7:30 p.m., following the women’s home action against Suffolk Univeristy at 5:30 p.m. earlier that evening. Tuesday will also represent the men’s “Senior Day,” where they will honor their three graduating seniors prior to the contest.

Although Tomo won’t be at Tuesday night’s game, he’ll be with the team in spirit.

“Hopefully they have a good chance in the playoffs,” he said. “Hopefully they will go all the way for the GNAC Title.”