By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Norwood Pirates are Cabool Holiday Tournament champions for the first time in the competition’s history after their 68-64 victory over the MVBT-Liberty Eagles.
“I’ve never won this,” said Norwood head coach Shane Chadwell, who played for the Pirates in high school and has coached at his alma mater for eleven years. “It’s special. Last year, we came up short, and I told them we don’t get a second chance in life very often, but we got one…and took advantage of it.”
The Pirates led by as many as 12 early in the contest, but the Eagles continued to fight.
“Liberty had an answer every time we almost had a chance to put them away,” said Coach Chadwell. “They didn’t go away. We got a ten, twelve-point lead, and they cut it right back and got it to one, late. As a coach, you’re just like, ‘Get this thing over with!’ They’re a good club and shot it really, really well tonight, but our kids found a way and played with a lot of heart.”
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Chadwell said his team, which rotates eight players, struggled to get in a flow in the fourth quarter. “We want a fast-paced game, and we want to wear people out,” he said. “We would like to get a few more stops on defense — we want to pride ourselves on shutting people down — and we didn’t do that tonight,” he added.
With five minutes to play in the fourth, Norwood led by five. Liberty senior Gavin Reese nailed a three, but the Pirates answered with shots underneath from seniors Peyton McDaris and Cooper Vaughan. Liberty’s Parker Tune was successful at the charity stripe, and the Eagles’ defensive rebound resulted in Reese’s shot from beyond the arc to bring the score within one.
The Eagles sent Vaughan to the line with just over a minute to play, and he connected on the pressure free throws. Parker Tune was next at the battle of the free throw line, and he sunk his shots, followed again by Vaughan, who missed the second free throw following a lengthy Liberty substitution that did not please the Norwood crowd. Vaughan was immediately back to the charity stripe, making his final shots. One last bucket for the Pirates would seal the deal, as the Eagles would take one final deep shot and miss.
“These kids had to dig down deep and find an extra level of wanting to win,” said Coach Chadwell. “We needed this as a program, as a team. We were pushed tonight, and they answered. I’m proud of them.”
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Senior Peyton McDaris put up 10 of Norwood’s 18 points in the first frame with two treys and two buckets, and junior Carder Kelly added three of his own. Senior Gunner Bradshaw’s steal and foul on the resulting layup added another three for the Pirates. Sophomore Alex Tune connected for 6 points from downtown for Liberty, and junior Parker Tune contributed four from the free-throw line.
Liberty junior Drayton Wells kicked off the second quarter with a dunk and followed it by rejecting a shot, helping the Eagles to reduce their deficit to three. Norwood answered with increased pressure and senior Gary Williams got a big defensive stop after an appearance at the charity stripe. Cooper Vaughan added four of his own from the free throw line and McDaris two more buckets and a three; Norwood led at the half, 35-26.
Parker Tune went on a hot streak in the third, scoring seven back-to-back points to narrow Norwood’s lead. Drayton Wells scored six in the quarter and Alex Tune added another three; Liberty’s 22-point frame had them trailing just 53-48 to enter the fourth.
With their final tournament victory, the Pirates are now 13-0 on the season.
All-Tournament Team:
MVP: Norwood – Cooper Vaughan
Norwood – Peyton McDaris
Liberty – Parker Tune
Liberty – Alex Tune
Eminence – Drew Foster
Eminence – Carter Blackburn
Pocahontas – Jared Mitchell
Pocahontas – DJ Coffey
Salem – Lincoln Thomas
Licking – Roston Stockard
