Norwalk defeats Stamford in girls basketball at Norwalk High School in Norwalk, Conn. on Monday, February10, 2020.
Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media
NORWALK — The Norwalk girls basketball team can rebound.
After each of the team’s four losses this season, the Bears have come back the next game with resounding wins.
Norwalk lost an overtime thriller to Danbury last Thursday and had FCIAC rival Stamford coming to town Monday night.
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The Bears did blowout Harding in a non-league game Saturday, but knew the biggest test was coming in the form of the Black Knights.
Norwalk responded as it has all season, by turning up the defense, getting out in transition and picking up another big win, this time 61-33 over Stamford.
Jakara Murray Leach has 23 in Norwalk’s big win over Stamford. Then she crushed post-game interview. #ctgb pic.twitter.com/VD4Imdz17I
— Scott Ericson (@EricsonSports) February 11, 2020
“We get after it and I turn the intensity up even higher,” Norwalk coach Evan Kelley said. “I think we gave some games away we shouldn’t have given away. I harp on it in practice about turning it up. We beat Harding Saturday and I made them run after the game because we missed too many layups. Tonight, the energy, the effort and the intensity was amazing.”
The win leaves Norwalk (13-4, 10-3 FCIAC) tied for third place in the FCIAC standings with Danbury.
Stamford (13-4, 9-4) came in tied for third as well, but dropped into a tie with Greenwich in sixth following the loss.
Norwalk jumped on Stamford right away, leading by six after one quarter and 29-10 at halftime.
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It was the defense of Norwalk smothering Stamford and creating transition baskets for the Bears.
For Stamford, it marks back-to-back blowout losses against top FCIAC teams after losing to Staples 60-31 last Thursday.
“Our record is OK and there is still time to for them to get it together,” Stamford coach Diane Burns said. “I don’t think there is a team they can’t beat because I know what they are capable of and what their potential is. Right now, there are a couple of issues holding them back. For the seniors, this is it. They have three games left in the regular season and they have to make a decision about how they want that to end.”
Serenity Mayhew works the boards for the hoop and draws the foul. End 1 Norwalk 12 Stamford 6 #ctgb pic.twitter.com/21sQXeiRI0
— Scott Ericson (@EricsonSports) February 11, 2020
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jakara Murray-Leach, Norwalk. The junior guard was up and down the floor all night, leading the way with a game-high 23 points for the Bears.
QUOTABLE
“After losses, we watch film as a team and all take notes about what we need to improve on,” Murray-Leach said. “(Defense) was one of the key points that we needed to focus on tonight to make us win. Instead of just offense, we needed to focus on defense and offense.”
