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Norwalk eighth-grade girls basketball coach Jeff Iannazzo knows his team needs to pull out tight games if it's going to be a factor in the toughest division of the Fairfield County Basketball League. He believes games like Sunday's 50-48 victory over Da Fam of New Haven can help.
Danesha Gardner scored on a layup with 9.2 seconds left, and Mallory Rochefort grabbed two big offensive rebounds in the final seconds to help Norwalk win the Norwalk Girls Basketball Association Holiday Tournament championship game at Ben Franklin School.
Kayla Croswell scored 14 points and Josie Williams added 10 for Norwalk, which is now 6-3. They combined for 17 of Norwalk's 22 second-half points.
"I'm pleased with how they found a way to win this early in the season,'' Iannazzo said. "That can only help us going forward."
Norwalk went 4-0 in the tournament, including a 62-34 win over Da Fam on Thursday. Sunday's game was much different. Norwalk struggled shooting in the first half and led 28-22 at halftime. Da Fam came back to go ahead with 2:40 left, and the lead traded hands four times in the final two minutes.
Da Fam tied it at 48-48 with a free throw with 19.8 seconds left. Gardner took a nice feed from Kyle Courtney and scored the game-winning basket but missed the free throw. Rochefort grabbed the rebound, and Gardner got fouled again while shooting. She missed both frees with 6.2 seconds left, and Rochefort grabbed the second miss to help ice it.
Courtney added nine points and also took over ball-handling responsibilities when Da Fam double-teamed the speedy Croswell. "Kyle is kind of our rock when we get in trouble,'' Iannazzo said. "She stepped up when they took Kayla away. I was pleased the way they were able to tough it out."
Norwalk, 2-1 in league play, returns to league action this weekend against Bridgeport and Greenwich.
Other team members include Yasmine Walker, Claire O'Neill, Aleigh Fitzpatrick, Megan Root and Devin Dowling.
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