By RYAN HAYNER
PLATTSBURGH — Josh Bruno sure can score in bunches.
Bruno played a large role in a decisive 12-0 run that gave the Cardinals a 20-point cushion in the second half.
The junior guard scored eight points in a three minute span, tallying his last basket to put the Cardinals up, 66-48.
That lead never wavered into single digits, and the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team beat Norwich, 77-66, in its first round game of the Cardinal Classic Saturday at Memorial Hall.
Plattsburgh State will meet Husson (1-1) in the championship game of the classic today at 3 p.m. Husson defeated Rochester Institute of Technology in an earlier Saturday game, 67-75.
The Cardinals 2-1 start to open the season is eerily familiar to the beginning of the 2008-09 season. Plattsburgh State reached the 2-1 mark last year with a win against Norwich that even featured a similar end result, 76-67.
But, after that 2-1 start, the Cardinals lost nine of their following ten games and dug a hole they weren't able to climb out of.
"It's not going to happen," said Bruno, whose eight points in the key run were his only of the night. "At every practice we say it's not going to happen."
Plattsburgh State coach Tom Curle sees a difference in this year's squad, and in Bruno, too. Curle said his latest Cardinal squad is a better offensive team and are more adept at turning defensive rebounds into transition offense.
Although Bruno has scored more in the past, Curle called Saturday's contest a breakout game for the Ottawa native.
"He's been capable of some of that stuff — this is the first time I've really seen him comfortable," Curle said. "It really looked like, 'OK, I belong now and I'm going to do the things I know I'm capable of doing.'"
After trailing 37-29 at the half, Norwich cut into the Cardinals lead eight minutes into the second. A 3-point play from Israel Guardado put the Cadets within eight, but it was the last time they would trail by less than double digits.
Steve Thomas sunk two free throws for the Cardinals and then Bruno went to work.
He converted a feed from Chris Ruiz on a fast break and then put back a miss from R.J. Ponesse. Thomas corralled a defensive board and quickly got down the floor, finding Bruno for another transition bucket.
Bruno's final points of the night came from his own defensive prowess. After collecting a steal, Bruno layed in another fast-break score. Ponesse's layup 30 seconds later, followed by a jump shot by Carl Munnerlyn, pushed the Cardinals lead to 70-50.
"We came out with a lot of defensive intensity and we really took away and disrupted their offense," Curle said. "I think that set the tone. That put us in the position to make that run."
Guardado and Joshua Cabrera led the Cadets (1-1) with 18 points each. Antonio Davis added 12 points and a team-high nine boards for Norwich.
Errol Daniyan had one of his best overall games as a Cardinal, notching his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds. He also matched a career-high with three blocks, but the biggest statistic was his foul total — one.
Curle said he liked what he saw with Daniyan's offensive and rebounding game, but was more impressed by the junior forward's defense.
"Defensively I thought he really stepped up," Curle said.
Thomas tied Daniyan for a game-high in points with 19, 14 of those coming in the second half. Curle tabbed Thomas as one of the differences in this year's team from the last.
"We had a lot of quickness last year, but the quickness didn't translate into transition offense," Curle said. "We got a lot of rebounds from Brad Mader, but it didn't transfer to offense.
"Steve Thomas gets a rebound, he's pushing the ball."
The Cardinals also unveiled a four-guard lineup at the start of the second half, featuring Ruiz, Thomas, Munnerlyn and Tim Havens, with Daniyan as the lone forward.
That five was kept in for first five minutes of the half. Before Curle went to his bench, the tandem out-scored Norwich, 8-6, with all the Cadet's points coming from inside. Curle said many SUNYAC teams will throw four or even five-guard lineups onto the court, and he wants his team to be prepared to counter.
"You have to pick your poison," Curle said. "If we're going to be small and quick, we're not going to have a huge presence inside.
"They have to guard us, too. What we gave up on the inside I think we got back plus on the offensive end."
—
Plattsburgh State 77, Norwich 66
Plattsburgh State (77)
Daniyan 9-1-19. Tangney 1-0-2. Brooks 1-0-2. Ruiz 6-0-13. S. Thomas 6-5-19. Havens 0-0-0. F. Thomas 1-2-4. Munnerlyn 4-0-8. Roh 0-0-0. Bruno 4-0-8. Ponesse 1-0-2.
Norwich (66)
Davis 4-3-12. Guardado 8-2-18. Havoutis 0-0-0. Cabrera 7-2-18. Jeffcoat 4-0-9. Marshall 0-0-0. R. Williams 3-0-7. Brunswick 0-0-0. Q. Williams 1-0-2. Kuhre 0-0-0.
3-point goals: Plattsburgh State (3) Thomas 2, Ruiz. Norwich (5) Cabrera 2, Davis, Jeffcoat, R. Williams.
Halftime: Plattsburgh State 37, Norwich 29.
E-mail Ryan Hayner at: rhayner@pressrepublican.com
