Valley Central continued its winning streak Friday night, defeating Cornwall 62-53 to improve to 11-4 on the season. The victory marked the Vikings’ third consecutive win as they build momentum for the upcoming playoff race.

The Vikings opened the game with a quick 7-2 run, using their speed in transition to counter Cornwall’s full-court press. Despite the defensive pressure from the Dragons, Valley Central attacked the rim effectively. “When teams pressure us, it allows our guards to get in space,” Valley Central assistant coach Brent Thomas said. “We did a good job tonight attacking the rim, playing off two feet, and finishing strong.”

Cornwall responded with tough defensive play, highlighted by senior Jack Demetriow’s chase-down block in the first quarter that energized the home crowd. However, Valley Central’s dominance in the paint, led by Nasir Trotter (22 points) and Noah Ruiz (16 points), kept the Vikings ahead. Valley Central held a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Vikings’ ability to control the boards and maintain defensive intensity proved crucial throughout the first half. Cornwall’s Malik Sonko hit a three-pointer at the close of the opening quarter and led the Dragons with 23 points. Still, Valley Central’s defensive pressure and transition offense kept them in front. Ruiz capped off the half with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, giving the Vikings a 30-27 advantage at halftime.

Valley Central opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run, attacking the paint while Cornwall struggled to generate offense. Though the Dragons attempted to rally behind Sonko and Demetriow, Valley Central always had an answer. Trotter’s contested layup and Shaun Mosby’s buzzer-beating three extended the Vikings’ lead to 45-37 entering the fourth quarter.

Cornwall responded with intense defensive pressure to start the final period, forcing a 10-second violation. Demetriow hit a key three-pointer to cut the deficit to eight, but Valley Central’s balanced attack proved too much. A late steal by Cornwall’s Matt Cerone gave the Dragons an opportunity, but a missed free throw and a blocked putback attempt kept them from closing the gap.

Frustration mounted for Cornwall late in the game, culminating in a technical foul following a hard foul on a Valley Central player. The Vikings remained composed, securing a hard-fought road win.

“Grit impacts our team a lot, because when we’re in practice, we emphasize that we need grit,” Trotter said after leading Valley Central in scoring. “Coach has been saying, ‘Don’t say grit if you’re not about it,’ and today we showed that we’re about it.”

Valley Central will look to extend its winning streak to four games when it faces Monticello on Monday. Meanwhile, Cornwall aims to bounce back in a road matchup against Warwick next week.