Rusty Helgren scored 23 points and Bruce Bernhard added 21 for the winners. Marty Melson grabbed 19 rebounds for the Eagles. Future NBA all-star Calvin Murphy tallied 33 points for the Green Wave.
Bernhard canned 10 points in the first quarter as he riddled the Norwalk zone defense with jumpers from the corner to help his team take a 21-10 advantage. The Crimson Eagles led at the half, 35-24, and after three quarters, 51-42, before withstanding the potented closing rush of the Green Wave.
Murphy tallied 10 points, dished off for a pair of easy baskets, stole the ball twice, and forced two jump balls in the final quarter before fouling out with 22 seconds remaining in a scramble for a rebound with Melson.
While Helgren and Bernhard spearheaded the Warde offensive attack, Melson's performance was the key to the coveted triumph as he tallied 10 points and pulled down a game-high 19 rebounds.
Murphy hit on 14 of 29 field goal attempts and five straight foul shots. His teammates clicked on 13 of 30 shots from the floor for a team shooting average of 46 percent.
Warde converted 27 of 60 shots from the field for a solid 45 percent and made 10 of 18 foul shots. Despite Melson's domination of the boards, Norwalk enjoyed a 37-35 rebounding advantage.
The game was decided in the first period when Murphy missed all six of shots while Bernhard tallied 10 points and Helgren added six for the Fairfield cagers. Warde ran out to a 13-4 cushion before lanky LaSalle Reynolds scored a couple of baskets. Green Wave captain Ab Latoison's basket with 2:18 left in the opening session was the only other Norwalk basket.
Murphy took over in the second quarter, though, netting 12 of Norwalk's 14 points as the Green Wave crept to within five points twice. However, two baskets by Brian Silvestro and single hoops by George Amarant and Helgren over-matched the lone non-Murphy tally, a bucket by Curtis Brown, with 17 seconds left in the first half.
The FCIAC co-champions went on to defeat Fairfield Prep, 66-54, in the opening round of the state tournament as Helgren scored 33 points and Bernhard added 16. Jim Collins tallied 16, Stan Czulewicz 11 and Mark Valentine 10 for the Jesuits.
Paul
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