Hildreth scores 30 in return; Brook Jr. flirts with triple-double in loss
The REPORTER
The Noblesville Boom (14-15) dropped their sixth consecutive game on Tuesday, falling to the Motor City Cruise (16-12), 135-131, at Wayne State Fieldhouse.
After missing the last two games, Cameron Hildreth returned with a game-high 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Keion Brooks Jr. followed his Boom debut with a near triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. Dakota Mathias added 25 points, four steals, and three rebounds.
For Motor City, Isaac Jones (25 points, 10 rebounds) and Tolu Smith (14 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded a double-double. John Ukomadu contributed 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists off the bench, while Jaden Akins added 18 points, five assists, four rebounds, and four steals.
The Cruise built an early eight-point lead (37–29) after the first 12 minutes, powered by several runs and strong bench production. Motor City’s reserves accounted for 17 of their 37 first-quarter points, compared to just four from the Boom bench. The Cruise caught fire in the second quarter, knocking down their first seven three-pointers of the frame to stretch their lead to 22 – their largest of the game. Noblesville briefly swung momentum with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 13, but the Cruise responded to take a 20-point lead into halftime. Seven players reached double figures in the opening half, including four Cruise players, led by a 17-point first half from Isaac Jones.
Noblesville flipped the script in the second half, igniting a 31-12 run out of the break to pull within one with 5:08 left in the third quarter. Hildreth fueled the surge with 16 third-quarter points, helping the Boom take their first lead since early in the opening period. Despite being limited to 22 points in the quarter, the Cruise held a 101-99 edge entering the fourth. Motor City regained control early in the fourth, using a 24-4 run to reestablish an 18-point cushion with 3:15 remaining. With a lineup featuring four bench players, the Boom mounted one final rally, responding with a 20-3 run to pull within one down the stretch. Trailing by two with 16 seconds remaining and a chance to tie, Noblesville committed a costly turnover on the inbounds play. The Cruise converted two free throws on the other end to secure the 135-131 victory.
Next up
The teams meet again Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Wayne State Fieldhouse. Coverage will be available on ESPN+.
Tickets and team updates are available at NoblesvilleBoom.com, and fans can stream every game live at NBAGLeague.com.
