Noblesville’s Norah Vetor (left), C.C. Quigley (second from left) and Nelani Render (right) react after Aleah Magee (33) makes a basket during the Millers’ game with Fishers on Thursday. Noblesville won the game 54-39. (Richie Hall)
By RICHARD TORRES
For The Reporter
NOBLESVILLE – For the first seven minutes, the Fishers Tigers controlled both the tempo and the scoreboard inside The Mill on Thursday night.
Then, the Class 4A Noblesville Millers (6-3, 2-2) flipped the switch and erased a five-point deficit with an 18-0 run fueled by their zone defense to rally back and pull even in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
Fishers’ Alanna Anthony looks to pass the ball. (Richie Hall)
The youthful Millers, which feature a combined nine freshmen and sophomores compared to one junior and three seniors, built a double-digit lead by halftime and fended off a late Tigers’ (6-5, 0-3) charge in the second half to win big, 54-39.
“You think it’s probably a coin flip game coming in, but our sophomores, our young kids, played so well tonight,” Noblesville coach Donna Buckley said. “They’re so athletic and can shoot it. Definitely a difference maker tonight.”
The change was evident in the final minute of the opening quarter, as Noblesville pulled ahead 11-10 and later ran out to a 23-10 lead late in the second.
The Millers’ 1-3-1 zone forced Fishers into 10 first-half turnovers, which played a factor with the 4A Tigers going scoreless for 7-plus minutes after holding a 10-5 advantage early.
“Defense changed everything. I thought when Nalani (Render) came in, we were able to get out in our 1-3-1 and make that a speed game,” Buckley said. “We can’t play in that half-court slow, get the ball inside game. That’s just not us.”
Instead, the Millers applied the pressure, and they outscored Fishers 18-7 in the second quarter.
Noblesville’s defense created transition buckets where sophomores Maia Blower and Norah Vetor found space, scoring 19 and 14 points, respectively.
Senior C.C. Quigley added eight points and six rebounds, while sophomore Aleah Magee finished with five points and seven rebounds. Senior Ally Hutchinson had six points.
Render didn’t score a point, but her handful of steals and defense were substantial.
“All three of those sophomore guards are feisty and just getting after it,” Buckley said. “Then Nalani, our little freshman, she’s going to be good. We brought her in and just went out 1-3-1, and those kids rose to the challenge.”
Fishers cut the deficit 34-29 late in the third, but an 18-2 run by Noblesville established its largest lead of the night at 21 points in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers were led by senior Natalie Thomas with eight points and three rebounds and junior Delaney Wilson with eight points. Sophomore Reagan Reiff had four points and eight rebounds.
“It takes just a couple back-to-back turnovers, not getting a bucket and another bucket, and then it kind of explodes on you,” Fishers’ acting coach Bill Thomas said. “I thought initially our effort was really good.”
A five-minute Tigers’ scoring drought in the fourth quarter locked in Noblesville’s third win in four games and snapped Fishers’ three-game winning streak.
“When we played down in Evansville (last week), we moved without the ball really well, and I think with their aggressive zone on top, we made the pass, but we didn’t move without the ball,” Thomas said. “That’s just something where I think it’s just a mental focus for them to get a little bit better on that.”
The Millers continue to build in-season after losing to 4A No. 13 Brownsburg, 67-48, last month; at 4A Carmel, 49-46, on Nov. 25; and at 4A No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern, 50-34, this past week.
“We haven’t lost to anybody badly. HSE, we tried our 1-3-1, and we played that in the third quarter against them and outscored them 17-7, then ran out of gas,” Buckley said. “They’re finding it. They’re finding their way.”
The Millers host 4A Lawrence North on Tuesday before resuming HCC play at 4A Westfield (8-3, 2-0) on Dec. 20. The Tigers host 4A Pendleton Heights on Monday before traveling to conference foe HSE on Dec. 19.
“We lost to Carmel in a close game. We lost to HSE in a game that was closer than that final score,” Buckley said. “Trust me, I don’t want to lose, but if you lose and you learn something and get better, then we grow. This group seems to really understand that and take those lessons.”
