(LEFT) Noblesville’s C.C. Quigley scored 20 points for the Millers during their game with Brownsburg on Wednesday. (RIGHT) Ally Hutchinson made three 3-pointers on her to way 11 points. (Julie Brown)
By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
NOBLESVILLE – From the opening tip, Brownsburg was consistent with both speed and physicality. Those two factors, along with knocking down 45 percent (13 for 29) from three-point range were enough to throw Noblesville off its normal game plan, beating the Millers at The Mill, 67-48.
Brownsburg got up 3-0 from an Ava Emberton three and it seemed like the Bulldogs were off to the races from that point on.
Maia Blower drove to the hoop to make it 3-2, but that’s the closest that Noblesville would be the rest of the way.
After that, Brownsburg went on a 14-2 run to end the first to lead 17-4.
“Honestly, we didn’t play very well,” said Noblesville head coach Donna Buckley. “If you don’t play well against a really good basketball team, they make you pay. They’ve got great shooters. Everytime we made a mistake, they made us pay. Early on, we didn’t handle their physicality and pressure. I think we got a little panicky and they thrived in that setting.”
Noblesville played better in the second, but the Bulldogs still found ways to capitalize on the Millers’ mistakes with a 29-18 halftime lead.
“When you get down against them, it’s hard to come back. We got it down to maybe nine and then we had a three and if that falls it makes it interesting. But, they went the other way and scored, putting us back down by double-digits,” Buckley added.
Three-point accuracy and second chance opportunities for Brownsburg helped them keep Noblesville at a distance in the third to go up 51-34 through three quarters.
The Millers cut it to a 12-point deficit at 51-39, but once again, Brownsburg converted another three to go up 54-39. From there, Brownsburg’s foot stayed on the gas on the way to a 19-point road win in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
“It was a very physical game,” said Buckley. “We did not handle that well. We looked young for the first time in a while. We have nine of our 13 varsity kids are freshmen and sophomores. Tonight was the first time we looked like we are a team of freshmen and sophomores. Every kid played young in the first half.”
No. 14 Brownsburg (3-1, 1-0 HCC) hosts the Sneakers for Santa Shootout on Saturday. The Bulldogs will face 10th-ranked Pendleton Heights (3-1) in the second game at approximately 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs were led by Elle McCulloch’s 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting, making 4-of-8 three-pointers. Ava Emberton scored 18, drilling 6-for-8 from distance and Laniah Walkine had 13 points and seven assists.
Noblesville (3-1, 1-1 HCC) dropped its first contest of the young season. Buckley’s squad gets the weekend to prepare for a road game at Carmel (4-1) on Nov. 25.
The Millers were led by recent Lipscomb University commit C.C. Quigley’s 20 points. The senior made 12 of 13 from the foul line and had a double-double with 12 rebounds. Ally Hutchinson had 11 and Aleah Magee chipped in with seven points off of the bench.
