Cameron Hildreth’s career-high 34 points propelled the Noblesville Boom to a 130-129 win over the College Park Skyhawks on Thursday. (Mike Navarro)
Pours in career-high 34; Slawson perfect at the line
The REPORTER
The Noblesville Boom (13-8), the NBA G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, outlasted the College Park Skyhawks (5-17) in a down‑to‑the‑wire finish, earning a 130-129 victory on Thursday afternoon at The Arena at Innovation Mile.
The Boom’s Jalen Slawson was perfect at the free-throw line, making all 11 of his attempts. (Mike Navarro)
Cameron Hildreth led the way with a career‑high 34 points on 10‑of‑17 shooting, adding four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Jalen Slawson followed with another all‑around performance, totaling 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while going a perfect 11‑for‑11 at the free‑throw line, setting a new personal high for made free throws. Au’Diese Toney contributed 19 points and five rebounds.
Former Pacers two‑way guard RayJ Dennis delivered a monster performance in his return to Indiana, posting a career‑high 47 points and 11 assists on 16‑of‑24 shooting, including 5‑of‑7 from three. Basheer Jihad added 23 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Caleb Houstan finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists for College Park.
The Boom held a narrow 61–60 halftime lead after a gritty opening 24 minutes. Noblesville overcame an early five‑point deficit in the first quarter, responding with an 8–0 run sparked by RJ Felton, eventually closing the period on a 14–5 burst to take a seven‑point advantage. The Skyhawks answered in the second, cutting the lead to one behind an 8-0 run and outscoring the Boom 34-28 in the frame, but never reclaiming the lead. RayJ Dennis led all scorers at the break after pouring in 23 of his 47 points in the first half on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting from the field.
The third quarter featured six lead changes, but Noblesville ultimately created separation behind a 16‑point explosion from Cameron Hildreth, marking the highest‑scoring third quarter by a Boom player this regular season. That surge pushed the Boom to a 99-92 lead heading into the final frame. In the fourth quarter, the Skyhawks refused to go away, surging ahead by four with 6:12 remaining, but the Boom countered behind the relentless play of Slawson. Holding a one‑point lead inside the final two minutes, Slawson knocked down five straight free throws to extend the advantage to four. The Skyhawks answered with three free throws of their own, setting up a final possession with a chance to win at the buzzer. Dennis rose for a tightly contested 18‑footer, but his shot fell short as time expired, sealing the Boom’s 130-129 victory.
The Boom returns to action after the 2026 NBA All-Star break on Thursday against the Cleveland Charge at The Arena at Innovation Mile. Coverage will stream live on ESPN+, tipping off at 7 p.m.
Tickets and team updates are available at NoblesvilleBoom.com, and fans can stream every game live at NBAGLeague.com.
Students from Noble Crossing Elementary School cheered on the Boom during their win. (Mike Navarro)
