This past Saturday at The Mill in Noblesville, it was a night where four Noblesville seniors were honored. Managers Brennen Greer, Johnathon Skene and Zach Taylor have all been a great part of the Miller girls basketball program and head coach Donna Keck and her staff cannot thank them enough for their contributions.
The highlight of the pre-game ceremony honored one of my favorite players during my six seasons as the public address voice of Noblesville girls basketball. Jessica Kiser has spent all four of her great years as a very key part of the continuing success of the Noblesville girls basketball program and its climb back to prominence. She's got that tough, gritty playing attitude about her and those are just a couple reasons why she's such a vital part of the success of Noblesville Miller basketball. Jessica demonstrates what is means to be a Miller!
4A #16 Noblesville 58, Zionsville 42 - (Saturday, January 25 at The Mill)
Eagles 16 4 10 12 -- 42
Millers 18 15 13 12 -- 58
No game is easy from this point on out for the Noblesville Millers, especially in the gritty Hoosier Crossroads Conference. Last Saturday's opponent in Zionsville wouldn't be viewed any different.
Zionsville had upset on their mind from the get-go and they made their point in the first quarter. Maddie Yott and Elizabeth Schuler combined for 10 of the Eagles' 16, but trailed the hosts 18-16, thanks in big part to very balanced scoring by six different Millers.
Yott drained a couple treys, her second coming in the left corner with 1:32 left in the first to tie it at 13. Next possession down the floor, the ball rotated around and freshman Brooke Herron found junior Audrey DeFoe for a three to break the tie and give Noblesville a 16-13 lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
Noblesville took over in the 2nd frame and held the Eagles in check 15-4, with 5'9 junior forward Katelyn O'Reilly adding 5 points to outscore Zionsville by one to put the Millers up 33-20 at halftime.
Zionsville head coach Andy Maguire must have gotten his points across in the locker room, because his Eagles woke up a little to keep it close in the quarter. Noblesville had many moving parts contribute and keep Zionsville at a distance, including 4 more from O'Reilly, to extend their lead to 46-30 through 24 minutes.
The visitors had a lot of work to do in very little time, if they were going to try and put a dent in the Miller lead. Zionsville was at the foul line 16 times, making 10, but that also resulted in the Eagles only converting one field goal in the fourth.
Meanwhile, even though it was an even 12-12 final quarter, head coach Donna Keck's team relied of forcing turnovers and it worked. While only committing 3 themselves in the 4th, Noblesville forced Zionsville into 8 of their 25 miscues.
The Millers were only able to sink 3 of their 10 fourth quarter free throws, but with Zionsville struggling from the field, that allowed Noblesville to excel with the clock moving. All was in the Millers' favor down the stretch, as they ran away from the Eagles for another HCC victory, 58-42.
The win for Noblesville was their 10th in a row over Zionsville and 13th in their last 15 in the series over the Eagles.
Neither team shot any sort of good from the charity stripe. Zionsville was just 54% (15-28) and Noblesville was just a bit worse, making only 11 of their 23 attempts (48%).
Zionsville (6-11, 2-6 HCC) was led in scoring by two different players. Maddie Yott and Elizabeth Schuler each led the Eagles with 11 points, which Laurie King pitched in 8.
Noblesville (13-3, 5-2 HCC) got a couple into double-figures with Katelyn O'Reilly pacing the Millers with a game-high 14 points (9 rebounds), while best friend Alexis Shannon joined her with 11, combining to make 11 field goals as a duo. Jessica Kiser dropped in 7 on her Senior Night, while Cori Cain, Audrey DeFoe and Erin Wood all chipped in with 6 apiece.
Monday night's home game vs. Harrison was postponed because of the weather and school closings. There has been no new date announced yet, but the game will be made up because it's a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game.
Tomorrow night (Wednesday), Noblesville is slated to hit the road and head over to play the Pendleton Heights Arabians (12-5). JV starts at 6 p.m., followed by the Varsity.
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