4A #16 Noblesville 53, 3A #6 Western Boone 48
Noblesville 8 9 11 25 -- 53
Western Boone 4 12 13 19 -- 48
Prior to Tuesday night's road trip west to Western Boone, it seemed like it was going to be quite the season changer in numerous ways and it now appears that it was. Donna Keck's 4A #16 Millers held strong and kept the host Stars exactly where and how they wanted them, picking up a road win, 53-48.
The Millers have a good history with WeBo in recent years, especially during Keck's coaching tenure. Since Donna's first season in 2008-09, she and her Millers are now 5-1 versus Western Boone, which normally resides in Class 3A's top 10 rankings throughout the season.
That trend didn't change during Tuesday night's non-conference meeting.
Noblesville controlled the tempo early, but Western Boone stayed right there in case the Millers were to falter. Leading 8-4 after one and a low-scoring 17-16 slight edge at half, something had a give in the second half for NHS to come up with the road victory.
Coach Rich Schelsky's Stars got a wake-up call from their coach at halftime and came out poised to defend their home court in the second half.
Western Boone played a great middle two quarters, outscoring the Millers in the 2nd (12-9) and 3rd (13-11) to take a 29-28 lead after three.
Lately, the 4th quarter has been where Noblesville decides to pour on the extra offensive effort. Three games in a row now, the Millers have averaged 20 points in the 4th. The Millers did that and held off the home-standing Stars, taking the lead and taking the 4th, 25-19 for a 53-48 win.
Western Boone's senior Indiana All-Star candidate had a pretty good night overall. Emily Harrison led the Stars and all scorers with 24 points on 6-11 field goals and 12-21 from the free throw line, while also snagging 11 rebounds. WeBo shot just 34% (15-44) as a team and only 1-6 from three-point range. Western Boone (13-3) suffered just its third defeat all season.
Noblesville (12-3) found a way to make the victory happen and they did it as one balanced team. The trio of Cori Cain, Jessica Kiser and Erin Wood shared team-high honors with 10 points apiece. Kayleigh "Nikita" Herron, Alexis Shannon and Katelyn O'Reilly each pitched in with 7 points each to highlight the Millers' scoring.
The Millers shot just 28% overall (14-50) and only 2-14 from long range. Free throws were the kindest for either squad, as Noblesville was 23-37 (62%) and Western Boone made just 17-31 (55%).
Noblesville (12-3, 4-2 HCC) comes home this Saturday, the 25th to face Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Zionsville (6-10, 2-5 HCC). Junior varsity tips at 6 p.m. and Varsity follows.
Once again, if you like my work, follow me on Twitter: @irishcub4life
Friday, January 24, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Millers run away from Avon girls, 68-48
Wood paces three in double-figures, balanced scoring attack for Millers
4A #15 Noblesville 68, Avon 48 - (Saturday, January 18 at The Mill)
Orioles 17 12 4 15 -- 48
Millers 19 12 15 22 -- 68
On paper, it was looked to be a blowout for Noblesville. We all know that how things are projected to be and how they end up are always completely different. That's exactly how it started in Saturday's midday matchup in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. The host Millers eventually ran away with a 68-48 win over the visiting Orioles.
It was almost as if Erin Wood knew that a great game was expected out of her against this Avon squad. Wood posted up in the lane and Noblesville's guard spoon fed her as she dropped down four field goals and a pair of free throws in the first quarter alone to lead the Millers.
Wood wasn't the only scorer to start the game hot. Avon's Megan Hunt had six points to keep the Millers honest and her Orioles still in the ball game, trailing Noblesville just 19-17 in a tight first quarter.
The Orioles hung tight and kept the Millers on their toes for the remainder of the first half. One thing that was a big factor was that Noblesville had forced Avon into committing 9 personal fouls in the first quarter, so Keck's girls spent a majority of the second at the free throw line. Those trips to the charity stripe proved pivotal. Noblesville took full advantage by going 8-for-8 to take a 31-29 slight lead into the locker room.
Kiser's quarter was the theme of the third. She flipped a switch in her head and scored seven of her 14 points. Her seven, along with Wood and Brooke Herron each knocking down a three, got Noblesville the chance to open the game up with a 15-4 third and lead 46-33.
The Millers kept pouring it on in the fourth. Just into the quarter, Katelyn O'Reilly scored two buckets in a row on consecutive Avon turnovers for a 52-33 score.
Taking turns to help put this game to bed, Noblesville was exhausting Avon as it kept things up down the stretch. Cori Cain sank two free throws with 6:14 left for the Millers' biggest lead yet at 57-36.
With 2:14 left, two fast break layups from Alexis Shannon put Noblesville back up by 21 (65-44) and it was all but over. Donna Keck emptied her bench for the final couple minutes. Rachel Shipman's three in the final minute and a half put the icing on the cake as the Millers protected The Mill with pride, taking down Avon 68-48.
Avon (1-13, 1-6 HCC) was led in scoring by Megan Hunt (13), Monique Ellis (11) and Lexi Short (9).
Noblesville (11-3, 4-2) was led in a balanced scoring attack by Erin Wood's solid 18 point performance on six field goals and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. Jessica Kiser woke up her offense a little bit with 14 points, making 8-of-10 at the foul line. Alexis Shannon was the third Miller in double-figures with 12. Brooke Herron and Katelyn O'Reilly had 6 apiece and Cori Cain with 5.
The Millers hit the road tonight and face a fierce opponent in the Western Boone Stars (13-2). The Stars started out their season on a 12-game winning streak, but are reeling lately with dropping two of their last three. Losing on a neutral court to 4A #12 Logansport, 69-60 and at Brownsburg 58-57, whom Noblesville beat 91-70, Western Boone has since gotten back to winning with a 53-32 win at Frankfort on Friday, January 17.
Tonight at Western Boone, it's a 6 p.m. JV start, followed by the Varsity.
Noblesville comes home to host Zionsville for a Saturday night tilt this weekend on January 25.
If you want to check me out on Twitter, look me up... @irishcub4life
4A #15 Noblesville 68, Avon 48 - (Saturday, January 18 at The Mill)
Orioles 17 12 4 15 -- 48
Millers 19 12 15 22 -- 68
On paper, it was looked to be a blowout for Noblesville. We all know that how things are projected to be and how they end up are always completely different. That's exactly how it started in Saturday's midday matchup in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. The host Millers eventually ran away with a 68-48 win over the visiting Orioles.
It was almost as if Erin Wood knew that a great game was expected out of her against this Avon squad. Wood posted up in the lane and Noblesville's guard spoon fed her as she dropped down four field goals and a pair of free throws in the first quarter alone to lead the Millers.
Wood wasn't the only scorer to start the game hot. Avon's Megan Hunt had six points to keep the Millers honest and her Orioles still in the ball game, trailing Noblesville just 19-17 in a tight first quarter.
The Orioles hung tight and kept the Millers on their toes for the remainder of the first half. One thing that was a big factor was that Noblesville had forced Avon into committing 9 personal fouls in the first quarter, so Keck's girls spent a majority of the second at the free throw line. Those trips to the charity stripe proved pivotal. Noblesville took full advantage by going 8-for-8 to take a 31-29 slight lead into the locker room.
Kiser's quarter was the theme of the third. She flipped a switch in her head and scored seven of her 14 points. Her seven, along with Wood and Brooke Herron each knocking down a three, got Noblesville the chance to open the game up with a 15-4 third and lead 46-33.
The Millers kept pouring it on in the fourth. Just into the quarter, Katelyn O'Reilly scored two buckets in a row on consecutive Avon turnovers for a 52-33 score.
Taking turns to help put this game to bed, Noblesville was exhausting Avon as it kept things up down the stretch. Cori Cain sank two free throws with 6:14 left for the Millers' biggest lead yet at 57-36.
With 2:14 left, two fast break layups from Alexis Shannon put Noblesville back up by 21 (65-44) and it was all but over. Donna Keck emptied her bench for the final couple minutes. Rachel Shipman's three in the final minute and a half put the icing on the cake as the Millers protected The Mill with pride, taking down Avon 68-48.
Avon (1-13, 1-6 HCC) was led in scoring by Megan Hunt (13), Monique Ellis (11) and Lexi Short (9).
Noblesville (11-3, 4-2) was led in a balanced scoring attack by Erin Wood's solid 18 point performance on six field goals and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. Jessica Kiser woke up her offense a little bit with 14 points, making 8-of-10 at the foul line. Alexis Shannon was the third Miller in double-figures with 12. Brooke Herron and Katelyn O'Reilly had 6 apiece and Cori Cain with 5.
The Millers hit the road tonight and face a fierce opponent in the Western Boone Stars (13-2). The Stars started out their season on a 12-game winning streak, but are reeling lately with dropping two of their last three. Losing on a neutral court to 4A #12 Logansport, 69-60 and at Brownsburg 58-57, whom Noblesville beat 91-70, Western Boone has since gotten back to winning with a 53-32 win at Frankfort on Friday, January 17.
Tonight at Western Boone, it's a 6 p.m. JV start, followed by the Varsity.
Noblesville comes home to host Zionsville for a Saturday night tilt this weekend on January 25.
If you want to check me out on Twitter, look me up... @irishcub4life
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Noblesville staves off late Fishers rally, gets big road win, 48-46, in Coaches vs. Cancer game
Anytime that two schools and the fans from their communities can get together to raise funds to help fight cancer, it tends to be a great atmosphere for all. Coaches vs. Cancer is an organization that is highlighted nationally by college basketball coaches that participate in pre-season basketball games that are televised on the ESPN networks.
Former North Carolina State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano gave one of the most memorable speeches. He gave this speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards on ESPN. It's such an inspiring and motivational display of words by such a great man and ambassador for the fight against cancer, that ESPN replays his speech numerous times during the beginning of the college basketball season.
The Jimmy V Classic at New York City's Madison Square Garden features four of the top men's college basketball programs in the country getting together to fight cancer. To donate to The V Foundation for cancer research, you can call 1-800-4-JIMMYV or head to www.jimmyv.org.
The partnership of the Noblesville and Fishers girls is just one of thousands that takes place throughout the country all year long in hopes of someday beating cancer with enough funds put toward the research. Many different businesses throughout Noblesville and Fishers take part and donate different items such as gift cards, gift baskets, autographed basketballs and other sports items that are part of the silent auction that usually raises upwards between $600 and $800 that all goes directly to cancer research.
Noblesville 48, 4A #16 Fishers 46 - (Wednesday, January 15 at Fishers)
Millers 12 12 13 11 -- 48
Tigers 4 14 10 18 -- 46
Noblesville was on a high, coming off of last Saturday's big home win over the 2012-13 3A State Champion Mt. Vernon (Fortville) Marauders, 56-46. Fishers had the idea of taking the Millers right down off of that great feeling. Noblesville's goal in mind was to put a halt to the Tigers' eight-game winning streak.
On a mission, the Millers got out in front early and kept their lead. After one, head coach Donna Keck's pink-clad crew jumped out 12-4.
Fishers woke up a little in the second to outscore Noblesville 14-12, but NHS led 24-18 after 16 minutes played.
Noblesville edged out the host Tigers 13-10 in the third to extend their lead to 37-28.
The 4th quarter became a little dicey for the Millers. Fishers figured out that their eight-game winning streak was about to be snapped and topped Noblesville 18-11. For a majority of the 4th, Keck had to devise a lineup that had no Erin Wood or Jessica Kiser on the floor until the final few minutes. Both Miller veterans picked up their fourth fouls early in the quarter.
Wood dropped in half of her 12 points in the final frame, despite being hampered with 4 fouls before fouling out in the final couple minutes.
The Millers were able to get the Tigers into foul trouble when it mattered most in the second half, forcing Fishers to foul within the final minute. That being said, the hosts had run out of time and options in their comeback and Noblesville escaped with a big 48-46 Hoosier Crossroads Conference win.
Alex Hochstedler led all scorers with a game-high 23 points on 5-of-11 field goals, while sinking 13-for-15 from the free throw line.
Fishers shot just 36% (13-36), but missed every long range shot (0-6). The big factor that helped the Tigers stay in the game was their stellar 20-25 (80%) free throw shooting.
Noblesville was led by Audrey DeFoe's 13 on 3 three-pointers made. AD scored in double-figures for the sixth time in 12 games played and her fifth time in the Millers' last six outings. Erin Wood had another solid game with 12 points (5-8 FGs) and 7 rebounds. Alexis Shannon managed to pitch in with 7 points, 5 rebounds and dish out 3 assists.
As a team, Noblesville shot 44% overall (16-36) and 40% (4-10) from the three-point arc. Another plus was their improvement at the charity stripe, making 12-of-16 attempts.
Fishers' (12-4, 4-2 HCC) week doesn't get any easier. They'll host 4A #6 Westfield (11-0, 6-0 HCC) in an early afternoon home game on Saturday.
Noblesville (10-3, 3-2 HCC) gets to host its own Saturday afternoon HCC matchup. The Millers welcome in the Avon Orioles (1-12, 1-5 HCC). JV tip is set for 11 a.m., followed by the varsity at approximately 12:30 p.m. at The Mill.
Former North Carolina State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano gave one of the most memorable speeches. He gave this speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards on ESPN. It's such an inspiring and motivational display of words by such a great man and ambassador for the fight against cancer, that ESPN replays his speech numerous times during the beginning of the college basketball season.
The Jimmy V Classic at New York City's Madison Square Garden features four of the top men's college basketball programs in the country getting together to fight cancer. To donate to The V Foundation for cancer research, you can call 1-800-4-JIMMYV or head to www.jimmyv.org.
The partnership of the Noblesville and Fishers girls is just one of thousands that takes place throughout the country all year long in hopes of someday beating cancer with enough funds put toward the research. Many different businesses throughout Noblesville and Fishers take part and donate different items such as gift cards, gift baskets, autographed basketballs and other sports items that are part of the silent auction that usually raises upwards between $600 and $800 that all goes directly to cancer research.
Noblesville 48, 4A #16 Fishers 46 - (Wednesday, January 15 at Fishers)
Millers 12 12 13 11 -- 48
Tigers 4 14 10 18 -- 46
Noblesville was on a high, coming off of last Saturday's big home win over the 2012-13 3A State Champion Mt. Vernon (Fortville) Marauders, 56-46. Fishers had the idea of taking the Millers right down off of that great feeling. Noblesville's goal in mind was to put a halt to the Tigers' eight-game winning streak.
On a mission, the Millers got out in front early and kept their lead. After one, head coach Donna Keck's pink-clad crew jumped out 12-4.
Fishers woke up a little in the second to outscore Noblesville 14-12, but NHS led 24-18 after 16 minutes played.
Noblesville edged out the host Tigers 13-10 in the third to extend their lead to 37-28.
The 4th quarter became a little dicey for the Millers. Fishers figured out that their eight-game winning streak was about to be snapped and topped Noblesville 18-11. For a majority of the 4th, Keck had to devise a lineup that had no Erin Wood or Jessica Kiser on the floor until the final few minutes. Both Miller veterans picked up their fourth fouls early in the quarter.
Wood dropped in half of her 12 points in the final frame, despite being hampered with 4 fouls before fouling out in the final couple minutes.
The Millers were able to get the Tigers into foul trouble when it mattered most in the second half, forcing Fishers to foul within the final minute. That being said, the hosts had run out of time and options in their comeback and Noblesville escaped with a big 48-46 Hoosier Crossroads Conference win.
Alex Hochstedler led all scorers with a game-high 23 points on 5-of-11 field goals, while sinking 13-for-15 from the free throw line.
Fishers shot just 36% (13-36), but missed every long range shot (0-6). The big factor that helped the Tigers stay in the game was their stellar 20-25 (80%) free throw shooting.
Noblesville was led by Audrey DeFoe's 13 on 3 three-pointers made. AD scored in double-figures for the sixth time in 12 games played and her fifth time in the Millers' last six outings. Erin Wood had another solid game with 12 points (5-8 FGs) and 7 rebounds. Alexis Shannon managed to pitch in with 7 points, 5 rebounds and dish out 3 assists.
As a team, Noblesville shot 44% overall (16-36) and 40% (4-10) from the three-point arc. Another plus was their improvement at the charity stripe, making 12-of-16 attempts.
Fishers' (12-4, 4-2 HCC) week doesn't get any easier. They'll host 4A #6 Westfield (11-0, 6-0 HCC) in an early afternoon home game on Saturday.
Noblesville (10-3, 3-2 HCC) gets to host its own Saturday afternoon HCC matchup. The Millers welcome in the Avon Orioles (1-12, 1-5 HCC). JV tip is set for 11 a.m., followed by the varsity at approximately 12:30 p.m. at The Mill.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Millers explode in 4th, outlast Mt. Vernon, 56-46
Noblesville 56, Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 46 - (Saturday, January 11 at The Mill)
Mt. Vernon 12 11 9 14 -- 46
Noblesville 10 16 7 23 -- 56
It was going to be a tough task any way you look at it, but the Noblesville Miller girls basketball team could be described with a few words following Saturday's big win over Mt. Vernon (Fortville).
Poised. Relentless. Focused.
Head coach Donna Keck's Millers were bound and determined to come out with a win, no matter what. Mt. Vernon was without the services of 6'1 senior Indiana All-Star candidate Erica Moore due to injury, but the visiting Marauders were just as focused in trying to get the road win as Noblesville was to hand Julie Shelton's squad their third loss of the season.
With a lot of offensive help from the coach's daughter, 5'8 sophomore guard Sydney Shelton, Mt. Vernon kept Noblesville on their toes for a solid 32 minutes.
After a little bit of small ball to start out, the Marauders took a 12-10 edge on a Shaely Duff three, to lead after one.
A quick trey by Shelton to start the second got Mt. Vernon up 15-10. Noblesville's frontcourt had something else in mind that the Marauders weren't expecting to begin the quarter. Keck found a way to get her two forwards involved in the offense more and it worked.
Erin Wood dished out a couple of assists to Alexis Shannon for consecutive buckets to get within one. The next trip up the floor, Shannon returned the favor and Wood put up a soft layup with 5:10 left until halftime for a 16-15 Miller lead.
Just before halftime, the Marauders tied the game up at 23 and looked to hold things even through two. The Millers found a way to defy that. Jessica Kiser found junior Audrey DeFoe outside the three point arc for her second three of the quarter, swishing it for a 26-23 Noblesville lead heading into the locker room.
DeFoe began the 3rd knocking down her third trey of the game, putting the Millers up 33-28 and on a 7-5 run, forcing the Mt. Vernon bench to call a full timeout. The Marauders got a couple baskets out of Sadie Baugh and Olivia Coleman to close the third quarter out and trail 33-32 to Noblesville.
From the vantage point at the far right side of the scorers tables, it seemed like an extremely intense Mt. Vernon huddle. Shelton got her point across. A play was drawn up and Coleman drove through the lane for two to give the visitors their first lead since the end of the first (12-10).
A turnover by the Millers and back down the court went the Marauders, led by sophomore Sydney Shelton. She had the presence of mind to cut through defenders and get fouled while nailing a jumper. Shelton sank the free throw and Mt. Vernon was up 37-33. This wouldn't last long...
Trading baskets for the next couple minutes, there was no way Noblesville would let this game completely slip away. Kiser was fouled converting a layup and then made the free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play. The Millers now trailed just 44-41 with 3:05 left.
Then, it became the Cori Cain long distance show. Cain played some intense defense all day and it was written all over her face that she had something up her sleeve.
She started her scoring spree with 2:10 left by swishing a three from the right side to give Noblesville a 47-46 lead, which they wouldn't give back.
As the Millers forced a couple more turnovers, Cain was fed the ball a couple more times to extend the advantage to 53-46. The game was sealed when Katelyn O'Reilly was fouled putting a layup off the glass. KO sank her free throw for the final tally of 56-46.
Sydney Shelton led all scorers with a game-high 23 points on eight field goals, while Olivia Coleman had 10 for Mt. Vernon (10-3).
Noblesville (9-3, 2-2 HCC) had a very balanced attack, with Audrey DeFoe (4 reb.) and Katelyn O'Reilly (7-9 FT) sharing team-high honors with 11 apiece. Cori Cain had 9 on three 3's, Erin Wood 8 and Jessica Kiser 7 (5-5 FTs). Alexis Shannon chipped in with 6 (7 reb.) and Brooke Herron added 4 (4 reb.).
The Millers connected on 6-of-15 (40%) three-point attempts and 18-for-22 (82%) at the free throw line to help propel them to the win.
Wednesday is going to be a real test for Donna Keck's squad. They'll head south to Fishers (12-3, 4-1 HCC) for a crucial Hoosier Crossroads Conference road game. The Tigers have won 8 straight and haven't lost since dropping a home game to Mooresville (51-48) on December 6.
Anderson 56, Noblesville 50 - (Friday, January 3 at The Mill)
Indians 16 11 18 11 -- 56
Millers 14 17 15 4 -- 50
This was simply a back and forth, full tilt battle between two great basketball teams. Balanced scoring from both Anderson and Noblesville and it was a shame that someone had to lose this fast-paced game.
Anderson led 16-14 thru one, but the host Millers forced the visiting Indians into seven turnovers to their six.
Noblesville took the second with a 17-11 output, thanks to a team effort of 5-for-5 at the foul line to lead 31-27 at that half.
The Indians came out firing in the 3rd and took the lead on a Dabriona Williams three, 37-36, midway through the quarter. The next trip down the floor, freshman Brooke Herron of Noblesville was fouled. She made both attempts from the charity stripe, tying it up at 37 and giving the Millers a 38-37 edge.
Anderson took a slight 39-38 lead on Da'Sha Boyd's two, but that just fired up the Noblesville sharp-shooters. Two consecutive threes by Brooke Herron and Audrey DeFoe bolted the Millers up 44-39 in the final two minutes of the third. The Indians cut it to a one-point deficit after three, 46-45.
The visitors figured out how to get to the Millers and it worked, unfortunately. Anderson was able to hold down the Millers on their home floor, limiting them 11-4 in the final eight minutes to take a 56-50 victory back to Howard county.
The Indians were able to get three into double figures. Chelsea Bentley led all scorers with 14, while Da'Sha Boyd and Dabriona Williams both wound up with 13.
Noblesville was led by Brooke Herron's team-high 13, followed by Audrey DeFoe's 11. Both were able to drill three from outside-the-arc. Erin Wood had 9 and Alexis Shannon finished with 8, while both grabbed 7 rebounds.
Noblesville 91, Brownsburg 70 - (Saturday, December 21 at Brownsburg)
Millers 10 30 21 30 -- 91
Bulldogs 14 22 5 29 -- 70
Brooke Herron 23 points, Alexis Shannon 14, Jessica Kiser 12, Kayleigh Herron 11, Audrey DeFoe 10, Katelyn O'Reilly 7, Erin Wood 6, Rachel Shipman 5, Erin Flynn 2, Cori Cain 1, Haley Conway 0 and Sam Salmon 0.
Hamilton Southeastern 54, Noblesville 44 - (Friday, December 13 at Hamilton Southeastern)
Millers 16 10 7 11 -- 44
Royals 10 18 15 11 -- 54
This was the first basketball broadcast by myself and Dusty Mills on highschoolcube.com. If you get a chance, head to highschoolcube.com and type Noblesville at Hamilton Southeastern in the search blank and enjoy the broadcast!
Gunning to end their 12-year, 16-game losing streak against Hamilton Southeastern, the Noblesville Millers made it a quick start out of the gate. Leading 16-10 after one, coach Donna Keck's squad was poised to keep the lead as long as they could in hopes of pulling out the long awaited W.
The host Royals climbed their way back with outscoring Noblesville 18-10 in the second quarter, from the trio of Taylor Graham, Bree Lloyd and Madi Taylor combining for a 9-for-9 effort from the free throw line.
Cori Cain led the Millers with 6 of her team-high 10 points in the second quarter, but Noblesville now trailed Hamilton Southeastern 28-26 at the half.
Down just two heading into the final two quarters, the Millers let the Royals play a mind game with them and the game was out of hand before they knew it.
Turning the ball over at-will and allowing Hamilton Southeastern's speedy backcourt to be a thorn in the Millers' side, Noblesville would trail the hosts by 10 after three (44-34) and that would also be the final margin (54-44).
Cori Cain and Erin Wood led Noblesville with 10 points each. Jessica Kiser added 9, while Brooke Herron pitched in with 7.
Hamilton Southeastern was led by both Taylor Graham and Madi Taylor with 15 points from each junior. Darie Kirschling and Megan Walton had 7 apiece and Bree Lloyd 6.
Mt. Vernon 12 11 9 14 -- 46
Noblesville 10 16 7 23 -- 56
It was going to be a tough task any way you look at it, but the Noblesville Miller girls basketball team could be described with a few words following Saturday's big win over Mt. Vernon (Fortville).
Poised. Relentless. Focused.
Head coach Donna Keck's Millers were bound and determined to come out with a win, no matter what. Mt. Vernon was without the services of 6'1 senior Indiana All-Star candidate Erica Moore due to injury, but the visiting Marauders were just as focused in trying to get the road win as Noblesville was to hand Julie Shelton's squad their third loss of the season.
With a lot of offensive help from the coach's daughter, 5'8 sophomore guard Sydney Shelton, Mt. Vernon kept Noblesville on their toes for a solid 32 minutes.
After a little bit of small ball to start out, the Marauders took a 12-10 edge on a Shaely Duff three, to lead after one.
A quick trey by Shelton to start the second got Mt. Vernon up 15-10. Noblesville's frontcourt had something else in mind that the Marauders weren't expecting to begin the quarter. Keck found a way to get her two forwards involved in the offense more and it worked.
Erin Wood dished out a couple of assists to Alexis Shannon for consecutive buckets to get within one. The next trip up the floor, Shannon returned the favor and Wood put up a soft layup with 5:10 left until halftime for a 16-15 Miller lead.
Just before halftime, the Marauders tied the game up at 23 and looked to hold things even through two. The Millers found a way to defy that. Jessica Kiser found junior Audrey DeFoe outside the three point arc for her second three of the quarter, swishing it for a 26-23 Noblesville lead heading into the locker room.
DeFoe began the 3rd knocking down her third trey of the game, putting the Millers up 33-28 and on a 7-5 run, forcing the Mt. Vernon bench to call a full timeout. The Marauders got a couple baskets out of Sadie Baugh and Olivia Coleman to close the third quarter out and trail 33-32 to Noblesville.
From the vantage point at the far right side of the scorers tables, it seemed like an extremely intense Mt. Vernon huddle. Shelton got her point across. A play was drawn up and Coleman drove through the lane for two to give the visitors their first lead since the end of the first (12-10).
A turnover by the Millers and back down the court went the Marauders, led by sophomore Sydney Shelton. She had the presence of mind to cut through defenders and get fouled while nailing a jumper. Shelton sank the free throw and Mt. Vernon was up 37-33. This wouldn't last long...
Trading baskets for the next couple minutes, there was no way Noblesville would let this game completely slip away. Kiser was fouled converting a layup and then made the free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play. The Millers now trailed just 44-41 with 3:05 left.
Then, it became the Cori Cain long distance show. Cain played some intense defense all day and it was written all over her face that she had something up her sleeve.
She started her scoring spree with 2:10 left by swishing a three from the right side to give Noblesville a 47-46 lead, which they wouldn't give back.
As the Millers forced a couple more turnovers, Cain was fed the ball a couple more times to extend the advantage to 53-46. The game was sealed when Katelyn O'Reilly was fouled putting a layup off the glass. KO sank her free throw for the final tally of 56-46.
Sydney Shelton led all scorers with a game-high 23 points on eight field goals, while Olivia Coleman had 10 for Mt. Vernon (10-3).
Noblesville (9-3, 2-2 HCC) had a very balanced attack, with Audrey DeFoe (4 reb.) and Katelyn O'Reilly (7-9 FT) sharing team-high honors with 11 apiece. Cori Cain had 9 on three 3's, Erin Wood 8 and Jessica Kiser 7 (5-5 FTs). Alexis Shannon chipped in with 6 (7 reb.) and Brooke Herron added 4 (4 reb.).
The Millers connected on 6-of-15 (40%) three-point attempts and 18-for-22 (82%) at the free throw line to help propel them to the win.
Wednesday is going to be a real test for Donna Keck's squad. They'll head south to Fishers (12-3, 4-1 HCC) for a crucial Hoosier Crossroads Conference road game. The Tigers have won 8 straight and haven't lost since dropping a home game to Mooresville (51-48) on December 6.
Anderson 56, Noblesville 50 - (Friday, January 3 at The Mill)
Indians 16 11 18 11 -- 56
Millers 14 17 15 4 -- 50
This was simply a back and forth, full tilt battle between two great basketball teams. Balanced scoring from both Anderson and Noblesville and it was a shame that someone had to lose this fast-paced game.
Anderson led 16-14 thru one, but the host Millers forced the visiting Indians into seven turnovers to their six.
Noblesville took the second with a 17-11 output, thanks to a team effort of 5-for-5 at the foul line to lead 31-27 at that half.
The Indians came out firing in the 3rd and took the lead on a Dabriona Williams three, 37-36, midway through the quarter. The next trip down the floor, freshman Brooke Herron of Noblesville was fouled. She made both attempts from the charity stripe, tying it up at 37 and giving the Millers a 38-37 edge.
Anderson took a slight 39-38 lead on Da'Sha Boyd's two, but that just fired up the Noblesville sharp-shooters. Two consecutive threes by Brooke Herron and Audrey DeFoe bolted the Millers up 44-39 in the final two minutes of the third. The Indians cut it to a one-point deficit after three, 46-45.
The visitors figured out how to get to the Millers and it worked, unfortunately. Anderson was able to hold down the Millers on their home floor, limiting them 11-4 in the final eight minutes to take a 56-50 victory back to Howard county.
The Indians were able to get three into double figures. Chelsea Bentley led all scorers with 14, while Da'Sha Boyd and Dabriona Williams both wound up with 13.
Noblesville was led by Brooke Herron's team-high 13, followed by Audrey DeFoe's 11. Both were able to drill three from outside-the-arc. Erin Wood had 9 and Alexis Shannon finished with 8, while both grabbed 7 rebounds.
Noblesville 91, Brownsburg 70 - (Saturday, December 21 at Brownsburg)
Millers 10 30 21 30 -- 91
Bulldogs 14 22 5 29 -- 70
Brooke Herron 23 points, Alexis Shannon 14, Jessica Kiser 12, Kayleigh Herron 11, Audrey DeFoe 10, Katelyn O'Reilly 7, Erin Wood 6, Rachel Shipman 5, Erin Flynn 2, Cori Cain 1, Haley Conway 0 and Sam Salmon 0.
Hamilton Southeastern 54, Noblesville 44 - (Friday, December 13 at Hamilton Southeastern)
Millers 16 10 7 11 -- 44
Royals 10 18 15 11 -- 54
This was the first basketball broadcast by myself and Dusty Mills on highschoolcube.com. If you get a chance, head to highschoolcube.com and type Noblesville at Hamilton Southeastern in the search blank and enjoy the broadcast!
Gunning to end their 12-year, 16-game losing streak against Hamilton Southeastern, the Noblesville Millers made it a quick start out of the gate. Leading 16-10 after one, coach Donna Keck's squad was poised to keep the lead as long as they could in hopes of pulling out the long awaited W.
The host Royals climbed their way back with outscoring Noblesville 18-10 in the second quarter, from the trio of Taylor Graham, Bree Lloyd and Madi Taylor combining for a 9-for-9 effort from the free throw line.
Cori Cain led the Millers with 6 of her team-high 10 points in the second quarter, but Noblesville now trailed Hamilton Southeastern 28-26 at the half.
Down just two heading into the final two quarters, the Millers let the Royals play a mind game with them and the game was out of hand before they knew it.
Turning the ball over at-will and allowing Hamilton Southeastern's speedy backcourt to be a thorn in the Millers' side, Noblesville would trail the hosts by 10 after three (44-34) and that would also be the final margin (54-44).
Cori Cain and Erin Wood led Noblesville with 10 points each. Jessica Kiser added 9, while Brooke Herron pitched in with 7.
Hamilton Southeastern was led by both Taylor Graham and Madi Taylor with 15 points from each junior. Darie Kirschling and Megan Walton had 7 apiece and Bree Lloyd 6.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Noblesville blows out McCutcheon, improves to 7-1
The weather on Saturday, December 7 might have been cold outside, but The Mill was pretty warm and welcomed the visiting McCutcheon Maverick girls to face the Noblesville Millers in a matinee matchup in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
It didn't take long at all, but the Millers took complete control of this conference battle from the get-go. Three-point buckets by senior Jessica Kiser and junior Kayleigh Herron jumped Noblesville out to an early 6-2 lead. Kerstyn Lowery and Katee Kurtz added a pair of free throws each, but the Mavs had already dug themselves a hole that would be hard to get out of. McCutcheon wasn't able to knock down its first field goal until 1:53 left in the first, when Gabby Gary nailed a three.
The Millers forced 7 Maverick turnovers in the first quarter. With about 3 minutes left, NHS clung to an 11-4 lead, but that didn't last long. Two consecutive forced turnovers turned quickly into two Katelyn O'Reilly layups to put Noblesville up 15-4, causing McCutcheon head coach Jeff Knoy to call his first timeout.
Audrey DeFoe capped off the dominant first frame with an easy 3-pointer with 1:24 on the clock to put Noblesville well out in front, 21-7.
DeFoe scorched the nets with a another couple treys and got the help of her teammates spreading out the Miller scoring to distance themselves even more from the visiting Mavericks to lead 39-14 at the break.
It may have been too late, but it seemed like McCutcheon's offense woke up a little in the third, but were still outscored by the Millers 13-12. O'Reilly added two more buckets and DeFoe her fourth three to propel Noblesville to a doubling of the Mavericks after 24 minutes, 52-26.
The 4th quarter became a time for Noblesville head coach Donna Keck to utilize her bench and run the clock out on this HCC win. That's exactly what she and her staff did as they got their first Saturday in December off to an outstanding start, beating McCutcheon, 64-35.
McCutcheon (2-5, 1-2 HCC) had only one in double-digit scoring, as Kerstyn Lowery led the way, tying for a game-high 15. Gabby Gary also had 6 for the Mavericks.
Noblesville (7-1, 1-1 HCC) was really able to spread out their scoring. Junior Audrey DeFoe led the Millers with a game-high 15 points off the bench, mostly on four 3-pointers. Katelyn O'Reilly also had a stellar game off Keck's bench with 13 on six field goals. Erin Wood chipped in with 9 points and Alexis Shannon finished with 8. As a team, the Millers were able to dish out 21 assists on their 25 made field goals. Cori Cain (4), Brooke Herron (4), Kayleigh Herron (3) and Rachel Shipman (3) were four selfless passers in making sure the ball got to the right teammate to put points on the scoreboard.
Tonight, the Millers face a HCC and Hamilton county rival that they haven't had a victory against in 12 years. Hamilton Southeastern (4-4, 3-1 HCC) has beaten Noblesville in 16 consecutive meetings. The last time Noblesville was able to pull out a victory over the Royals was December 7, 2001, when the Millers were coached by Leah Wooldridge and won at Hamilton Southeastern, 75-56.
The time has come and it has been WAY too long and this particular group of Millers is definitely primed and ready to get over that hump that has been the Hamilton Southeastern Royals. Noblesville has the opportunity that they have been waiting for. It will be a packed house at Hamilton Southeastern tonight and also an epic atmosphere.
We would love to see you in attendance at Hamilton Southeastern to support the girls at 6 p.m. and the boys around 8 p.m. in a doubleheader of varsity action.
If you can't make it, get on your computers or smartphones and you get watch/listen online LIVE on highschoolcube.com or download the free HSC Live app from your Android, iPhone or iPad markets. Once you get to the site or onto the app, in the search blank, type in Noblesville at Hamilton Southeastern and you'll be LIVE! Bring your earbuds to the game and you can listen to us live also!
Craig Adkins (myself) will call the play-by-play and Dusty Mills (former Miller) provides the color commentary.
GO MILLERS!
It didn't take long at all, but the Millers took complete control of this conference battle from the get-go. Three-point buckets by senior Jessica Kiser and junior Kayleigh Herron jumped Noblesville out to an early 6-2 lead. Kerstyn Lowery and Katee Kurtz added a pair of free throws each, but the Mavs had already dug themselves a hole that would be hard to get out of. McCutcheon wasn't able to knock down its first field goal until 1:53 left in the first, when Gabby Gary nailed a three.
The Millers forced 7 Maverick turnovers in the first quarter. With about 3 minutes left, NHS clung to an 11-4 lead, but that didn't last long. Two consecutive forced turnovers turned quickly into two Katelyn O'Reilly layups to put Noblesville up 15-4, causing McCutcheon head coach Jeff Knoy to call his first timeout.
Audrey DeFoe capped off the dominant first frame with an easy 3-pointer with 1:24 on the clock to put Noblesville well out in front, 21-7.
DeFoe scorched the nets with a another couple treys and got the help of her teammates spreading out the Miller scoring to distance themselves even more from the visiting Mavericks to lead 39-14 at the break.
It may have been too late, but it seemed like McCutcheon's offense woke up a little in the third, but were still outscored by the Millers 13-12. O'Reilly added two more buckets and DeFoe her fourth three to propel Noblesville to a doubling of the Mavericks after 24 minutes, 52-26.
The 4th quarter became a time for Noblesville head coach Donna Keck to utilize her bench and run the clock out on this HCC win. That's exactly what she and her staff did as they got their first Saturday in December off to an outstanding start, beating McCutcheon, 64-35.
McCutcheon (2-5, 1-2 HCC) had only one in double-digit scoring, as Kerstyn Lowery led the way, tying for a game-high 15. Gabby Gary also had 6 for the Mavericks.
Noblesville (7-1, 1-1 HCC) was really able to spread out their scoring. Junior Audrey DeFoe led the Millers with a game-high 15 points off the bench, mostly on four 3-pointers. Katelyn O'Reilly also had a stellar game off Keck's bench with 13 on six field goals. Erin Wood chipped in with 9 points and Alexis Shannon finished with 8. As a team, the Millers were able to dish out 21 assists on their 25 made field goals. Cori Cain (4), Brooke Herron (4), Kayleigh Herron (3) and Rachel Shipman (3) were four selfless passers in making sure the ball got to the right teammate to put points on the scoreboard.
Tonight, the Millers face a HCC and Hamilton county rival that they haven't had a victory against in 12 years. Hamilton Southeastern (4-4, 3-1 HCC) has beaten Noblesville in 16 consecutive meetings. The last time Noblesville was able to pull out a victory over the Royals was December 7, 2001, when the Millers were coached by Leah Wooldridge and won at Hamilton Southeastern, 75-56.
The time has come and it has been WAY too long and this particular group of Millers is definitely primed and ready to get over that hump that has been the Hamilton Southeastern Royals. Noblesville has the opportunity that they have been waiting for. It will be a packed house at Hamilton Southeastern tonight and also an epic atmosphere.
We would love to see you in attendance at Hamilton Southeastern to support the girls at 6 p.m. and the boys around 8 p.m. in a doubleheader of varsity action.
If you can't make it, get on your computers or smartphones and you get watch/listen online LIVE on highschoolcube.com or download the free HSC Live app from your Android, iPhone or iPad markets. Once you get to the site or onto the app, in the search blank, type in Noblesville at Hamilton Southeastern and you'll be LIVE! Bring your earbuds to the game and you can listen to us live also!
Craig Adkins (myself) will call the play-by-play and Dusty Mills (former Miller) provides the color commentary.
GO MILLERS!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Butler dispatches of North Dakota and Manchester, ready for Boilers
After leaving the 2013 Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Florida with a 4th place (1-2) finish, the Butler Bulldogs headed back to work with the goal of keeping things going, but obviously approving on it.
Before the Old Spice Classic had even begun, the Oklahoma State Cowboys were already inked in champions of the 8-team tournament. That really didn't settle well with the Butler Bulldogs. Heading to Disney's Wide World of Sports with a 4-0 record, Butler looked to continue that trend as long as they possibly could.
They were able to scrap and eventually slip by Washington State in their first of three games, 76-69 on Thanksgiving Day. That win pitted them against #5 Oklahoma State and highly touted sophomore Marcus Smart. The Dawgs shocked a lot of people by sticking with, and almost knocking off, the high-energy Cowboys from the Big XII and only lost by two, 69-67.
The loss to Oklahoma State dropped Butler into the 3rd place game with LSU, which is projected to be a top 5 team in the SEC this season. The Bulldogs held their own once again, but fell 70-68 in overtime to the Tigers.
Butler got back in the comforts of Indianapolis and got back to work in a couple tune-up games that will hopefully get them ready for Saturday's battle with the Purdue Boilermakers at Banker's Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.
The University of North Dakota made a long trip to Indianapolis on Saturday, December 7 to face the Bulldogs. With Butler shooting 52% (29-56) and outrebounding UND 44-28, North Dakota put up a fight, but playing on their home court helped Butler secure a 79-65 win.
Sophomore Kellen Dunham put together another stellar shooting performance by leading all scorers with a game-high 29. The 6'6 guard from Pendleton, Indiana was 9-of-15 from the floor, including 5-for-8 on his three-point attempts and all six of his free throw attempts. Khyle Marshall did his part by totaling 21 points and 7 rebounds.
Last night, Monday, December 3rd, Butler welcomed another non-conference foe to Hinkle Fieldhouse. Division III Manchester College, which resides just southwest of Fort Wayne, Indiana, made their first appearance at Butler in almost 70 years.
Butler managed to reach the century mark on the scoreboard, with a 100-41 shellacking of the visiting Spartans. The Bulldogs haven't had that much of a winning margin since the 1921-22 season when they pummeled Indiana Law School, 82-14.
With a comfortable 48-24 doubling-up halftime lead, the second half became 20 minutes where head coach Brandon Miller and staff were able to figure out which players fit into different situations. His troops outscored Manchester 52-17 in the second half to cruise past the Spartans by 59 points, 100-41.
Once again, Dunham led four Bulldogs in double-figures with 15 points in just 19 minutes. Marshall had another great game with 14 points on 6-of-9 from the floor. Kameron Woods chipped in with 11 points and 5 boards, while Erik Fromm had 7 and 7 with 3 blocks.
The Bulldogs had a couple of freshmen that were real sparkplugs off the bench that could prove to be vital parts of their offense and depth now and throughout the Big East season. Rene Castro added a career-high 12 points on 5 field goals (2-3 on 3's) in 16 minutes and Elijah Brown had 9 points (3-4 on 3's) with 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
In four days, Butler (7-2) will meet up with the Purdue Boilermakers (8-2) on a neutral court. They'll tip at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network in the second game of the doubleheader at Banker's Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis as part of the 3rd annual Crossroads Classic. Radio coverage can be heard locally in Indianapolis on 1070 The Fan and 107.5 FM with the pre-game 30 minutes prior to tip.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2) and the Indiana Hoosiers (8-2) renew their rivalry in the first game of the afternoon with a 3:15 start on ESPN.
Before the Old Spice Classic had even begun, the Oklahoma State Cowboys were already inked in champions of the 8-team tournament. That really didn't settle well with the Butler Bulldogs. Heading to Disney's Wide World of Sports with a 4-0 record, Butler looked to continue that trend as long as they possibly could.
They were able to scrap and eventually slip by Washington State in their first of three games, 76-69 on Thanksgiving Day. That win pitted them against #5 Oklahoma State and highly touted sophomore Marcus Smart. The Dawgs shocked a lot of people by sticking with, and almost knocking off, the high-energy Cowboys from the Big XII and only lost by two, 69-67.
The loss to Oklahoma State dropped Butler into the 3rd place game with LSU, which is projected to be a top 5 team in the SEC this season. The Bulldogs held their own once again, but fell 70-68 in overtime to the Tigers.
Butler got back in the comforts of Indianapolis and got back to work in a couple tune-up games that will hopefully get them ready for Saturday's battle with the Purdue Boilermakers at Banker's Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.
The University of North Dakota made a long trip to Indianapolis on Saturday, December 7 to face the Bulldogs. With Butler shooting 52% (29-56) and outrebounding UND 44-28, North Dakota put up a fight, but playing on their home court helped Butler secure a 79-65 win.
Sophomore Kellen Dunham put together another stellar shooting performance by leading all scorers with a game-high 29. The 6'6 guard from Pendleton, Indiana was 9-of-15 from the floor, including 5-for-8 on his three-point attempts and all six of his free throw attempts. Khyle Marshall did his part by totaling 21 points and 7 rebounds.
Last night, Monday, December 3rd, Butler welcomed another non-conference foe to Hinkle Fieldhouse. Division III Manchester College, which resides just southwest of Fort Wayne, Indiana, made their first appearance at Butler in almost 70 years.
Butler managed to reach the century mark on the scoreboard, with a 100-41 shellacking of the visiting Spartans. The Bulldogs haven't had that much of a winning margin since the 1921-22 season when they pummeled Indiana Law School, 82-14.
With a comfortable 48-24 doubling-up halftime lead, the second half became 20 minutes where head coach Brandon Miller and staff were able to figure out which players fit into different situations. His troops outscored Manchester 52-17 in the second half to cruise past the Spartans by 59 points, 100-41.
Once again, Dunham led four Bulldogs in double-figures with 15 points in just 19 minutes. Marshall had another great game with 14 points on 6-of-9 from the floor. Kameron Woods chipped in with 11 points and 5 boards, while Erik Fromm had 7 and 7 with 3 blocks.
The Bulldogs had a couple of freshmen that were real sparkplugs off the bench that could prove to be vital parts of their offense and depth now and throughout the Big East season. Rene Castro added a career-high 12 points on 5 field goals (2-3 on 3's) in 16 minutes and Elijah Brown had 9 points (3-4 on 3's) with 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
In four days, Butler (7-2) will meet up with the Purdue Boilermakers (8-2) on a neutral court. They'll tip at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network in the second game of the doubleheader at Banker's Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis as part of the 3rd annual Crossroads Classic. Radio coverage can be heard locally in Indianapolis on 1070 The Fan and 107.5 FM with the pre-game 30 minutes prior to tip.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2) and the Indiana Hoosiers (8-2) renew their rivalry in the first game of the afternoon with a 3:15 start on ESPN.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Miller girls on a roll, with just one blemish
Playing together. Spreading out the scoring. Hitting the boards hard for rebounds. Defending opponents. Those are just four factors that have played a tremendous role in how head coach Donna Keck's Noblesville Millers are currently 6-1, one-third of the way through the regular season.
Noblesville 75, 3A #4 Hamilton Heights 59 (Fri. 11/15)
Millers 22 20 16 17 -- 75
Huskies 9 18 8 24 -- 59
After opening up the 2013-14 season with a very convincing home court win over Indianapolis Arsenal Tech, the Noblesville Miller girls took to the road and headed just north to face Hamilton Heights. The Huskies were the Class 3A State Runners-Up last season. That didn't phase the Miller in the least as they left northern Hamilton county with a 75-59 victory over the hosts.
The Millers scored 20-plus in each of the first two quarters to go up 22-9 after one and have a solid 42-27 lead at the halftime break.
Noblesville pulled away with an even more comfortable lead thru three frames with a 58-35 cushion. The Huskies woke up in the fourth and took the final eight minutes 24-17, but wasn't able to overcome the significant deficit that they got themselves into in the first half and Noblesville won going away, with a 16-point road win.
Balancing out their scoring, the Millers were led by sophomore forward Alexis Shannon with 18. Erin Wood had 16 on six field goals and Cori Cain dropped in 12 to go with 4 steals on the defensive end.
4A #6 Westfield 58, Noblesville 41 (Tues. 11/19)
Shamrocks 19 12 17 10 -- 58
Millers 13 11 9 8 -- 41
Just when Noblesville thought they were past a few different pieces in the Westfield offense, a new offensive option decided that she would make it impossible for the Millers to succeed on either end of the court.
Just two Shamrocks were able to get into double-figures on the Millers' home court at Noblesville, but those two almost equaled the total offensive output for Keck's crew. Kayla Brown (25) and Jalyn Foland (14) did their best to get Westfield the win and almost outscored their opponent (41) on the road as a duo. It didn't help the Millers that Brown and Foland were able to combine for 12-of-17 shooting, most importantly, 6-for-7 from 3-point range.
The Millers were only down seven at halftime (31-24), so it would have been a very doable task to find ways offensively and create turnovers on defense. In the end, it was Westfield's tenacious defense that didn't allow Noblesville to get its own way at home.
Westfield's lead grew to 15 with a 48-33 advantage through three and would increase to a 58-41 final score after holding Noblesville to just 17 second half points.
Audrey DeFoe led the Millers with a team-high 13 points on four field goals, including three made from outside-the-arc. Erin Wood had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to her credit, while Alexis Shannon managed to scrap her way to 10.
Noblesville 66, 3A #6 Lebanon 46 (Fri. 11/22)
Millers 18 13 21 14 -- 66
Tigers 10 15 9 12 -- 46
It became Noblesville biggest road test thus far and the Millers responded just like coach Keck had hoped. By the time that Noblesville had sprung out to a 19-point lead after three, it was too late for Lebanon to make any sort of comeback. It was a pretty similar situation that the Millers had put Hamilton Heights in just seven days prior.
Once again, the main objective for Noblesville was to spread out the scoring and to not worry about who led the team in scoring. That's exactly what happened in a huge road game for the Millers.
Once again, Alexis Shannon led the Millers in scoring with 17, knocking down 8-of-15 from the field. She was joined by Erin Wood in double-digits with 12. The trio of Jessica Kiser, Cori Cain and Katelyn O'Reilly each poured in 8 points each. Those five were able to outscore the host Tigers 53-46 by themselves.
Noblesville 64, Carmel 56 (Tues. 11/26)
Greyhounds 16 11 17 12 -- 56
Millers 22 16 6 20 -- 64
The Millers did something that they haven't done as a program since November 25, 2003, pretty much 10 years to the day. That was the last time that Noblesville beat Carmel in girls basketball. Prior to Noblesville's eight-point victory over the visiting Greyhounds, Carmel owned the Hamilton county rivalry, taking 13 of the last 14 of the series. Leah Woolridge was in her final season as Noblesville head coach before Kurt Gassensmith took over from 2004-2008.
Noblesville rolled to a 22-16, two possession lead after one quarter, which was aided by 8 from sophomore leading scorer Alexis Shannon.
Despite taking the second quarter 16-11 and leading 38-27 at halftime, it wasn't easy to fend off the feisty Carmel Greyhounds. Noblesville seemed to have the first half wrapped up with a bow on it, until around the last 1:33 of the second period.
Carmel was able to force four of Noblesville's 19 turnovers in that final span of 1:33 in the 2nd. Those four turnovers led to five points by the visiting Hounds and the Millers found themselves only up 11 at half, instead of the comfortable 16-point margin they had just 93 ticks earlier.
The third quarter was all Greyhounds, as they climbed right back into the ballgame, outscoring the Millers 17-6, knotting things up at 44-44.
That third quarter domination by Carmel woke up Noblesville on both ends of the floor. The Millers were able to get the crowd involved and take the road savvy Greyhounds right out of the game at just the right time.
Noblesville got big help in the 4th, just like in the 1st, by Alexis Shannon scoring 7 of her points. The biggest key for Keck's team in the fourth was that they made 9-of-12 at the charity stripe. Those nine at the line alone, kept Carmel at enough of a distance to put the ballgame away.
Junior Abby Abel of Carmel led all scorers with a game-high 21. She was helped out by teammates Amanda Shaw (9) and Kennedy Kantner (8).
Alexis Shannon was Noblesville's leader with 19 points and 8 rebounds, but the Millers got a nice surprise off the bench. Freshman Brooke Herron poured in 14, seven of which came in the 4th. Balanced across the rest of the Miller stat sheet for sure. Jessica Kiser added 7, while Kayleigh Herron, Rachel Shipman and Katelyn O'Reilly each had 6.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT (Sat. 11/30)
Noblesville 88, Munster 30
Millers 28 13 26 21 -- 88
Mustangs 8 6 7 9 -- 30
Heading up to Tippecanoe Valley for their annual Thanksgiving Holiday Tournament, Noblesville had one goal. Keep the momentum rolling. Prior to the Thanksgiving Day holiday, the Millers were coming off their biggest victory in 10 years by taking down the Carmel Greyhounds at The Mill.
Noblesville stepped foot on the court at Tippecanoe Valley on a strict mission to bring two wins back home before starting Hoosier Crossroads Conference play.
By the time Munster woke up from their morning bus trip from Northwest Indiana, the Millers had bolted out to a 28-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The trend wasn't as heavy in the 2nd, but Noblesville still doubled up the Mustangs 13-6 for a dominating 41-14 score at the half.
The Millers almost tripled up Munster in the final two periods, 47-16 to once again, find themselves playing for the championship.
Freshman guard Brooke Herron got scored in double-figures for the second straight game, leading all scorers with 18, hitting 5-of-6 treys. Her junior sister Kayleigh Herron was the second leading scorer with 13, swishing 3 of her 6 three-point attempts. Erin Flynn sparked the Miller frontcourt with 12 points on 5 field goals. Katelyn O'Reilly (11) and Cori Cain (10) rounded out five in double-digits for Noblesville.
Forcing 31 Munster turnovers and draining 10-of-24 (42%) of their 3-point attempts, Noblesville found itself in the championship game with a 58-point drubbing of the Mustangs, 88-30.
Championship game: Noblesville 70, Tippecanoe Valley 63
Vikings 16 17 14 16 -- 63
Millers 18 16 18 18 -- 70
Coming into the championship game on a high note, the Millers knew it would be quite a challenge to knock off the host Tippecanoe Valley Vikings in their own holiday tournament.
They accepted the challenge and rose up to the occasion. With previous wins over Bremen and Warsaw to open the season, earlier in the day, Portage became the Vikings' latest victim and TV headed into their own tournament undefeated (3-0).
In a tight first half, Noblesville led by two (18-16) after the first and with Tippecanoe Valley outdueling the Millers 17-16 in the second, coach Keck and staff clung to just a 34-33 halftime edge.
Slowly, but surely, the speed and tenacity of Noblesville's youthful squad was able to pull themselves away slightly in the final eight minutes. Pressure mounted on the Millers but they didn't fold and held on for the 70-63 victory. Noblesville won the Tippecanoe Valley Holiday Tournament for the 2nd year in a row and 3rd in their 5th appearance during Donna Keck's 6th season at the helm.
Alexis Shannon had a team-high 17, converting 7-of-9 field goal attempts and all three of her free throws. Erin Wood had another solid game with 16, half of which came from sinking 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. Jessica Kiser and Brooke Herron each chipped in with 11, while Cori Cain (6) and Kayleigh Herron (4) added to the championship effort.
The Millers figured some pretty vital things as a team during their two wins at Tippecanoe Valley. Shooting 48% overall (55-115) and 37% (14-37) from three-point range, confidence was on the rise, which were big reasons Noblesville took the tourney title for the 3rd time in five season. Improvement at the free throw line, knocking down 79% (34-43) in two games, might have helped turn the corner that's needed to continue the greatness that's been started.
Noblesville (6-1) continues its season this Saturday, December 7 for a matinee affair with McCutcheon (2-3) to open up league play in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. JV tips at Noon and varsity will hit the floor around 1:30 p.m.
Come back for more on the Millers throughout the season!
GO MILLERS!!!!!!!
Voice of the Millers,
Craig Adkins
Noblesville 75, 3A #4 Hamilton Heights 59 (Fri. 11/15)
Millers 22 20 16 17 -- 75
Huskies 9 18 8 24 -- 59
After opening up the 2013-14 season with a very convincing home court win over Indianapolis Arsenal Tech, the Noblesville Miller girls took to the road and headed just north to face Hamilton Heights. The Huskies were the Class 3A State Runners-Up last season. That didn't phase the Miller in the least as they left northern Hamilton county with a 75-59 victory over the hosts.
The Millers scored 20-plus in each of the first two quarters to go up 22-9 after one and have a solid 42-27 lead at the halftime break.
Noblesville pulled away with an even more comfortable lead thru three frames with a 58-35 cushion. The Huskies woke up in the fourth and took the final eight minutes 24-17, but wasn't able to overcome the significant deficit that they got themselves into in the first half and Noblesville won going away, with a 16-point road win.
Balancing out their scoring, the Millers were led by sophomore forward Alexis Shannon with 18. Erin Wood had 16 on six field goals and Cori Cain dropped in 12 to go with 4 steals on the defensive end.
4A #6 Westfield 58, Noblesville 41 (Tues. 11/19)
Shamrocks 19 12 17 10 -- 58
Millers 13 11 9 8 -- 41
Just when Noblesville thought they were past a few different pieces in the Westfield offense, a new offensive option decided that she would make it impossible for the Millers to succeed on either end of the court.
Just two Shamrocks were able to get into double-figures on the Millers' home court at Noblesville, but those two almost equaled the total offensive output for Keck's crew. Kayla Brown (25) and Jalyn Foland (14) did their best to get Westfield the win and almost outscored their opponent (41) on the road as a duo. It didn't help the Millers that Brown and Foland were able to combine for 12-of-17 shooting, most importantly, 6-for-7 from 3-point range.
The Millers were only down seven at halftime (31-24), so it would have been a very doable task to find ways offensively and create turnovers on defense. In the end, it was Westfield's tenacious defense that didn't allow Noblesville to get its own way at home.
Westfield's lead grew to 15 with a 48-33 advantage through three and would increase to a 58-41 final score after holding Noblesville to just 17 second half points.
Audrey DeFoe led the Millers with a team-high 13 points on four field goals, including three made from outside-the-arc. Erin Wood had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to her credit, while Alexis Shannon managed to scrap her way to 10.
Noblesville 66, 3A #6 Lebanon 46 (Fri. 11/22)
Millers 18 13 21 14 -- 66
Tigers 10 15 9 12 -- 46
It became Noblesville biggest road test thus far and the Millers responded just like coach Keck had hoped. By the time that Noblesville had sprung out to a 19-point lead after three, it was too late for Lebanon to make any sort of comeback. It was a pretty similar situation that the Millers had put Hamilton Heights in just seven days prior.
Once again, the main objective for Noblesville was to spread out the scoring and to not worry about who led the team in scoring. That's exactly what happened in a huge road game for the Millers.
Once again, Alexis Shannon led the Millers in scoring with 17, knocking down 8-of-15 from the field. She was joined by Erin Wood in double-digits with 12. The trio of Jessica Kiser, Cori Cain and Katelyn O'Reilly each poured in 8 points each. Those five were able to outscore the host Tigers 53-46 by themselves.
Noblesville 64, Carmel 56 (Tues. 11/26)
Greyhounds 16 11 17 12 -- 56
Millers 22 16 6 20 -- 64
The Millers did something that they haven't done as a program since November 25, 2003, pretty much 10 years to the day. That was the last time that Noblesville beat Carmel in girls basketball. Prior to Noblesville's eight-point victory over the visiting Greyhounds, Carmel owned the Hamilton county rivalry, taking 13 of the last 14 of the series. Leah Woolridge was in her final season as Noblesville head coach before Kurt Gassensmith took over from 2004-2008.
Noblesville rolled to a 22-16, two possession lead after one quarter, which was aided by 8 from sophomore leading scorer Alexis Shannon.
Despite taking the second quarter 16-11 and leading 38-27 at halftime, it wasn't easy to fend off the feisty Carmel Greyhounds. Noblesville seemed to have the first half wrapped up with a bow on it, until around the last 1:33 of the second period.
Carmel was able to force four of Noblesville's 19 turnovers in that final span of 1:33 in the 2nd. Those four turnovers led to five points by the visiting Hounds and the Millers found themselves only up 11 at half, instead of the comfortable 16-point margin they had just 93 ticks earlier.
The third quarter was all Greyhounds, as they climbed right back into the ballgame, outscoring the Millers 17-6, knotting things up at 44-44.
That third quarter domination by Carmel woke up Noblesville on both ends of the floor. The Millers were able to get the crowd involved and take the road savvy Greyhounds right out of the game at just the right time.
Noblesville got big help in the 4th, just like in the 1st, by Alexis Shannon scoring 7 of her points. The biggest key for Keck's team in the fourth was that they made 9-of-12 at the charity stripe. Those nine at the line alone, kept Carmel at enough of a distance to put the ballgame away.
Junior Abby Abel of Carmel led all scorers with a game-high 21. She was helped out by teammates Amanda Shaw (9) and Kennedy Kantner (8).
Alexis Shannon was Noblesville's leader with 19 points and 8 rebounds, but the Millers got a nice surprise off the bench. Freshman Brooke Herron poured in 14, seven of which came in the 4th. Balanced across the rest of the Miller stat sheet for sure. Jessica Kiser added 7, while Kayleigh Herron, Rachel Shipman and Katelyn O'Reilly each had 6.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT (Sat. 11/30)
Noblesville 88, Munster 30
Millers 28 13 26 21 -- 88
Mustangs 8 6 7 9 -- 30
Heading up to Tippecanoe Valley for their annual Thanksgiving Holiday Tournament, Noblesville had one goal. Keep the momentum rolling. Prior to the Thanksgiving Day holiday, the Millers were coming off their biggest victory in 10 years by taking down the Carmel Greyhounds at The Mill.
Noblesville stepped foot on the court at Tippecanoe Valley on a strict mission to bring two wins back home before starting Hoosier Crossroads Conference play.
By the time Munster woke up from their morning bus trip from Northwest Indiana, the Millers had bolted out to a 28-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The trend wasn't as heavy in the 2nd, but Noblesville still doubled up the Mustangs 13-6 for a dominating 41-14 score at the half.
The Millers almost tripled up Munster in the final two periods, 47-16 to once again, find themselves playing for the championship.
Freshman guard Brooke Herron got scored in double-figures for the second straight game, leading all scorers with 18, hitting 5-of-6 treys. Her junior sister Kayleigh Herron was the second leading scorer with 13, swishing 3 of her 6 three-point attempts. Erin Flynn sparked the Miller frontcourt with 12 points on 5 field goals. Katelyn O'Reilly (11) and Cori Cain (10) rounded out five in double-digits for Noblesville.
Forcing 31 Munster turnovers and draining 10-of-24 (42%) of their 3-point attempts, Noblesville found itself in the championship game with a 58-point drubbing of the Mustangs, 88-30.
Championship game: Noblesville 70, Tippecanoe Valley 63
Vikings 16 17 14 16 -- 63
Millers 18 16 18 18 -- 70
Coming into the championship game on a high note, the Millers knew it would be quite a challenge to knock off the host Tippecanoe Valley Vikings in their own holiday tournament.
They accepted the challenge and rose up to the occasion. With previous wins over Bremen and Warsaw to open the season, earlier in the day, Portage became the Vikings' latest victim and TV headed into their own tournament undefeated (3-0).
In a tight first half, Noblesville led by two (18-16) after the first and with Tippecanoe Valley outdueling the Millers 17-16 in the second, coach Keck and staff clung to just a 34-33 halftime edge.
Slowly, but surely, the speed and tenacity of Noblesville's youthful squad was able to pull themselves away slightly in the final eight minutes. Pressure mounted on the Millers but they didn't fold and held on for the 70-63 victory. Noblesville won the Tippecanoe Valley Holiday Tournament for the 2nd year in a row and 3rd in their 5th appearance during Donna Keck's 6th season at the helm.
Alexis Shannon had a team-high 17, converting 7-of-9 field goal attempts and all three of her free throws. Erin Wood had another solid game with 16, half of which came from sinking 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. Jessica Kiser and Brooke Herron each chipped in with 11, while Cori Cain (6) and Kayleigh Herron (4) added to the championship effort.
The Millers figured some pretty vital things as a team during their two wins at Tippecanoe Valley. Shooting 48% overall (55-115) and 37% (14-37) from three-point range, confidence was on the rise, which were big reasons Noblesville took the tourney title for the 3rd time in five season. Improvement at the free throw line, knocking down 79% (34-43) in two games, might have helped turn the corner that's needed to continue the greatness that's been started.
Noblesville (6-1) continues its season this Saturday, December 7 for a matinee affair with McCutcheon (2-3) to open up league play in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. JV tips at Noon and varsity will hit the floor around 1:30 p.m.
Come back for more on the Millers throughout the season!
GO MILLERS!!!!!!!
Voice of the Millers,
Craig Adkins
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