By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The Carmel girls basketball team came back from a double-digit deficit on Tuesday against one of its biggest rivals.
The Greyhounds trailed Noblesville by 10 in the third quarter, but roared back to take a one-point lead by the end of the period. Carmel then held on in the fourth quarter to score a 54-50 win over the Class 4A No. 6 Millers at the Eric Clark Activity Center.
It was the first time the ‘Hounds had beaten Noblesville since Nov. 26, 2019.
“It was just a really good win,” said Greyhounds senior Mallory Bourquein. “At the four-minute mark (of the fourth quarter) we had to start slowing the game down because we were up. And it just felt really good to get this win because ever since I’ve been at Carmel we haven’t beat Noblesville.”
“We’re starting to have a little bit of success,” said Carmel coach Rick Risinger. “We’re not quite there yet, but they’re starting to believe that they can play basketball and win games.” Risinger said the Greyhounds “all played together great as a team, ball movement, the offenses and defenses, they were supporting each other.”
The Millers led 17-13 after one quarter, with Meredith Tippner and C.C. Quigley both scoring six points. Noblesville enjoyed a 29-26 halftime advantage, with Ava Shoemaker adding five points. Mackenzie Woods scored five for the ‘Hounds.
The Millers opened the second half with a 7-0 run to lead 36-26; Tippner scored four points of that run. That’s when Carmel’s Megan Hamm made her move. The senior, a soccer star for the Greyhounds, put together an eight-point burst that quickly got Carmel within 36-34. Hamm made a 3-pointer, was good on a traditional three-point play, and finished with a layin.
Hamm
“Megan is a warrior,” said Risinger. “She’s a soccer player, she’s going to college on a soccer scholarship. She didn’t play basketball last year. She just knows how to compete. And a little bit of the soccer came out with her aggressiveness. It worked out. She’s a bulldog out there. And she just enjoys it and that’s what we asked her to do.”
Ava Carter also stepped up, hitting two 3-pointers during the final three minutes of the quarter. Her second triple put Carmel ahead 41-40 at the break.
A Woods 3 gave Carmel a 44-42 lead early in the fourth, then Tippner made back-to-back baskets to get Noblesville ahead 46-44. The Greyhounds then went on a 7-0 spurt and never trailed again. Jamie Elliott began the run with a 3, then Carmel took care of business from the line, making 7 of 8 free throws.
“I think just before the game, we thought that we could win,” said Hamm. “But now actually seeing it, we actually believe that we can beat the top teams in the state.”
Woods led the ‘Hounds with 12 points, followed by Hamm with 11 and Bourquein with 10. Carter made three 3s for nine points. Bourquein also had seven rebounds and six assists.
Tippner reached double-double status with 20 points and 14 rebounds, also making four steals. Shoemaker scored 15 points, including three 3s. Kate Rollins dished out five assists.
“We missed some opportunities and they did a good job on defense of taking away Reagan,” said Millers coach Donna Buckley. “I just didn’t do a very good job getting Reagan opportunities to get touches, to get her in the flow. We didn’t do a good job of getting back and they did a great job in transition.”
Carmel is 4-2 and plays at 4A No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern on Friday afternoon. Noblesville is also 4-2 and plays Bolingbrook (Ill.) Saturday afternoon at the Sneakers for Santa event at Brownsburg.
CARMEL 54, NOBLESVILLE 50
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Ava Shoemaker 6-16 0-0 15 4
Reagan Wilson 2-12 1-2 5 2
Meredith Tippner 10-18 0-0 20 3
Kate Rollins 1-6 0-4 2 5
C.C. Quigley 4-8 0-0 8 2
Brookelyn Grayson 0-1 0-0 0 1
Ally Hutchinson 0-1 0-0 0 0
Totals 23-62 1-6 50 17
Noblesville 3-point shooting (3-21) Shoemaker 3-11, Wilson 0-6, Tippner 0-2, Rollins 0-2.
Noblesville rebounds (35) Tippner 14, Quigley 6, Wilson 5, Rollins 4, Shoemaker 2, Hutchinson 1, team 3.
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Izzy Shepherd 0-6 1-2 1 0
Mackenzie Woods 3-5 4-4 12 1
Lauren Perry 0-3 0-0 0 1
Taryn Fisher 1-4 0-0 2 1
Mallory Bourquein 4-6 2-2 10 4
Keaton Gatlin 1-3 1-2 4 0
Jamie Elliott 2-3 0-0 5 0
Megan Hamm 4-4 2-3 11 2
Ava Carter 3-3 0-0 9 0
Totals 18-37 10-13 54 9
Carmel 3-point shooting (8-19) Carter 3-3, Woods 2-3, Gatlin 1-3, Elliott 1-2, Hamm 1-1, Shepherd 0-3, Perry 0-3, Bourquein 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (27) Bourquein 7, Woods 4, Fisher 3, Shepherd 2, Elliott 2, Carter 2, Gatlin 1, Perry 1, Hamm 1, team 4.
Score by Quarters
Noblesville 17 12 11 10 – 50
Carmel 13 13 15 13 – 54