The REPORTER
The Noblesville Boom (15-17) split a back-to-back series with the Winchester Knicks last weekend at The Arena at Innovation Mile.
First, the Boom snapped their seven-game losing streak with a decisive 141-115 victory over the Knicks on Saturday, March 14.
Dakota Mathias delivered a standout performance, recording the first triple-double of his career and the 19th in franchise history. Mathias finished with 31 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting from the field, including 6-of-8 from three-point range. Omar El-Sheikh followed with a career-high 21 points to go along with five rebounds, while Au’Diese Toney added 16 points.
For Westchester, Pacome Dadiet (on assignment) led the way with 31 points, seven rebounds, and two assists on 13-of-23 shooting. Dink Pate provided 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals off the bench. Two-way players Kevin McCullar Jr. and Dillon Jones each scored 16 points, with Jones also tallying six rebounds and six assists.
The opening quarter was tightly contested, featuring five lead changes, as the teams finished knotted at 28-28 after 12 minutes. The back-and-forth battle continued for much of the first half until the Boom used a 23-8 run to build a 16-point advantage. Noblesville capitalized on Westchester’s shooting struggles, outscoring the Knicks 40-24 in the period to take a 68-52 lead into halftime. Three Boom players reached double figures in the half, led by Mathias, who scored 19 of his 31 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Westchester trimmed the deficit to nine early in the third quarter, forcing a Noblesville timeout, but the Boom responded emphatically with a 17-3 run to reestablish control and extend the lead to 23 later in the period. The Boom pulled away further in the fourth, stretching the lead to as many as 28 points, their largest of the night. Keion Brooks Jr. and El-Sheikh each scored 10 points in the final frame to close out the win and end the seven-game skid. As a team, Noblesville shot 58.2 percent from the field and 54.8 percent from three-point range in the victory.
The Boom (15-17) dropped a home contest to the Knicks (11-19), 120-110 on Sunday, March 15.
Mathias led the Boom with a team-high 28 points, adding four rebounds and two assists while shooting 6-of-11 from three-point range. Keion Brooks Jr. contributed 20 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while Cody Martin finished with 16 points and nine assists.
For Westchester, McCullar posted a game-high 31 points and 11 assists on 13-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Nick Jourdain (19 points, 12 rebounds) and Trey Jemison III (11 points, 10 rebounds) also recorded double-doubles.
McCullar set the tone early for the Knicks, scoring 13 of Westchester’s first 15 points after a 14-point outing in Saturday’s meeting, helping fuel a 15-5 run to open the game. Trailing by 10, the Boom quickly answered with a run of their own to briefly take a one-point lead before the Knicks closed the opening frame ahead 29-24. Despite a strong first half from Mathias, who poured in 15 of his 28 points over the opening two quarters, Noblesville trailed 58-53 at halftime after both teams scored 29 points in the second period.
The game remained back-and-forth through three quarters, though the Knicks never relinquished the lead in the third. After scoring six points in the first half, Brooks caught fire in the third, erupting for 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the frame. Westchester weathered the surge to carry an 87-82 advantage into the fourth. Momentum briefly swung toward Noblesville following an 8-2 run that gave the Boom a two-point edge early in the quarter, but the Knicks responded with a decisive 17-6 run down the stretch to secure the double-digit road victory.
Next up
The Boom will hit the road for the final time in the regular season, traveling to face the Greensboro Swarm on Wednesday at Novant Health Fieldhouse. Coverage will stream on ESPN+, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
Tickets and team updates are available at NoblesvilleBoom.com, and fans can stream every game live at NBAGLeague.com.