By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – For the fifth year in a row, the Fishers girls basketball team has started Hoosier Crossroads Conference play 1-0.
The Tigers trailed in the first half, but used a huge third quarter to overtake and beat Westfield 40-34 at the Tiger Den. The victory keeps Fishers perfect for the season; the Tigers are tied for second in the IBCA one-class poll and ranked third in the ICGSA Class 4A list.
The IBCA No. 12 Shamrocks, also playing in their conference opener, led 7-2 early in the first quarter, with Aubrey Crockett and Lindsey Van Dyke contributing 3-pointers. Westfield led 9-7 at the end of the period; Fishers’ Hailey Smith kept her team in it, scoring all seven of the Tigers’ first-quarter points.
Smith then tied the game at 9-9 with a layin to start the second quarter. But Ellie Kelleher drained a 3 and Van Dyke made a layin to move the ‘Rocks ahead 14-9. Westfield stayed in front throughout the period, and led 21-16 at the break. Emmrey Collinsworth scored five points.
Westfield’s Emmrey Collinsworth (right) had eight points for the Shamrocks. Pictured at left is Fishers’ Hailey Smith. (Joshua Herd)
“We told them to relax,” said Tigers coach Lauren Votaw. “We have to control what we can control. I didn’t think our intensity was where it needed to be, especially on the defensive end of the floor, but just our sense of urgency, either, on both ends of the floor the first half.”
The Tigers talked it over at halftime, and Fishers began the third quarter with a 9-0 run: Hailey Smith nailed a 3, Talia Harris tied the game with a floater, then Olivia Smith put the Tigers ahead by making a putback. Olivia Smith’s layin and a hook shot from Alycia Triplett gave Fishers a 27-21 lead.
Votaw said her team “did a nice job of responding there at the start of the third quarter.” The intensity continued throughout the period as well, right up to Olivia Smith hitting a buzzer-beating 3 to finish the third quarter. Fishers was now in the lead 32-24, outscoring the Shamrocks 16-3 in that period.
“I thought our defensive intensity was better in the second half,” said Votaw. “And I thought we did a better job applying the pressure that we wanted to apply and just doing what we needed to do on the defensive end of the floor.”
“In the second half, we missed a lot of easy baskets,” said Westfield coach Kelsey Key. “I definitely think that we got some good looks that we just didn’t finish or capitalize on.”
“They’re obviously incredibly talented,” said Key. “They’re experienced.” Key said her team “knew that they were going to come out and make a run, and we just didn’t respond well in the second half to that run.”
The Tigers maintained a lead of between four and eight points throughout the fourth quarter. Hailey Smith scored four points during the quarter, while Harris’ layin gave Fishers its largest lead at 36-27.
“Talia has really emerged as a leader, and I think that confidence that has come from her leading a little bit more vocally is starting to play into her game as well,” said Votaw.
Collinsworth brought Westfield to within 38-34 by making a three-point play with 29.2 seconds left. But Joirdyn Smith finished the scoring with two free throws seconds later.
Hailey Smith reached double-double status with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Triplett and Olivia Smith each collected seven rebounds, while Harris made six steals.
Van Dyke led the Shamrocks’ scoring with nine points, followed by Collinsworth with eight points. Kelleher pulled eight rebounds and Crockett had five.
Fishers is 6-0 and play another HCC game Tuesday at Zionsville. Westfield is 3-2 and also plays again Tuesday, at Pike.
FISHERS 40, WESTFIELD 34
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Ellie Kelleher 2-14 1-2 6 3
Aubrey Crockett 2-6 0-0 6 4
Emmery Collinsworth 3-12 1-1 8 1
Kiki Loveless 0-0 0-0 0 2
Lindsey Van Dyke 4-11 1-2 9 2
Reagan Lorenzen 2-3 1-2 5 4
Maren Dee 0-2 0-0 0 0
Totals 13-48 4-7 34 16
Westfield 3-point shooting (4-16) Crockett 2-4, Collinsworth 1-5, Kelleher 1-4, Van Dyke 0-2, Dee 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (29) Kelleher 8, Crockett 5, Lorenzen 4, Van Dyke 4, Collinsworth 2, Loveless 1, Dee 1, team 4.
Fishers FG FT TP PF
Joirdyn Smith 0-3 2-2 2 4
Talia Harris 4-10 0-3 8 1
Alycia Triplett 2-7 0-2 4 2
Hailey Smith 6-12 3-4 16 1
Olivia Smith 3-6 0-0 7 1
Karina Scott 1-4 0-0 3 0
Kate Thomas 0-0 0-2 0 1
Allison Scheu 0-2 0-0 0 1
Ava Carter 0-0 0-0 0 1
Nevaeh Dickman 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 16-44 5-13 40 12
Fishers 3-point shooting (3-15) Scott 1-4, H. Smith 1-4, O. Smith 1-1, J. Smith 0-2, Harris 0-2, Triplett 0-1, Scheu 0-1.
Fishers rebounds (40) H. Smith 11, Triplett 7, O. Smith 7, Thomas 4, Harris 3, J. Smith 2, Scheu 1, Carter 1, team 4.
Score by Quarters
Westfield 9 12 3 10 – 34
Fishers 7 9 16 8 – 40