By CRAIG ADKINS
Throw the records out the window, is usually the most used and cliché phrase that’s used this time of the season when it comes to sectional basketball.
That was the case for sure at The Mill in Noblesville during Tuesday night’s Class 4A Sectional 8 at first round game between Anderson and Noblesville. The Indians won a double overtime thriller over the host Millers, 74-69.
The matchup lived up to its billing and more with seven ties and seven lead changes that would keep the crowd on the edge of their seats from the opening tip.
The speed of the two teams looked like they would wear each other out by the middle of the second, but that didn’t happen at all.
The lead would change hands six times in the first quarter alone, which seemed to only fuel both teams to dial up the intensity and not let up.
With a 14-13 Miller lead late in the first, Anderson went on a 5-0 run with a JoMel Boyd bucket, followed by a Joseph Jones three from the right corner for an 18-14 Indians advantage through one quarter.
A couple ties and Noblesville started to build a slight edge and give themselves a little cushion in the second.
Xavier Hines scored seven straight for the Millers, jumping their margin to five at 28-23. A three from Boyd would bring the Indians back to within two again at 28-26.
That made Noblesville junior Jordan Schmidt play some of the best defense he’s played yet. Schmidt had a 6-0 run himself with two free throws and jumped in the passing lane twice, stealing perimeter passes and taking it down for a couple layups for a 34-26 halftime score.
Anderson started to slowly chip away at Noblesville’s lead, but it wasn’t before the Millers got their biggest lead of the game at 38-28, that the Indians started to realize what they had to do.
The Indians were able to overcome the 10-point deficit, causing Miller turnovers to get within two a couple of times before Joseph Jones nailed a three for a 50-49 Anderson lead. Zack Johnson had the chance to possibly win it for the Millers in regulation, but only made 1-of-2 free throws, sending the game to overtime tied 50-50.
“In the fourth quarter, we really had our chances to put the game away and we missed five free throws,” said Noblesville head coach Brian McCauley on the Millers’ chances to win the game in regulation.
Johnson was back at the charity stripe almost immediately into the first overtime, again making one of the two shots.
Noblesville had the lead up to three and four, but weren’t able to push any further. Hines found Ryan Barnes underneath to make it 58-55, but with 10.4 left in overtime, Joseph Jones sank another dagger three, extending it to a second overtime, tied 58-58.
Anderson was able to find an edge in the second extra period, grabbing their largest lead at 69-64 with 54.8 left on two Brandon Haralson free throws. Hines made a three and Johnson swished a pair of free throws to tie it 69-69 with 14.3 on the clock.
Gavin Vaughn became the hero twice in the overtimes, the second is when it mattered most. Vaughn drilled his second bomb from the left wing, this time for a 72-69 go-ahead winner. TyJae Rayford would make a pair of free throws that would make for the final score of 74-69, double-overtime win for Anderson.
“I gotta thank Kojak Fuller. Kojak told Gavin that you’re going to hit a big shot for us and he came in and he did that,” said Anderson head coach Mike Elliott on senior reserve Vaughn.
The Indians fought throughout and it paid off for them in the end, punching their ticket for a match up in the first game in Friday night’s semifinals against the Fishers Tigers.
“We came out victorious and my kids just fought,” said Elliott following his team’s first round sectional win over Noblesville.
Three different Anderson players fouled out and another two had four fouls, but the Indians found their way to a win.
Noblesville finishes its season at 10-14. The Millers were lead by Hines’ team-high 24 points. He was joined in double figures by Johnson with 13, Schmidt with 12 and Ryan Barnes 11.
Anderson improves to 11-13 and was led by Boyd’s 24 points and 12 boards. Haralson and Jones each reached double-digits with 11.
Anderson 74, Noblesville 69
(double overtime)
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Brendan Fisher 2-3 0-0 6 2
Xavier Hines 8-17 5-7 24 3
Zack Johnson 3-9 5-8 13 3
Eagan Keever-Hill 0-2 3-4 3 4
Ryan Barnes 5-9 1-4 11 5
Jordan Schmidt 4-9 4-4 12 3
Alex Hunt 0-1 0-2 0 1
Totals 22-50 18-29 69 21
Score by Quarters
Noblesville 14 20 6 10 8 11 – 69
Anderson 18 8 8 16 8 16 – 74
Noblesville 3-point shooting (7-23) Hines 3-9, Johnson 2-6, Fisher 2-3, Schmidt 0-4, Hunt 0-1.
Noblesville rebounds (23) Keever-Hill 5, Johnson 5, Hines 5, Barnes 5, Schmidt 1, team 2.
ABOVE: Noblesville senior Ryan Barnes scored 11 points for the Millers in their sectional game with Anderson Tuesday at The Mill.
BELOW: Xavier Hines scored 24 points for Noblesville in its Tuesday sectional game. (Kent Graham)
