This season, both the Carmel and Noblesville boys basketball teams have many players that are playing significant varsity minutes for the first time.
Many of those players were also new to overtime games. They got their chance to experience that Friday night, as the host Greyhounds edged out the Millers 54-51 in a double overtime contest at the Eric Clark Activity Center.
“In a game where every possession mattered, they had to lock in and mentally that can be hard for guys that have never been in that situation before,” said Carmel coach Ryan Osborn. “Proud of our guys for sticking with it.”
Noblesville forced overtime with a big comeback in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. The Greyhounds led 38-29 before the Millers went on a 12-3 run to tie things up. Jordan Gadis started the run with a rare four-point play – he hit a 3-pointer while being fouled, then made the free throw afterwards.
Regulation ended with Noblesville’s Brendon Fisher making a layin to tie the game at 41-41. Fisher scored five points in the fourth quarter. The Millers moved ahead 44-41 in the first overtime on free throws, but Carmel’s Jackson Jannsen tied the game with his own triple, forcing the second OT. The second extra period was back and forth until Wil Leary made two foul shots to get the ‘Hounds up 50-49 with under a minute to go, giving Carmel the lead for good.
“Jackson hit a big 3 late, hit three out of four free throws down the stretch, came up big for us,” said Osborn.
Noblesville led for most of the first half, holding a 9-7 advantage after the first quarter and leading 20-16 at halftime. Alex Hunt had a solid first half with eight points, while Fisher made two 3s. Carmel took control in the third quarter, holding the Millers to four points while scoring 12 of its own. Leary led the ‘Hounds in that quarter with four points.
“It felt like we got better tonight,” said Osborn. “They’re a good team. They do a good job. We were in every possession and walked away a little bit better than we were when we walked in.”
Jannsen led the Greyhounds with 12 points, including three 3s, with Peter Suder adding 10 points. Charlie Williams collected nine rebounds, with Suder pulling six. Conner Gioia handed out five assists.
Hunt was Noblesville’s top scorer with 15 points, followed by Gadis with 12 and Fisher with 11. Gadis led the rebounding with seven.
“They did a really good job on us in the third quarter and we got really stagnant offensively,” said Millers coach John Peckinpaugh. “That was kind of the game. But our guys fought back. I was proud to see that.”
Carmel is 2-2 and plays again at 5 p.m. this afternoon, taking on Evansville Reitz as part of the FORUM Tipoff Classic at Southport. Noblesville is 2-3 and goes on the road tonight to play at Anderson.
CARMEL 54, NOBLESVILLE 51
(double overtime)
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Jordan Gadis 2-3 6-8 12 4
Brendon Fisher 4-7 1-1 11 3
Noah Harris 0-4 0-0 0 1
Evan Wilson 2-7 0-0 6 4
Alex Hunt 4-8 6-10 15 5
Levi Calvert 0-0 0-0 0 1
Preston Roberts 1-2 0-0 3 1
EJ Smith 1-2 2-2 4 3
Trenton Reed 0-0 0-0 0 1
Totals 14-33 15-21 51 23
Noblesville 3-point shooting (8-22) Wilson 2-7, Fisher 2-5, Gadis 2-3, Hunt 1-3, Roberts 1-2, Harris 0-2.
Noblesville rebounds (18) Gadis 7, Fisher 5, Harris 2, Calvert 1, Hunt 1, team 2.
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Conner Gioia 2-2 4-6 9 5
Peter Suder 3-8 2-3 10 5
Brian Waddell 3-5 2-6 8 4
Josh Whack 1-3 1-2 3 1
Charlie Williams 1-6 3-4 5 3
Jackson Jannsen 3-4 3-4 12 1
Wil Leary 2-4 3-4 7 3
Nick Frische 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 15-32 18-29 54 22
Carmel 3-point shooting (6-12) Jannsen 3-4, Suder 2-3, Gioia 1-1, Waddell 0-2, Whack 0-1, Leary 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (25) Williams 9, Suder 6, Gioia 4, Waddell 3, Jannsen 1, Whack 1, Leary 1.
Score by Quarters
Noblesville 9 11 4 17 3 7 – 51
Carmel 7 9 12 13 3 10 – 54