By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – Fishers recovered from an early deficit to beat Carmel 52-38 Tuesday in the second opening-round game at Class 4A Sectional 8 at Hamilton Southeastern.
The Greyhounds got off to a hot start, leading 14-3 after one quarter. The Tigers’ Talia Harris made a 3-pointer for the game’s first basket, but Carmel blasted off on a 14-0 run that took up the remainder of the quarter. Izzy Shepherd scored five points, including a 3, while Mackenzie Woods added four points. Lauren Perry also hit a 3.
Carmel’s Mackenzie Woods drives the ball while being guarded by Fishers’ Talia Harris. (Richie Hall)
The Tigers’ Allison Scheu started the second period with a triple, which Shepherd answered with another 3-pointer. Carmel led 17-6 at that point, but Fishers took over after that. The Tigers went on a 17-4 run to finish the quarter and led 23-21 at halftime.
Scheu poured in 10 points in the second period, finishing it off with another 3. Harris scored seven in the quarter, making a 3 herself.
“We started to look like ourselves a little bit more in the second quarter,” said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw. The coach gave the Greyhounds credit, saying they shot the ball very well to start the game.
“They were swarming defensively,” said Votaw. “And we were finally able to get some stuff to fall. And then everything changes, right? So, when you’re hitting shots, your defensive intensity changes.”
Shepherd’s third triple of the game got Carmel within 28-26 early in the third quarter before the Tigers used a 12-0 spurt to take control of the game. Joirdyn Smith nailed two 3s in the run, with Scheu scoring another four points.
“I thought she looked really good tonight,” said Votaw. “I think she’s moving well, she feels good. I think her confidence and her stamina are starting to come back. I think she’s doing well.”
Scheu began the fourth quarter with her third 2 at the game, which started a 10-2 run for the Tigers. Nevaeh Dickman made a three-point play, the second and-1 of the game for Fishers. Harris made the first one early in the third quarter. She made a layin to give the Tigers a 50-30 fourth-quarter lead.
Scheu said that staying together helped the team weather the early storm and come back to get the victory.
“We knew that we were going to be able to be better offensively in quarters to come, so just staying relaxed and staying together,” said Scheu, who led all scorers with 19 points.
Harris finished the game with 15 points, making two 3s.
Shepherd scored 13 for the ‘Hounds, totaling three 3-pointers. Perry had three 3s for nine points. Both are juniors, along with starters Mackenzie Woods and Taryn Fisher. Another junior, Mallory Bourquein, was injured early in the season.
Carmel finished the season 11-12. Seniors on the team included Keaton Gatlin, Megan Hamm and Jamie Elliott.
“We have a nice core of juniors that will be coming back,” said Carmel coach Rick Risinger, who “We lose three that had significant minutes here, but we’re looking forward to start thinking about the future as well.”
Fishers is 17-6 and plays Noblesville Friday in the Sectional 8 semifinals.
FISHERS 52, CARMEL 38
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Keaton Gatlin 0-4 0-0 0 2
Izzy Shepherd 5-13 0-2 13 0
Mackenzie Woods 2-9 2-2 6 3
Lauren Perry 3-6 0-0 9 4
Taryn Fisher 3-7 1-2 7 1
Jamie Elliott 1-2 0-0 2 2
Megan Hamm 0-2 1-2 1 1
Rilee McBride 0-0 0-0 0 0
Brooke Batt 0-1 0-0 0 0
Tionna Bryant 0-0 0-0 0 0
Ava Mann 0-0 0-0 0 0
Sydney Bonds 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 14-44 4-8 38 13
Carmel 3-point shooting (6-20) Shepherd 3-10, Perry 3-5, Gatlin 0-2, Woods 0-2, Hamm 0-1.
Fishers FG FT TP PF
Joirdyn Smith 2-5 0-0 6 3
Talia Harris 6-9 1-1 15 3
Kate Thomas 0-1 0-0 0 2
Nevaeh Dickman 1-5 5-5 7 1
Allison Scheu 7-10 2-2 19 0
Morgan Roberts 2-4 0-0 5 0
Natalie Thomas 0-1 0-0 0 0
Alanna Anthony 0-0 0-0 0 0
Olivia Brookshire 0-0 0-0 0 1
Makayla Triplett 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 18-35 8-8 52 10
Fishers 3-point shooting (8-15) Scheu 3-5, Smith 2-5, Harris 2-2, Roberts 1-3.
Score by Quarters
Carmel 14 7 7 10 – 38
Fishers 3 20 17 12 – 52