By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – Northridge’s offense may have been the story of the first half, but Noblesville’s defense stepped up in the final chapter.
That was the plot of the Millers’ game with the Raiders Thursday as the teams met in the first round of the Noblesville Holiday Tournament at The Mill. Northridge led for most of the game until the Millers came back and tied it up at the end of regulation. Noblesville then played a solid overtime to win 71-66 and advance to this morning’s semi-finals, where it will take on Columbus North.
“It was a great team win, and really proud of our guys for beating a quality Northridge team, and then give ourselves a chance to play Columbus North,” said Millers coach Brian McCauley.
The coach said there were two pivotal parts of the game. The first was late in the third quarter, when Noblesville trailed 48-43, but then went on a 9-0 run that stretched into the fourth quarter. Alex Hunt started the run with a free throw, then Zack Johnson nailed a 3-pointer to bring the Millers within 48-47 at the end of the third.
Xavier Hines started the fourth with a layin to put Noblesville in front 49-48, then Johnson hit another 3 to make the score 52-48. The Raiders’ Sam Smith made his own 3 to end the run, but Johnson answered that with his third triple of the game, giving the Millers a 55-51 lead.
Eventually, the score settled was 59-59 with 13 seconds left. Northridge had the ball and was looking to score, but Noblesville’s Eagan Keever-Hill drew a charge with 1.2 seconds left.
“That could’ve been the game,” said McCauley. “Had he not gotten set and taken that, then they would have been shooting free throws and we didn’t have any time left.”
With that, the game went to overtime, the beginning of which McCauley said was also a pivotal part of the game. Johnson scored the first basket right away on a layin, then after a defensive stop, Hines sent a pass – “a great outlet pass,” said McCauley – to Johnson, who put it in the basket.
Hines made a layin to get the Millers ahead 65-60, but a quick run by Northridge tied the game up at 65-65 with a minute to go in the OT. Johnson was fouled and made both free throws, after which Noblesville never trailed again. Johnson finished the game with 27 points.
Brendon Fisher hit two foul shots of his own to put the Millers up 69-66. The Raiders threw up a 3-point shot that missed, with Jordan Schmidt grabbing the rebound, drawing a foul, and making two more free throws to seal the game.
It was a nice win for Noblesville, who had to absorb some hot shooting by Northridge in the first half. Raiders senior Jared Erekson did the most damage, as he poured in 24 points in that half, including five 3-pointers; he scored all 15 of Northridge’s second-quarter points. Erekson finished the game with 30 points.
“We just gave him too much space in the first half, and we just weren’t quite on it,” said McCauley. “He made us pay. After the first two or three 3s, we should’ve known. You have to just make him dribble. He continued to get looks from deep.”
The Millers made big baskets of their own to stay in the game. Fisher had one 3-pointer in each of the first two quarters.
“Brendon Fisher off the bench was phenomenal tonight,” said McCauley. “Defensively he was solid. Offensively he was terrific.”
Fisher’s second 3 helped Noblesville finish the second quarter strong. The Millers trailed by nine twice in the period, but came back to get within 35-32 by halftime. Then in the early part of the third quarter, Jordan Schmidt drained two 3s, sandwiched in between a Hines putback. That gave Noblesville a 40-39 lead, the first time they were in front since the first quarter.
After Johnson’s 27, Xavier Hines added 16 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds, with Johnson and Hunt each collecting five. The Millers also outscored the Raiders in the paint, 32-24.
“It’s always the team that wins the paint that wins the game,” said McCauley.
Noblesville is now 5-4 for the season.
Noblesville 71, Northridge 66
(overtime)
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Eagan Keever-Hill 2-2 2-4 6 5
Xavier Hines 7-15 1-3 16 2
Jordan Schmidt 2-4 2-2 8 3
Zack Johnson 9-10 6-9 27 1
Alex Hunt 2-7 2-3 6 4
Brendon Fisher 2-3 2-2 8 1
Parker Davis 0-0 0-0 0 1
Evan Wilson 0-0 0-0 0 0
Jared Crandall 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 24-41 15-23 71 17
Score by Quarters
Northridge 20 15 13 11 7 – 66
Noblesville 14 18 15 12 12 – 71
Noblesville 3-point shooting (8-14) Johnson 3-3, Fisher 2-3, Schmidt 2-3, Hines 1-5.
Noblesville rebounds (27) Hines 8, Johnson 5, Hunt 5, Fisher 3, Schmidt 1, Keever-Hill 1, team 4.
Noblesville’s Eagan Keever-Hill scored six points and took a charge with 1.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter that sent the Millers’ game with Northridge into overtime. (Kent Graham)
Brendon Fisher hit two 3-pointers for Noblesville in the first half, then made big free throws in overtime to help the Millers to victory. (Kent Graham)