Noblesville boys basketball coach Scott McClelland has been saying for a couple weeks that has team “needed a signature win.”
The Millers finally got that win Friday, as they beat Zionsville 66-47 on the road in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game. The Eagles are ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Class 4A poll and No. 2 in the IBCA one-class ratings.
“This was a big win for us,” said McClelland.
Noblesville was in control from the start, leading 19-5 after the first quarter. Aaron Fine scored seven points during that period. The Millers kept rolling in the second period, with five different players contributing in that quarter, pushing Noblesville ahead 34-18 by halftime.
“We were engaged from the very get-go,” said McClelland. The coach was happy with the defense, and also had praise for the offense.
“I thought we also did the best we’ve done this year of sharing and reversing the basketball,” said McClelland.
While Zionsville began to get itself together in the second half, the Millers kept up their offensive pace and stayed comfortably ahead. Free-throw shooting was big, as Preston Roberts went 7-of-9 from the line in the second half and Fine was 6-of-6.
The Eagles were without their star player Logan Imes.
“He’s outstanding,” said McClelland. “He’s a terrific high-school basketball player. But I just thought we played very, very well tonight.”
Fine led the Millers with 18 points, while Roberts scored 16. Both players scored in each quarter, as did Luke Almodovar, who finished with 11 points. McClelland also had praise for Cameron Karns.
“I thought he just fought all night,” said the coach. “He just kicked, scraped, clawed, did everything he could to put his team in a position to be successful.”
Karns and Cooper Bean each scored six points.
Noblesville is 6-5 and hosts Connersville tonight at The Mill.
NOBLESVILLE 66, ZIONSVILLE 47
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Cooper Bean 3 0-0 6 4
Hunter Walston 0 0-0 0 3
Cameron Karns 3 0-0 6 2
Aaron Fine 5 6-6 18 2
E.J. Smith 1 1-2 4 5
Luke Almodovar 4 1-2 11 0
Preston Roberts 4 7-9 16 1
Luke Wilson 0 0-0 0 0
Luke Etchison 0 0-0 0 1
Nolan Decker 0 2-2 2 0
Evan Wright 1 1-2 3 0
Totals 21 18-23 66 18
Score by Quarters
Noblesville 19 15 13 19 – 66
Zionsville 5 8 12 22 – 47
Noblesville 3-pointers (6) Fine 2, Almodovar 2, Smith 1, Roberts 1.