By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – The 2021-22 edition of the Noblesville boys basketball team proved something right away Wednesday night: The Millers can play with anyone.
Noblesville didn’t get an easy assignment for its opener, as it hosted Lawrence North, last season’s Class 4A state runner-up. Despite getting down in the second period, the Millers came back and took the lead in the second half before the Wildcats made a late run and beat Noblesville 56-50.
Lawrence North was missing one of its star players, Indiana University commit CJ Gunn, but the Wildcats still had a formidable amount of talent, including some on the young side as well. Lawrence North jumped out to a 6-0 lead, with a freshman, Azavier Robinson scoring four of those points.
Millers junior Preston Roberts got his team on the board with a layin, and after that, Noblesville worked its way back to within 15-12 by the end of the first quarter. Senior E.J. Smith and junior Cooper Bean both scored five points, with Bean hitting a 3-pointer and Smith making good on a traditional three-point play. Smith then opened the second quarter with a triple to tie the game at 15-15.
But the Wildcats dominated the remainder of the period, going on a 14-3 run to lead 29-18. Smith was the only Noblesville player to interrupt the run with another 3, and he did finish the half with a third 3-pointer, which kept the Millers within 29-21 at the break.
Scott McClelland, who made his debut as the Noblesville varsity head coach with this game, made the observation that the Millers were “consistently inconsistent.”
“The good thing is, it’s November,” said McClelland. “But we got to start chipping that away and getting that cleaned up so we’re not constantly doing the dips and the roller coaster. You saw that there were some good things.”
The Millers did quite a few good things in the third quarter. Smith opened the second half with his fourth 3 of the game, then drained a pair of free throws. It was a personal 8-0 run, and it got Noblesville within 29-26.
The Wildcats pushed their lead back up to 33-26 with back-to-back rebound baskets, but Noblesville answered with an 8-0 run. Bean made a layin, then scored off a Smith steal while being fouled, making the subsequent free throw.
A foul shot by sophomore Aaron Fine brought the Millers within 33-32. Then Smith made a steal that resulted in Fine getting fouled, and he hit both free throws. Noblesville had its first lead of the game at 34-33.
Two 3s from McCoyion Brown put LN up 39-36, but Bean threw in a triple to tie up the game at 39-39; which would be the third-quarter score. Bean put the Millers ahead twice during the early stages of the fourth quarter, with a 3 and a layin, the latter basket putting Noblesvile up 44-43.
McClelland said Bean “played really, really well tonight.” The coach said Bean “played inspired” and gave the Millers “a spark off the bench.”
“I thought he played his role outstanding,” said McClelland. “He accepted his role and played it.”
Brown drained his third 3-pointer of the game to push the Wildcats back up 46-44, but Fine tied the game with a putback. That would be all, however. Lawrence North then went on a 6-0 run, and held the lead from there.
McClelland said the Wildcats “out-toughed us,” especially on the offensive rebounds late. “They just worked us early, and they really worked us in the fourth quarter on boards,” he said.
Nevertheless, McClelland said there were things to be positive about as the Millers begin their season.
“We just got to clean up some stuff,” said McClelland. “Right now our rebounding really hurt us, and then we missed some shots around the basket.”
Smith finished the game with 21 points, while Bean scored 18 points.
Noblesville plays Saturday at Columbus East.
LAWRENCE NORTH 56, NOBLESVILLE 50
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
E.J. Smith 5 7-7 21 4
Luke Almodovar 0 0-1 0 3
Aaron Fine 1 3-4 5 2
Preston Roberts 3 0-0 6 0
Cameron Karns 0 0-0 0 0
Cooper Bean 6 3-4 18 3
Evan Wright 0 0-0 0 1
Totals 15 13-16 50 13
Score by Quarters
LNHS 15 14 10 17 – 56
Noblesville 12 9 18 11 – 50
Noblesville 3-pointers (7) Smith 4, Bean 3.