By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – A good start can make all the difference in a big game.
The Noblesville girls basketball team got the good start it needed Tuesday evening when the Class 4A No. 3 Millers traveled to Carmel. Hot 3-point shooting helped Noblesville to a big early lead, and the Millers were able to hold off the Greyhounds’ comebacks, eventually winning 69-53.
Noblesville never trailed in the game, and the score was only tied once, early in the first quarter. Meredith Tippner got the game’s first basket on a jumper, then Carmel’s Laura Valiente scored off a steal.
Kaitlyn Shoemaker hit a 3-pointer to get the Millers up 5-2, and they never trailed again. That was just the beginning for Shoemaker, who went on to nail four 3s in the first quarter alone. Reagan Wilson hit a triple as well. Shoemaker’s fourth 3-pointer put Noblesville up 21-7 late in the first quarter. Emily Roper hit a free throw for Carmel to make it 21-8 by the end of the first quarter.
Roper’s foul shot was the start of an 11-2 run for the Greyhounds. Valiente opened the second period with a 3. Mackenzie Thomas then made back-to-back layins to finish the run and get Carmel within 23-19.
But that would be as close as the ‘Hounds would get. Ashlynn Shade scored her first points of the game with a jumper, then quickly threw in another basket while getting fouled, making the free throw for the three-point play. Brooklyn Ely finished the half with another 3, and Noblesville led 31-21 at the break.
“We just hit some big shots,” said Millers coach Donna Buckley. “I thought we went through stretches where they cut it down, and then Kaitlyn hit several big shots. Ash came alive and hit some big shots. We just kept answering. And then they forced us to have to answer, because they kept coming at us and Thomas played really well. They had some kids step up. They made us have to really earn that win.”
Thomas stepped up again with back-to-back baskets early in the third quarter, cutting Noblesville’s lead to 33-25. Shoemaker threw in her fifth 3 of the game, which Roper answered by making two free throws. Shoemaker responded with 3-pointer No. 6, then Shade scored off a steal. The Millers’ lead stayed in double digits from that point forward.
Shade scored 10 points in the third, which ended with Noblesville ahead 49-33. Ava Carter made two 3s for Carmel during the fourth period, and Thomas’ three-point play cut the Millers’ advantage to 61-49 with 2:42 left.
“She’s really put a lot of work into the off-season, a lot of work into her body, a lot of work into her skill set,” said ‘Hounds coach Erin Trimpe. “She’s an outside threat.”
Trimpe noted that Thomas was looking to expand her role with the team. “In order to expand it, she worked her butt off to get there,” said the coach. “So it’s been fun to see.”
Ava Shoemaker stepped up for Noblesville during the final minutes of the game, scoring six points and helping to seal the game for the Millers.
“It’s good for us,” said Buckley. “We really honestly haven’t had too many games where we’ve been challenged too much yet.” Buckley noted that players like Tippner and Ava Shoemaker still have few varsity games under their belts.
“Those are two big pieces of the puzzle, so for them to have to handle some adversity, I think that’s really good for our team, especially those young kids to see what does that look like and how do you answer when you’re challenged,” said Buckley.
Shade finished the game with 20 points, and reached double-double status with 10 rebounds, also getting eight assists and four steals. Kaitlyn Shoemaker’s six 3-pointers gave her 18 points. Wilson finished with nine points and eight assists, while Tippner collected five rebounds.
Thomas had 17 points and five rebounds to lead Carmel, while Hannah Lach drained three 3s for nine points. Roper scored nine points, collected seven rebounds and dished out four assists, and Jamie Elliott collected five rebounds.
“Very rarely do you come out of a locker room with a 16-, 17-point loss and feel pretty good about the things that you do,” said Trimpe. “I really think that we’re right where we need to be and just keep getting better. Our schedule’s brutal. We’re playing the best teams every single night and for us to get down and keep fighting back and have to make some adjustments on their end, I was just really impressed with our girls. I’m anxious and excited about what we can keep doing throughout the rest of our schedule.”
Noblesville is still unbeaten at 6-0 and plays a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game Saturday at Avon. Carmel is 1-3 and plays Friday at 4A No. 10 Hamilton Southeastern.
NOBLESVILLE 69, CARMEL 53
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Kaitlyn Shoemaker 6-13 0-0 18 4
Ashlynn Shade 9-18 1-1 20 2
Reagan Wilson 4-10 0-0 9 1
Meredith Tippner 3-5 0-0 6 2
Brooklyn Smitherman 0-3 0-0 0 1
Dani Mendez 1-3 0-0 2 0
Brooklyn Ely 2-4 0-0 6 0
Ava Shoemaker 2-4 4-4 8 2
Totals 27-60 5-5 69 12
Noblesville 3-point shooting (10-24) K. Shoemaker 6-12, Ely 2-4, Wilson 1-3, Shade 1-2, Tippner 0-2, A. Shoemaker 0-1.
Noblesville rebounds (28) Shade 10, Tippner 5, Ely 2, Wilson 2, Smitherman 2, K. Shoemaker 1, A. Shoemaker 1, Mendez 1, team 4.
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Mackenzie Woods 1-4 1-3 3 1
Laura Valiente 2-4 0-0 5 1
Hannah Lach 3-11 0-0 9 0
Mackenzie Thomas 8-12 1-1 17 4
Emily Roper 1-4 7-8 9 2
Taryn Fisher 0-0 0-0 0 0
Maya Berglund 1-1 0-2 2 3
Jamie Elliott 1-4 0-0 2 1
Ava Carter 2-2 0-0 6 1
Totals 19-42 9-14 53 13
Carmel 3-point shooting (6-16) Lach 3-8, Carter 2-2, Valiente 1-2, Elliott 0-3, Thomas 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (24) Roper 7, Ellliott 5, Thomas 5, Lach 3, Valiente 2, Berglund 1, Woods 1.
Score by Quarters
Noblesville 21 10 18 20 – 69
Carmel 8 13 12 20 – 53