By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – The Noblesville boys basketball team has made high-energy defense its trademark during the first few weeks of the season.
In their first six games, the Millers have held all of their opponents under 50 points. But on Tuesday, Noblesville took its defense to a level it had not been in a few years – and what better place and time to do that then the Millers’ own holiday tournament.
Noblesville stunned Northridge 56-26 in its opening-round game Tuesday afternoon at the Millers’ annual holiday get-together at The Mill. This victory merits attention because the Raiders had come into the tournament with a 7-1 record.
But the Millers were able to stay ahead of Northridge in the first half, then got better on defense as the second half progressed. As a result, the 26 points scored by the Raiders were the fewest Noblesville allowed an opponent in a game since Dec. 1, 2017, when the Millers only gave up 22 points to Fishers.
Aaron Fine started the game with a 3-pointer for Noblesville, but Northridge then went on a 7-0 run. That prompted a talking-to from Millers coach Scott McClelland.
“I just didn’t think we played very hard,” said McClelland. “So, we called a timeout and got after them.”
Noblesville’s players got the message. The Millers went on a 13-0 run that stretched into the early part of the second quarter. Luke Almodovar made a personal 7-0 run – two 3s and a free throw – to put Noblesville up 10-7.
Preston Roberts finished the first quarter with a layin to put the Millers up 12-7. Roberts also got the first basket of the second quarter, and Hunter Walston followed that up with a dunk. The run was finished and Noblesville led 16-7.
“I thought Preston gave us a nice spark off the bench,” said McClelland. He also credited Aiden Brewer with doing what the team needed him to do.
Preston Roberts came off the bench to score 11 points and provided some big plays for Noblesville in
the second quarter. (Kent Graham)
“And that was guard and defend and rebounding. He was able to clean up some stuff,” said McClelland.
Northridge never got too far behind the Millers in the second quarter, at one point closing to within 18-14. But Noblesville closed the half on a 10-3 run to take a 28-17 halftime lead. Roberts scored two more baskets, including a putback, with Almodovar adding six more points, including an emphatic one-handed dunk.
“I thought Almo made a couple of really nice, high-energy plays in the second quarter,” said McClelland.
Cooper Bean helped out the Millers in the early part of the third quarter with five points, including a three-point play. Meanwhile, Northridge hung around through the majority of the period, still within 35-24 with 2:30 left in the third quarter.
Cooper Bean scored five points for Noblesville in the third quarter. (Kent Graham)
But Noblesville took off after that. The Millers ate up the last 10-1/2 minutes of the game with a 21-2 run, only allowing the Raiders two points in the fourth quarter. Seven different Noblesville players scored during that run, including Baron Walker, who got loud cheers from his teammates after nailing a 3-pointer in the game’s final minutes. Fine hit a 3 in the fourth period as well, and had six points during the quarter.
Three Millers reached double figures in scoring. Almodovar led with 17 points, followed by Fine and Roberts with 11 points each. Fine had two 3s for the game.
McClelland said his team had to grind this one out, but Noblesville got the job done, as it has done in six out of its seven games this year. The Millers are winning every way possible: Of their six wins, three of them have been by eight points or less, while the other three were by 29 points or more.
“You can find different ways to win,” said McClelland. “I think that only builds confidence and it’ll put you in a position for later down the road to be successful.”
The Millers will play the second semi-final of their own tournament at 12:45 p.m., taking on Crown Point. That follows the first semi-final, which tips off at 11 a.m., between Lawrence Central and Columbus North.
NOBLESVILLE 56, NORTHRIDGE 26
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Luke Almodovar 6 4-4 17 2
Aaron Fine 4 1-2 11 3
Cooper Bean 2 1-1 5 1
Aiden Brewer 0 0-0 0 2
Hunter Walston 2 0-0 4 0
Justin Curry 0 0-0 0 2
Luke Etchison 0 1-2 1 0
Preston Roberts 4 3-4 11 2
TJ Davidson 0 0-0 0 0
Adam Fine 0 0-0 0 0
Baron Walker 1 1-2 4 0
Will Smits 0 3-4 3 0
Max Miller 0 0-0 0 0
Totals 19 14-19 56 12
Score by Quarters
Northridge 7 10 7 2 – 26
Noblesville 12 16 12 16 – 56
Noblesville 3-pointers (4) Aa. Fine 2, Almodovar, Walker.
Tuesday Noblesville Holiday Tournament scores
FIRST-ROUND GAMES
Lawrence Central 65, Chesterton 62
Columbus North 55, Norwell 42
Crown Point 62, Castle 55
Noblesville 56, Northridge 26
CONSOLATION GAMES
Norwell 57, Chesterton 51, OT
Castle 76, Northridge 69