By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – It’s been so far, so good for the Hamilton Southeastern girls basketball team during a busy week on the Royals’ schedule.
Class 4A No. 1-ranked Southeastern kept itself unbeaten for the season with a 59-42 win over visiting Carmel on Friday afternoon. The Royals steadily built a 15-point lead during the first half, then took further control of the game by starting the second half on an 11-0 run.
Southeastern led 19-12 at the end of the first quarter, with six different players scoring. Kayla Stidham led the way with two 3-pointers for six points. Mallory Bourquein had four points for Carmel.
The Royals outscored the ‘Hounds 16-8 in the second period on their way to a 35-20 halftime lead. Kinley Johnson scored a couple of early baskets, with Stidham and Kayla Brinley also adding four points each.
“On different nights, we’ve had different girls step up and hit some big shots, give us some points,” said HSE coach Brian Satterfield. The coach said those players also help “in terms of coming in off the bench to give us good defensive awareness, pressure, rebounding, all those types of things.”
The first four minutes of the second half belonged to Southeastern, as it rang up 11 straight points. Maya Makalusky started the run with a layin, then Stidham scored on a layin, then threw in a 3. Makalusky then added two free throws and another basket to give the Royals a 46-20 lead.
“The girls did a very good job of moving the basketball, not forcing a whole lot,” said Satterfield. “You can see that they really key in on Maya. She did a great job of cutting and using and our girls made some good reads of trying to get the ball where they needed to.”
Triples from Mackenzie Woods and Keaton Gatlin ended the Southeastern run, but the Royals still led by 46-26. Southeastern was up 55-32 after three; Kennedy Holman scored four points during the last three minutes of the quarter.
A Stidham layin gave the Royals their largest lead of the game at 58-32 midway through the fourth period. Carmel finished the game on a 10-1 run, but Southeastern had the win clinched by then.
Stidham finished with 17 points, followed by 15 for Makalusky. Holman and Addison Van Hoesen both secured six rebounds, while Makalusky collected five. Holman dished out six assists and Makalusky blocked two shots.
“Hamilton Southeastern’s a very good team,” said Greyhounds coach Rick Risinger. “They have two really dominant players, shooters.”
Woods led the Greyhounds with 10 points. Both teams had very good balance, as Carmel had nine different players score, while Southeastern had eight players score.
“We didn’t execute some of the stuff that we wanted to execute,” said Risinger. “I think maybe we got a little bit intimidated by it, but I don’t want to take anything away from Hamilton Southeastern. They’re a good team.”
The Royals are 7-0 and travel to Brownsburg tonight for the Sneakers for Santa event. Southeastern plays another unbeaten team, 4A No. 5 Columbia City, which is 6-0 for the year.
“They’re a veteran team,” said Satterfield. “Their point guard’s going to Butler (Addison Baxter). I know we’re going to be in for a big challenge. We got to make sure that we’re coming ready to play.”
Carmel is 4-3 and plays Tuesday at Lawrence North.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 59, CARMEL 42
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Izzy Shepherd 2-10 0-1 5 1
Mackenzie Woods 3-5 3-5 10 2
Lauren Perry 2-8 0-0 5 2
Taryn Fisher 2-3 0-0 4 1
Mallory Bourquein 1-4 2-2 4 0
Keaton Gatlin 1-8 0-0 3 1
Jamie Elliott 0-3 0-0 0 1
Megan Hamm 0-4 1-2 1 3
Ava Carter 2-4 2-2 7 1
Tionna Bryant 1-1 0-0 3 2
Sydney Bonds 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 14-50 8-12 42 14
Carmel 3-point shooting (6-26) Shepherd 1-7, Gatlin 1-5, Perry 1-5, Carter 1-3, Woods 1-2, Bryant 1-1, Elliott 0-2, Bourquein 0-1.
Southeastern FG FT TP PF
Maya Makalusky 4-11 6-7 15 0
Kennedy Holman 3-8 0-2 6 2
Zoe Lawless 1-2 0-0 2 0
Kayla Stidham 7-13 0-0 17 1
Addison Van Hoesen 3-4 0-0 6 2
Kayla Brinley 2-5 0-0 4 1
Antonette Green 0-0 2-2 2 4
Kenley Johnson 3-4 1-2 7 1
Abigail Orme 0-0 0-0 0 0
Hannah Wade 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 23-47 9-13 59 11
Southeastern 3-point shooting (4-18) Stidham 3-8, Makalusky 1-5, Holman 0-2, Brinley 0-2, Lawless 0-1.
Score by Quarters
Carmel 12 8 12 10 – 42
Southeastern 19 16 20 4 – 59