By RICHIE HALL
Reporter Sports Editor
Back home in The Mill, the Noblesville girls basketball team soared to its first win of the season Saturday night.
The Millers beat Fort Wayne Snider 70-50. After a slow start, Noblesville took control of the game midway through the first quarter and were able to cruise through the remainder of the contest relatively unbothered by their old rival the Panthers. (The two teams met back in 1988 for the state championship.)
It was a nice win for a Millers team that is gaining experience, but still has some young components.
“We’re a little bit young in certain areas,” said Noblesville coach Donna Buckley. “We have great experience in other areas, but just trying to figure it all out, put it together and I thought it clicked for them a little bit more tonight.”
Snider only led twice during the game. The second time was a 12-10 advantage midway through the first. At that point, Noblesville went on a 15-0 run that lasted into the opening seconds of the second period. Emily Kiser scored six points, with Mallory Johnson adding four. Maddie Knight had three points and made a steal that ended up in Kiser’s hands; she made the easy basket that capped the run.
The Panthers scored six unanswered points midway through the second, but Johnson quickly made up for that with back-to-back 3-pointers. Snider cut the lead to 41-33 to open the third quarter, but it would get no closer. Noblesville steadily increased its advantage throughout the second half.
Knight helped out with six points in the third. She totaled 15 for the game, and came close to a triple-double: Knight also handed out seven assists and made seven steals; she also got five rebounds.
Kiser was dominant, especially in the second quarter, where she picked up seven of her 17 rebounds. Emily wound up with 26 points on the night and also handed out four assists. Johnson scored 15.
“We had a lot of scoring,” said Buckley.
Olivia Morales grabbed six rebounds and Abby Haley had five. Madison Whetro had eight points and four assists. The junior is seeing her first significant minutes after dealing with injuries during her first two years in high school.
“It just feels amazing,” said Whetro. “The team has really great chemistry and I feel like from being injured last year to coming into my role this year, I’m just trying to figure out what that is right now and make the plays when they need to be played and play my role.”
If there was a blessing in disguise for Whetro about missing so much time, especially in her freshman year, it’s that she was able to observe the varsity game from the vantage point of the bench. She certainly learned about high school basketball in a hurry.
“I just recognized freshman year that coming from middle school to high school, the game was a lot faster, it was more physical,” said Whetro. “You’re playing against seniors and juniors, the people that are older than you and have had more experience. But that means when you get in the game, you have to fill your role and play just like them. You have to pick it up, you have to be there for your teammates, run the floor, do what you’re capable of and good things will happen.”
“I thought she gave us really good minutes,” said Buckley of Whetro. “There were just a lot of kids that brought some really good stuff for us.”
Noblesville is now 1-1 for the season. The Millers are back in The Mill Tuesday night, hosting Arsenal Tech.
Mallory Johnson scored 15 points for the Noblesville girls basketball team in its win Saturday over Fort Wayne Snider. (Kent Graham)
Madison Whetro had eight points and four assists for the Millers in their home-opening win over Fort Wayne Snider on Saturday. (Kent Graham)