By RICHIE HALL
MARION – For the first time since 1996, the Noblesville girls basketball team is a regional champion.
The Class 4A No. 5 Millers blasted their way to the Marion regional title on Saturday night, beating No. 10 Fort Wayne Snider 78-63. Noblesville pulled away from the Panthers with a big second-quarter run, then maintained that lead throughout the second half. Soon, the trophy was in the hands of the Millers.
“We keep saying that ever since that Westfield game, the mindset changed, the mentality changed,” said junior Ashlynn Shade, who had another solid game for the Millers. “I think just from that game on, it’s been ‘Keep it rolling, keep it rolling, bring the intensity, bring the energy,’ and I think that’s just what’s keeping us going. Staying together as a team, lifting each other’s confidence and just great team basketball right now.”
Noblesville will play in the Logansport semi-state this coming Saturday, taking on No. 4 Crown Point, the defending 4A state champion. That game will tip off at 7 p.m., after the Class 1A semi-state game between North White and Lafayette Central Catholic.
The Millers were in a battle with the Panthers for the first quarter, which ended in a 12-12 tie. Noblesville led 10-5 after a basket by Ashlynn Shade, but Snider went on a 7-0 run to take a two-point lead. Jordyn Poole sparked the Panthers’ run with a 3-pointer.
A layin by Shade finished the first quarter, and Poole opened the second quarter by making a floater. The Panthers led 14-12, but would not lead again after that.
That’s because Noblesville went on a sudden 17-0 run. Shade tied the game with a jumper, then Reagan Wilson drained a 3-pointer to put the Millers in front for good. Ava Shoemaker added six points in the run, with Meredith Tippner scoring three and Dani Mendez making a free throw. Shade’s jumper capped the spurt, which put Noblesville in front 29-14.
“We went to a 1-3-1,” said Millers coach Donna Buckley. “I really didn’t think it would bother them, I thought our 3-2 would bother them more. But instead, they didn’t like that 1-3-1 at all. It made them slow down and have to take their time trying to figure out where to go with it. We live-ball turned them over, which led to a lot of offense, and then once we got going, we were pretty good.”
A layin by Samantha Kabisch and 3 from Poole got Snider within 29-19, but Ava Shoemaker promptly answered that with a 3. Kaitlyn Shoemaker threw in a triple at the end of the half, and the Millers led 37-23.
Noblesville kept its lead in double digits for the entirety of the second half. Kaitlyn Shoemaker got hot in the third quarter, draining two 3s on her way to eight points during the period. Tippner made back-to-back jumpers. A late 7-0 run pushed the Millers ahead 59-41, that spurt started with Kaitlyn Shoemaker’s second triple of the quarter.
“We really did a good job on fundamentals this game,” said Kaitlyn Shoemaker. “That was our focus from the start, and people just came off the bench and gave sparks. Everyone really participated.”
“It’s really all about playing as a team and keeping our composure,” said Ava Shoemaker – even when the game is tight. “We had to play together the whole time,” she said.
Noblesville led 59-43 going into the fourth quarter. Shade opened the period with a basket off a steal, then Kaitlyn Shoemaker tossed in another 3 to give the Millers their largest lead of the game at 64-43. The Panthers fought to the end, cutting Noblesville’s lead to 71-58 with around a minute and a half left, but the Millers finished the game from the free-throw line, going 5-of-6 in the final 50 seconds.
Four Noblesville players reached double figures, starting with Shade’s 24 points; she also handed out seven assists. Kaitlyn Shoemaker totaled four 3s and 17 points, Tippner contributed 14 points and Ava Shoemaker added 11 points.
“The Shoemakers were awesome,” said Buckley. “Ava came in and played really well, and obviously Kaitlyn is going to be Kaitlyn.”
The Millers totaled 36 rebounds for the game, with Mendez collecting eight. Shade pulled seven rebounds, Tippner had six, and Ava Shoemaker and Reagan Wilson both grabbed five.
Noblesville is 23-4 for the season.
NOBLESVILLE 78, FORT WAYNE SNIDER 63
Noblesville FG FT TP PF
Kaitlyn Shoemaker 5-9 3-4 17 3
Ashlynn Shade 10-21 4-4 24 4
Reagan Wilson 3-8 0-0 7 2
Meredith Tippner 5-7 4-6 14 2
Brooklyn Smitherman 0-1 0-0 0 2
Dani Mendez 2-4 1-2 5 1
Brooklyn Ely 0-0 0-0 0 0
Ava Shoemaker 5-8 0-0 11 2
Totals 30-58 12-16 78 16
Score by Quarters
Noblesville 12 25 22 19 – 78
Snider 12 11 20 20 – 63
Noblesville 3-point shooting (6-14) K. Shoemaker 4-6, Wilson 1-3, A. Shoemaker 1-2, Shade 0-3.
Noblesville rebounds (36) Mendez 8, Shade 7, Tippner 6, A. Shoemaker 5, Wilson 5, K. Shoemaker 2, Smitherman 1, team 2.