By RICHIE HALL
FISHERS – It all came together for the Fishers boys basketball team in the fourth quarter Friday night.
The Tigers were staring at a 10-point deficit as that period began, and a Zionsville score made it 43-31 to open the quarter. But Fishers staged a tremendous comeback, outscoring the Eagles 21-2 to get a 52-45 Hoosier Crossroads Conference victory, on Senior Night no less.
The first part of the Tigers’ run was 10 straight points to get them within 43-41. Millen McCartney began the stretch with a 3-pointer, then Jalen Haralson took over with seven consecutive points. Zionsville star Logan Imes made a pair of free throws with 3:04 left to get the Eagles back up 45-41, but those would be Zionsville’s last points of the game.
“That’s a great team,” said Fishers coach Garrett Winegar. “Coach (J.R.) Howell does a great job. They outplayed us for three quarters and then finally in the fourth quarter, I felt like we started playing our game. Getting rebounds, pushing the pace, really driving and kicking and getting to our shooters. Jalen did a great job getting downhill and scoring, and then finding open guys.”
“I trust everybody,” said Haralson. “Guys step up and hit shots, and we got the stops we needed down the stretch. We hit free throws.”
Later, JonAnthony Hall made a layin, then Aidan Zimmer drilled a 3 to put the Tigers up 46-45. Haralson then made a pair of free throws, and the lead was 48-45. The Eagles went driving down the floor, but turned it over when Fishers drew a charge.
No one was quite sure who took the charge – “There was a lot going on,” said Haralson. But it gave the Tigers the ball back, and seconds later, Hall made two more free throws to put his team up 50-45.
Winegar said that in the fourth quarter, Fishers saw what its potential is when everyone on the team plays well.
“It’s one 3 from Aidan Zimmer, but that took the lead,” said Winegar. “Those moments, and those guys being ready, is because of the preparation every day in practice.”
Fishers led 7-2 early, with Haralson and Keenan Garner baskets followed by a 3 from Taden Metzger. Zionsville came back to lead 10-7, but back-to-back Haralson baskets pushed the Tigers ahead 11-10.
The Eagles led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter. Haralson tied it with a basket to start the second quarter, but Zionsville used its own run, a 12-5 stretch to take a 25-18 lead by halftime. Garner opened the third quarter with a 3, and layins by him and Haralson kept Fishers within 28-25 early in the third.
The Eagles made another long run, this one 13-4, to go up 41-29 late in the third. Justin Kirby’s putback finished the period, then Zionsville’s Drew Snively opened the fourth with a basket. The Eagles led by 12, but Fishers soon would come back.
Haralson scored 22 points, while Garner added 11 points.
The Tigers finished HCC play with a 5-2 record, tying for second place with Noblesville. Fishers is 13-10 overall and plays its regular-season finale Tuesday at North Central.
FISHERS 52, ZIONSVILLE 45
Fishers FG FT TP PF
Taden Metzger 1 0-0 3 1
Jalen Haralson 8 6-10 22 3
Aidan Zimmer 1 0-1 3 1
JonAnthony Hall 1 3-4 5 4
Keenan Garner 5 0-0 11 3
Millen McCartney 1 0-0 3 0
Parker Perdue 1 0-0 3 2
Grant Haworth 0 0-0 0 1
Justin Kirby 1 0-0 2 0
James Stasey 0 0-0 0 1
Totals 19 9-15 52 16
Score by Quarters
Zionsville 13 12 16 4 – 45
Fishers 11 7 13 21 – 52
Fishers 3-pointers (5) Metzger, McCartney, Zimmer, Perdue, Garner.