The Fishers girls basketball team just completed a historic season: Setting a new school record for most victories in a season, winning the program’s second sectional championship and producing a Junior All-Star.
All that success has not gone unnoticed. The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Thursday that the Tigers will be one of four girls teams competing in the 2020 Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic. The girls edition of the Classic takes place Tuesday, Dec. 29 at the New Castle Fieldhouse, with the boys to play on Wednesday, Dec. 30.
Fishers is one of five first-time participants and part of a field with a collective 181-24 record over the past season. The girls Classic opens with Mount Vernon taking on Norwell in the first semi-final game, then the Fishers Tigers face the Evansville Memorial Tigers in the second semi-final game.
“The Hall of Fame Classic year in and year out features some of the top teams in the state,” said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw. “We are excited that Chris May and the Hall of Fame felt that we belonged in that group based on what the girls were able to do this year and what they feel we will be able to do next season. I remember going to this event as a child and feel it will be a memorable experience for our program from our high school athletes all the way to our youth players.”
The Tigers return significant firepower from their underclass-laden 23-2 sectional championship team. Indiana Junior All-Star Katie Burton averaged 15.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, junior Audra Emmerson averaged 7.2 points and 2.4 assists and freshman Hailey Smith averaged 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Votaw has a 51-24 record in three seasons at Fishers, which makes its first appearance Classic history.
Evansville Memorial will be a similar team, as it finished last season 22-4, won a sectional title and only graduates two seniors from that squad.
Junior Ryleigh Anslinger averaged 15.8 points and 3.1 steals, junior Peyton Murphy averaged 10.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals, freshman Emily Mattingly averaged 6.2 points and junior Savanah Warren averaged 6.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Head coach Lee Aucker completed his first season as head coach of the Memorial girls program. Aucker was an assistant for seven seasons under 31-year Memorial head coach Bruce Dockery.
Memorial will make its third appearance in the Girls Classic. Appearing in the 2004 event, they won the Consolation game of the 2010 event, en route to a 2011 IHSAA 3A championship later that season.
In the other game:
Mount Vernon – The Marauders come off a 22-2 finish this season and have a 42-8 record over the last two seasons.
Losing just two seniors from their Hoosier Heritage Conference championship squad, junior guard Lexi Shelton averaged 16.3 points and 6.0 rebounds, junior frontliner Olivia Yeley averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds and junior guard Abby Worley averaged 7.9 points, 4.5 assists and 3.2 steals per game.
Julie Shelton has a 313-128 record in 19 seasons at Mount Vernon including a 2013 3A championship and 2012 3A runner-up finish. A 1989 Indiana All-Star after setting nine school records as a player at Seymour, she was a 2017 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
Mount Vernon makes its fourth appearance in the Girls Classic. The Marauders won the 1999 event and participated in the 1986 and 2011 events. Mount Vernon become just the 3rd school to make four or more appearances in the Girls Classic, joining Bedford North Lawrence (four) and Rushville (five).
Norwell – The Knights expect to return all but one player from a 22-5 team that reached the 3A regional finals in 2019-20.
Juniors Maiah Shelton (14.8 points and 6.6 rebounds), Kaylee Fuelling (13.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 steals) and Lauren Bales (6.5 points and 2.6 assists) are leading returning players for the Lady Knights.
Head coach Eric Thornton is 366-172 in 23 seasons at Norwell. His program’s 200-52 record (.794) over the past 10 seasons is the 9th best winning percentage in the state in that time. He has led the Norwell girls to 14 straight seasons with 15 or more wins, including eight 20-plus win seasons in that span.
Norwell makes its second appearance in the Girls Classic. The Knights were runners-up in the 2011 event with eventual Miss Basketball Jessica Rupright on their roster. Norwell and Mount Vernon return to the Girls Classic following 2011 appearances, although they did not face each other in that event.
In the boys Hall of Fame Classic, all four teams will be making their first appearance at the event. The first game will feature Blackford and Shenandoah, coached by former Noblesville mentor Dave McCollough. The second game will see Blackhawk Christian take on Barr-Reeve.
The Fishers girls basketball team will play in the 2020 edition of the prestigious Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic, which is scheduled for Dec. 29 at the New Castle Fieldhouse. The Tigers just completed a 23-2 season and won their second sectional championship in program history. (Kirk Green/File photo)