Young Fishers team splits first two games

By RICHIE HALL

sports@readthereporter.com

The Fishers girls basketball team split the first two games of its season last week.

The Tigers opened their campaign with a 48-29 victory at Ben Davis. Fishers played to a 12-12 tie with the Giants in the first quarter. Nevaeh Dickman scored seven points in that opening period. Fishers rolled to a 29-22 halftime lead, with Riley Schellhammer pouring in nine points, including a 3-pointer.

Fishers then cruised through the second half, allowing Ben Davis only seven points. Allison Scheu scored seven in the third quarter. Dickman led the scoring with 18 points, followed by Schellhammer with 14 and Scheu with 12.

Last Saturday, the Tigers played their home opener by taking on a tough Center Grove team. The Trojans jumped out to an early first-quarter lead and used strong defense to beat Fishers 43-22.

Center Grove led 16-4 after the first period, not allowing the Tigers any field goals. Natalie Thomas and Scheu each made two free throws during the quarter.

“We have some great experience on the inside and with our size, but we are very young at the point guard position,” said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw. “Allison’s playing some point guard for us, she’s never played point guard before. Just trying to get that experience and then trying to gel as a team is going to be part of the process for us, and we know that.”

Dickman scored Fishers’ first field goal at the 6:45 mark of the second quarter, then drained a 3 a couple minutes later. But the Trojans still held a double-digit lead at halftime, 24-13.

Center Grove scored the first six points of the third quarter before Schellhamer stopped the run with a free throw. The Tigers kept fighting, but the Trojans continued to extend their lead throughout the third, going up 38-18 by the end of the period. CG kept their lead around that margin for the entirety of the fourth quarter.

Dickman led Fishers with nine points, while Alanna Anthony scored four.

Votaw said playing two good teams during the first week of the season “reveals where you need to get better.” While Dickman and Scheu are experienced seniors, several players are getting their first significant varsity minutes, while two players, Schellhamer and Ella Burleson, are freshmen.

“So, it helps to give a target, a focus to what we’re doing in practice,” said Votaw. “And it does help them to see this is what 4A basketball in Indiana is like.”

Fishers plays at Anderson Wednesday, then hosts Fort Wayne Carroll and Columbia City Saturday as part of the Fishers Classic.