The Noblesville Millers had already won eight in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18.6 points), and they went ahead and made it nine on Friday. They had just enough and edged Zionsville out 62-59. Given Noblesville's advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana basketball rankings (they are ranked sixth, while Zionsville is ranked 56th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Noblesville's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Hunter Walston led the charge by scoring 18 points along with six rebounds and two blocks. Another player making a difference was Justin Curry II, who scored 15 points along with eight rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Zionsville lost, one person who can't be blamed is Maguire Mitchell. Despite the final result, he scored 29 points along with five rebounds. That was a full 49.2% of Zionsville's points, marking the third time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Drew Snively was another key contributor, scoring 18 points.
Noblesville's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-1. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.4 points per game. As for Zionsville, their loss ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 7-6.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Noblesville won't have much time to rest: their next match is against Connersville at 7:30 p.m. on January 13th. Connersville has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 15. As for Zionsville, they will play host again and welcome Warren Central, where tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
