Check out all the best highlights from HSE's big win. Zach Horral, Dakota Crawford / IndyStar
FISHERS – Fourth-ranked Zionsville’s hot start came to a crashing halt Friday at Hamilton Southeastern.
The eighth-ranked Royals took advantage of poor Eagles shooting and a massive rebounding advantage to romp to a 78-50 win.
After leading only 14-12 after one quarter, the Royals held the visitors to just one field goal over the next 12-plus minutes to open up a double-digit lead. The Royals never allowed the Eagles to breathe after that.
“Hey, no one saw this coming,” said HSE assistant head coach Chris White, who stood in for head coach Brian Satterfield, who missed the game for personal reasons. “Without coach (Satterfield), the guys put forth a conscious effort and played together. We had a great week of practice and to be rewarded with this kind of a result is nice.”
For the Eagles, who came in 11-0, it was a humbling experience that coach Shaun Busick hopes his team can rebound from.
“We didn’t have a bad week of practice,” Busick said, “they just came out and beat us. We have to take this and come out every game with a chip on our shoulder, which we haven’t been doing.”
Zionsville not only shot poorly (17 of 53, 32 percent), but saw HSE hold a whopping 41-17 rebounding advantage. Combine that with the fact the Royals shot 29 of 46 from the floor (63 percent) and the Eagles were doomed.
The Royals (13-2) were led by Aaron Etherington, who scored 21 points. Noah Smith chipped in with 15 points, while Chaz Birchfield and Mabor Majak each had 12. Birchfield and Majak led the charge on the boards, as well, grabbing 12 and nine rebounds, respectively.
Nick Bowman also hit double figures for HSE with 10 points, including three 3-pointers that got his team off and running in the first quarter.
Isaiah Thompson led the Eagles (11-1) with 17 points and Riley Bertram netted 13.
White said Satterfield is expected back Saturday, when the Royals travel to meet Mt. Vernon (Fortville).
Here are the top highlights from HSE's big win. Zach Horral, Dakota Crawford / IndyStar
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 78, ZIONSVILLE 50
Zionsville 14 7 11 18 – 50
Hamilton Southeastern 14 18 19 27 – 78
ZIONSVILLE (11-1): Jake Ritter 0 2-3 2; Isaiah Thompson 5 6-7 17; Riley Bertram 5 0-0 13; Mark Smith 1 0-0 2; Will Alcock 1 2-2 4; Nathan Childress 2 2-2 6; Anthony Scales 2 0-2 4; Ben Alcock 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 17 12-16 50.
HSE (13-2): Nick Bowman 3 1-2 10; Bradley Beeman 1 0-0 2; Vinny Buccilla 1 0-0 2; Chaz Birchfield 6 0-0 12; Aaron Etherington 7 3-4 21; Noah Smith 5 4-5 15; Chris Grubbs 2 0-2 4; Mabor Majak 6 0-1 12. TOTALS: 31 8-16 78.
Three-point baskets: Zionsville 4 (Bertram 3, Thompson), HSE 8 (Bowman 3, Etherington 4, Smith).
GIRLS
HSE 51, ZIONSVILLE 45, OT
While the boys game provided little drama, the opener had plenty.
Royals coach Chris Huppenthal has waited all season to see the characteristic of mental toughness from his team. During the final four minutes of regulation time and the overtime period, he finally saw it.
The Royals overcame an eight-point deficit during the final four minutes of regulation time, then outscored the Eagles 9-3 in the extra session to pull out the win.
“We’ve had a lot of close games and just haven’t closed them out,” Huppenthal said. “A game like this can help us turn the corner.”
The hosts (now 15-6) trailed, 33-29, after three quarters and fell down, 39-31, after a Maddie Nolan basket with four minutes left.
During a timeout, just seconds before that bucket, Huppenthal had a message for his team.
“We told them, ‘hey, we’re winning this game,’” Huppenthal said. “And they believed it. Sometimes, that’s the biggest part.”
The Eagles (15-5) still led 42-37 with 1:30 left before HSE’s Sydney Parrish canned a 3-pointer with 1:10 left and Tayah Irvin tied the game with a reverse lay-up with :47 left.
The Eagles ran the clock down for the final shot, but turned the ball over with 5.1 left. Hamilton Southeastern’s Malea Jackson had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but missed.
In overtime, Parrish broke the tie with a short shot with 3:54 left and HSE never trailed again, In fact, all three Zionsville points came at the free throw line.
“What we did to get to overtime and what we did in overtime with offensive rebounding … that was just mental toughness,” Huppenthal said. “We know what it takes now that the tournament is coming.”
Parrish led the winners with 17 points, while Jackson added 13. Nolan led Zionsville with 16 points and Katey Richason added 11.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 51, ZIONSVILLE 45, OT
Zionsville 11 10 12 9 3 – 45
Hamilton Southeastern 15 4 10 13 9 – 51
ZIONSVILLE (15-5): Kaylee Riggins 1 1-2 3; Maddie Nolan 5 6-9 16; Sarah Howell 2 1-2 7; Delaney Richason 1 4-4 6; Katey Richason 5 1-1 11; Megan Sheridan 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 15 13-18 45.
HSE (15-6): Malea Jackson 3 5-6 13; Amaya Hamilton 2 4-4 8; Tayah Irvin 4 1-6 11; Sydney Parrish 6 2-2 17; Molly Walton 0 2-3 2. TOTALS: 15 14-18 51.
Three-point baskets: Zionsville 2 (Howell 2), HSE 7 (Jackson 2, Irvin 2, Parrish 3).