Noblesville 42, Hamilton Southeastern 68: Millers, Royals Win Sectional 8 Openers

Hamilton Southeastern leaned on senior Landon Osswald down the stretch. Osswald finished with 23 points and nine rebounds and opened the fourth quarter by draining two big 3-pointers, swinging momentum back to the Royals after Westfield erased an 11-point first-half deficit and briefly led by three in the fourth. Sophomore Varschon Clark added 18 points and senior Luke Weemer chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds as HSE closed out a 68-61 victory. The win marked Hamilton Southeastern’s first sectional victory in five years; the Royals are 15-9 and carry an eight-game winning streak and what the report called “balance and versatility” into a semifinal rematch Friday against top-ranked Fishers, the 23-0 program that beat HSE 68-61 on Dec. 19. Osswald framed the moment plainly: “Watching us every year, I wanted to get to that stage and win a sectional game.”

Noblesville’s 42-38 win over Zionsville was less tidy but no less tense. The Millers managed the win despite scoring just 10 points combined in the second and third quarters, and they were shorthanded without senior Justin Curry, who is sidelined with a torn ACL. Senior Baron Walker led the Millers on and off the floor while Max Flanagan provided the decisive shotmaking, drilling a couple of 3-pointers in the fourth to give Noblesville separation down the stretch. Walker put Flanagan’s contribution in perspective: “Max is a big key to this team, especially his shooting ability. For him to come down and hit two big threes, that’s what we needed.” Noblesville improved to 13-10 and will meet No. 10 Carmel, 16-5, in the first sectional semifinal Friday; Carmel handed the Millers a 64-52 loss on Dec. 12.