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Girls Basketball: Noble Effort Lifts Wesley Chapel

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By LEE DIEKEMPER/Tribune correspondent

Published: January 15, 2009

WESLEY CHAPEL - Given that Wesley Chapel's girls basketball team suffered its first loss of the season Jan. 9 and that Wildcats' leading scorer and rebounder, Janelle Mills, will likely not play until Feb. 4 due to a broken wrist, coach Karim Nohra is counting on Hannah Noble, among others, to come through in a big way.

The sophomore did just that right when the Wildcats needed her the most in a 47-41 victory Wednesday against Land O' Lakes.

With Wesley Chapel (17-1) clinging to a 40-39 lead in a see-saw, fast-paced game with just under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Noble went crazy. She scored two quick baskets on some nifty moves through traffic and played some solid defense late to give the Wildcats enough of a cushion to polish off the Gators (6-8).

After Jeileen Mas-Rodriguez gave Wesley Chapel the lead on a three-point basket from the right side with just under five minutes left, Noble got busy. On a pretty pass play, Gabrielle Brown was covered by two defenders on the left side but noticed Noble racing through traffic toward the basket. Brown hit Noble, who evaded traffic, perfectly for a layup and a 42-39 lead.

Later with the ball near the top of the key, Noble looped around Gators defenders to the left and found an opening toward the basket, spinning past Gators for another layup and 44-41 lead with 1:39 left.

Shantel Houston sealed the win with a steal of a Land O' Lakes inbounds pass for a layup and the winning margin with 0:36 left.

"I read their eyes," Noble said of her plays through the teeth of the Gators defense. "I knew they were going to play tight to the point guard. I knew I had to calm down and go and drive.

"On the [last] layup I wanted to run the clock and I wasn't going to take anything unless it was wide open, which it was and I switched. I knew I had to finish. I knew I had to finish."

This despite a bum leg and a sore ankle. Noble limped noticeably after the game with a bruised leg after taking a knee during the game. In the Wildcats' lone loss last week, she missed a few minutes late with a turned ankle. Yet the bumps and bruises couldn't keep her out of Wednesday's game.

"Land O' Lakes is our biggest rival," Noble said. "I could not let them beat us."

Noble's play didn't surprise Nohra.

"Hannah has been taking over the game most of the time the past couple of nights," Nohra said. "She's had double-figures in points and nearly double-figures in assists. [With Mills out] that's huge. I've told her she needs to score in double-figures for us to be successful with Janelle out. In fact I put in a couple of plays for her to take more shots."

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