Columbus Christian coach Chris Noblitt hoists the ICSAA South Regional championship trophy following Saturday’s win against Christian Academy of Madison at Columbus Christian.
After losing a prolific scorer in Sarah Lorimor and two other key players from last year’s team, the Columbus Christian might originally looked at this girls basketball season as a rebuilding year.
An 0-8 start didn’t do much to change those thoughts.
But the Crusaders have caught on after the slow start. They’ve clinched a winning season with a 14-12 record, and they’re headed to the Indiana Christian Schools Athletic Association State Finals for the first time since 2019.
“I went into the year really not knowing what to think expectation-wise,” Columbus Christian coach Chris Noblitt said. “You lose about 40 points a game between those three. We had a tough schedule, so I didn’t know how much we’d win. Our goal was to get better every day and compete for a regional, and we did. It’s been very fun to watch them this year. It’s been fun watching them grow and mature as kids.”
Part of the reason for the Crusaders’ rough start was a front-loaded schedule that included some IHSAA teams.
“We had a tough schedule,” Noblitt said. “It was really heavy early, and it has lightened up. Having South Decatur and Hauser and also (Martinsville) Tabernacle Christian twice, it was very tough, but I think it made us better to now. This is my third year as coach, and this is by far the toughest schedule I’ve had. We played some tougher teams throughout the year, but at the beginning of the year, that was hard. We’ve had to handle pressure and teams that could put up a lot of points, and I think that’s helped us now to where we’re at. From where we were at the beginning of the season until now, there’s no comparison out there.”
Columbus Christian, which is led by 5-foot-10 sophomores Emma Murray and Olivia Wise, has gained a significant level of confidence since the 0-8 start.
“We came out at the beginning of the season, and I really didn’t have a lot of hope for this team,” Murray said.
“We had lost so many in a row, and then finally, once we started getting wins, we got more confidence,” Wise added. “I think it was believing in each other and just getting stronger with ballhandling.”
Murray is averaging a double-double with team-highs of 12.4 points and 10.0 rebounds a game.
“Emma had a really big summer, and we knew coming in she was going to be really big year,” Noblitt said. “She’s had a couple games with some pretty big stat lines. This is only her second year of basketball ever, so she has plenty of upside.”
Wise, who lives in Fairland and is home-schooled, joined the team this year after playing for the Indy Wildcats HomeSchool program the past couple of years. She averages 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 steals and a team-high 4.0 assists.
“Getting her to shoot the ball, she is such an unselfish player,” Noblitt said. “Not being a traditional point guard, she’s had to handle the ball a lot this year, and she’s definitely improved. Before she came to us, she played for a really good program, but she had to take on a different responsibility, and she has stepped up, definitely.”
Junior Paige Harden averages 6.7 points, 2.8 assists and a team-high 3.2 steals. Freshman Belle Blair is the second-leading rebounder at 3.9 a game. Junior Eva Blair, who averages 6.3 points, and Emma Rice have shared the other starting spot.
“They all bring different strengths to the team, and the all contribute,” Noblitt said. “Paige is my primary ballhandler. She this year has really done a much better job handling the ball and controlling the pace for us. Eva has had some pretty big scoring games for us. Belle got to learn behind her sister Madi, and she’s stepped into a starting role this year. We’ve asked a lot of her. Emma Rice is not going to give us a ton of points, but we do know defensively, she’s going to be one of the ones diving on the floor for lose balls and probably locking up the other team’s best player.”
Freshmen Kaeli Clawson and Katie Bond and sophomore Mara Nickerson also have contributed.
“Team chemistry I think is a really big one,” Murray said. “I think we were scared at the beginning of the season because (Wise) and Kaeli were new. We had new people on the team, so we didn’t know what we were capable of. Throughout the season, I think we kind of learned each other.”
The Crusaders will play in the state semifinals at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST Friday at Heritage Christian (Dyer) against the winner of the North Regional, which wasn’t set to be completed until Tuesday night. The championship is at 1:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. CST Saturday.
“I think confidence is key for that,” Murray said. “We’ll just have to keep working together and play even better than we did (in Saturday’s regional final win against Christian Academy of Madison).”
“Be confident and also cautious, and not going in with our heads too high and just say positive,” Wise added.
