This season, the boys basketball team fell short in a very tight game all the way to the end in the North Judson class 2A basketball regional. The game went all the way to the wire in the fourth quarter and went into double OT before they fell to the Westview warriors in a score of 64-75. Senior Captain Larry Crisler led the way for the Bishop Noll Warriors scoring 23 points and hauling in five rebounds. Crisler would also go out and end his high school basketball career in what some would call style by fouling out in the second overtime. Even with the tough, physical play of one of the best player in the region, the Bishop Noll Warriors would make some key mistakes throughout the end of the game and in crunch time, which contributed to their defeat.
The game came down to the wire after Westview’s top scorer left the game with a gash over his left eye. With four minutes to go, Bishop Noll up by 11, and Westview’s top scorer out with an injury, the region Warrior fans figured Bishop Noll had the game and regional plaque in the bag. The tides began to change, as Westview began to mount a comeback. One key factor of the comeback was missed free throws in clutch time for Bishop Noll. The region Warriors shot a horrendous 38-percent from the free throw line, going 7 of 18. The Westview Warriors would eventually tie the game in both the fourth quarter and first overtime, and once the second overtime hit, Westview would not look back. The Westview Warriors took the lead and finished the game with a final score of 64-75 with the Westview Warriors on top.
The two major factors that hurt the Bishop Noll Warriors all season was missing free throws and creating turnovers, and that is what certainly hurt the Bishop Noll Warriors in the first round of regionals. Fortunately, they can learn from their mistakes, and that is what the underclassmen and juniors returning to the varsity roster for the 2014-2015 season will have to think about.
The Bishop Noll basketball team finished the season with another spectacular record of (21-4), won the GSSC Conference Basketball Tournament, defeated arch rival Andrean at Andrean, and won the Hebron sectional by defeating the Whiting Oilers to capture the plaque. The boys basketball team for Bishop Noll will be graduating eight seniors, four of which were a part of the starting line up. With returning head coach, Josh Belluomini, and three juniors returning to the varsity stage, it should be a very interesting basketball season for next year.