New Palestine High School

The New Palestine girls basketball team played one of its best halves of the year Friday, building an eight-point second-quarter lead and a five-point halftime edge. But a seven-and-a-half minute third-quarter drought allowed Pendleton Heights to score 15 straight points and take command in a 62-45 Dragons home loss. The Dragons had a strong start, with Brooklyn Crim hitting a 3-pointer on the first possession. PH answered with a run to go up 9-4, but NP scored six straight points on a basket by Kendra Moore and four free throws. NP led 14-12 after a quarter, going 9-of-10 from the line. Gabbie Brown had three points and three other players two. NP pushed the edge in the second quarter. PH tied the game at 16-16, but Sawyor Murdick was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit two shots, and Sadey Hughbanks followed with a 3-pointer to push the lead to 21-16. A long two-pointer and another triple by Hughbanks and a triple from Crim gave the Dragons a 29-21 edge - their biggest lead of the game. Hughbanks added two free throws - giving her 12 points for the half - and NP led 31-26 at the break. In the third quarter, though, the Dragons went dry. They did not score until the final half-minute of the quarter and had nine turnovers. PH took advantage, with center Adah Hupfer scoring nine of her game-high 21 points in the frame. The Arabians scored 15 straight points to go up 41-31. A three-point play by Brown cut the deficit back to single digits, but PH scored again ahead of the buzzer. Led by Hughbanks and Crim - who combined for all 11 of the Dragons' fourth-quarter points - the Dragons made a run in the fourth and cut the deficit to single digits at 53-44, but PH was able to hit late shots to put the game away. Hughbanks tallied a career-high-tying 18 points to lead the Dragons. Crim added 13. Brown scored eight, while Haven Flagle, Murdick and Kendra Moore each scored two. The Dragons are now 12-6 on the season and 3-3 in HHC play. They next play Saturday afternoon against East Central, with a noon JV tipoff.