New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team had a slow start and finish to the first half Friday, which proved to be the difference in a 64-59 home loss to Pendleton Heights. PH scored on four of its first five possessions to build a 10-0 lead before a Sam Hirschy rebound basket broke the ice. With the Dragons trailing 12-2, Will Davison scored seven straight points - sandwiched around a PH basket - to cut the deficit to 14-9 after a quarter. NP's defense began stringing stops together while the offense began putting points together. Evan Darrah hit an early 3-pointer and Eli Parrett turned two steals into breakaway layups. Hirschy also scored inside. A basket by Evan Study cut the deficit to 22-20. Parrett then hit a free throw to cut the deficit to one. PH called timeout and immediately answered with a 10-3 run, scoring on its final four possessions of the half - including two 3-pointers - to go up 32-24 at the break. The Dragons started slowly in the third quarter and gave up the first five points to see their deficit grow to 13. Parrett, Davison and Darrah all hit 3-pointers in the frame, but the Dragons struggled to get stops and were outscored 17-13 in the quarter to fall behind 49-37 going into the fourth. Trailing 51-39, the Dragons scored seven straight points to get back into the game. Davison hit two tough shots and Cael Butler drilled a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 51-46 with five minutes left. But PH hit a triple to push its lead to eight. The teams traded baskets - Darrah scored to cut the lead to six, PH hit a 3-pointer in transition to go up nine. Butler drained a second triple to cut the deficit to 57-51. PH had a long possession end in points. Davison hit another triple to cut the deficit to six. The Arabians struggled from the line late, but were able to break contain for two breakaway layups against NP's press to keep the lead at three possessions. Davison led the way for the Dragons with 20 points. Parrett tallied 11 and Darrah 10. Hirschy scored eight, Butler six and Study four. The Dragons are now 6-6 on the year and 3-1 in HHC play. They next play Saturday at Avon with a 6 p.m. JV tipoff.