New Palestine High School

The Dragons boys basketball team has a pair of games this weekend. FRIDAY: DRAGONS (6-8, 3-1 HHC) at YORKTOWN (6-6, 2-2 HHC) Time: 6 p.m. JV/7:45 p.m. V (JV in auxiliary gym) Site: Yorktown HS Tickets: $6, https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=168927 Audio: NewPalRadio.com SATURDAY: INDIAN CREEK (3-9) at DRAGONS (6-8) Time: 2 p.m. JV/F, 3:30 p.m. V Site: New Palestine HS Tickets: $7, at gate or https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=170704 Audio: NewPalRadio.com Video: IHSAAtv.org/newpalestine ($) SETTING THE SCENE Friday night, the Dragons return to conference play with a trip to Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Yorktown. The Dragons are looking to snap a three-game skid against a Tigers team that won its last outing. NP has won nine of the last 10 meetings against Yorktown but trails the all-time series 14-13. The teams began playing in 1999 when Yorktown joined the HHC. The Dragons are trying to snap their first three-game losing streak since the 2019-20 season, when they dropped four straight on two occasions. That team started 2-8 and then won 12 of its last 16 games to claim a sectional championship. The Dragons and Saturday's opponent, Indian Creek, were frequent foes from Indian Creek’s consolidation in 1967 through 1980, but had not played since until a 97-49 victory by the Dragons last season. This will be IC’s first visit to the Dragons’ Den since Jan. 21, 1979 - a 62-51 Dragons win. IC leads the all-time series 9-5. The two schools are potential foes in this year’s Greenwood sectional. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons played a strong game against then No. 7 Roncalli last week. NP built a 17-10 first-half lead, and then rallied from a 13-point third-quarter deficit to tie the game in the closing minutes before falling on a late 3-pointer by the Royals. Evan Darrah led the Dragons against Roncalli with 13 points, playing all 32 minutes. He has tallied double figures in four straight games, leading the Dragons in scoring in the last two. Eli Parrett had nine points and three assists against Roncalli, while Will Davison had seven points and three assists. Sam Hirschy is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game over his last four games. Eighteen of his 29 rebounds have been on the offensive glass in that stretch. At 19.3 ppg, Davison is third in the HHC in scoring. He is ninth in the state among sophomores. Darrah is seventh in the HHC at 14.3 ppg. Davison has hit double-figures in 11 of the Dragons’ 14 games this season and has tallied 20-plus points eight times. Darrah has hit double-figures 12 times and the 20-point mark in seven games. Davison also ranks third in the HHC with 1.8 steals per game. Parrett ranks second in the HHC in assists at 5.2 per game. He is 11th in the state among juniors. Hirschy is tied for sixth in the conference at 5.7 rebounds per contest. SCOUTING THE TIGERS Yorktown is 6-6 this season under the direction of first-year coach Justin Ullom, who came to the Tigers after stints at Monroe Central and Muncie Central. Yorktown is led by junior Mason Trammell, who tallies 17.3 ppg and 2.7 assists per game. Senior Jabin Barnes adds 9.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. Sophomore Zahden Zowd tallied 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting last Friday in a 45-31 victory over New Castle. Barnes added seven points. Sam Tokar had nine boards. SCOUTING THE BRAVES Indian Creek enters the week with a 3-9 record after three straight seasons of .500 or better. IC has dropped three consecutive games coming into the week to Park Tudor, Whiteland and Greenwood. Senior Carter Cooley leads the Braves with a 17.5 ppg average. Junior Jaxon Green adds 10.5 ppg. FOLLOW THE GAMES All games, home and away, are broadcast at NewPalRadio.com. Home games are also simulcast on a pay-per-view basis on IHSAAtv.org. NPHS athletics is online (NewPalestineAthletics.com), on X (@NPHSDragons), Facebook and Instagram (@newpalestinedragons)