New Palestine High School

A fast start led the New Palestine boys basketball team to a double-digit lead early, and the Dragons maintained that edge in a 71-52 Saturday afternoon home victory over Indian Creek. The Dragons were led by their youth - sophomores Will Davison and Layton Pardue led the team in scoring, with Davison scoring 20 points and Pardue 10. Nine different Dragons scored in the game. The Dragons jumped out to an early lead by using the combination of accurate 3-point shooting and Sam Hirschy;'s size inside. Hirschy scored on the game's first possession, followed by the first of Davison's four 3-pointers on the day. The Dragons kept pouring on, as Hirschy tallied seven points in the opening frame. NP hit four triples - two from Davison. Evan Study had one midway through the frame, and Eli Parrett drained one at the buzzer to put NP up 21-10. The Dragons then opened the second quarter with nine straight points from the bench. Pardue was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit all three shots. Cael Butler hit back-to-back baskets, and Pardue then hit another shot to put the Dragons ahead 30-10. IC made a run and cut the lead to 37-23 at halftime, with Davison scoring the Dragons' last seven points of the frame to give him 13 at the break. The Dragons maintained and extended their double-digit lead in the third, building a 53-34 edge. Evan Darrah, who had been scoreless in the opening half, started the second half with a basket. After a hoop by Davison and a free throw from Evan Study, Darrah hit a 3-pointer. A basket from Pardue and a late 3-pointer from Butler extended the edge to 19. In the fourth, the Dragons continued to extend their advantage, with Darrah and Kade Stephens each scoring four points in the frame. In addition to the two double-figure scorers, Darrah tallied nine points. Hirschy and Butler scored seven each. Parrett and Study each tallied six. Stephens had four and Liam Atkinson two. The Dragons are now 8-8 on the season. They next play Feb. 7 in their final afternoon game of the year at Southport.