New Palestine High School

The New Palestine girls basketball team struggled offensively Friday, falling 53-16 to Roncalli in the semifinal of the Rushville sectional. The Dragons finished the season with a 15-9 record, their first 15-win season in five years, while continuing a program-best streak of .500 or better seasons to eight years. The Dragons surrendered the game's first eight points before Sadey Hughbanks hit a 3-pointer out of the corner to get NP on the board. After a Roncalli basket, Ally White drilled a 15-foot baseline jumper to cut the deficit to 10-5. But the Dragons wouldn't hit a field goal for the next 15 minutes of clock time. Roncalli finished the quarter with a three-point play, and then held the Dragons without a field goal in the second quarter, outscoring NP 20-3. The Dragons were 3-of-6 from the line in the period - with Gabbie Brown, Brooklyn Crim and Hughbanks each hitting foul shots. In the third, Sawyor Murdick hit a 3-pointer out of the corner and White a basket, while Crim hit two free throws and Hughbanks one, but a 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Roncalli a 51-16 lead and triggered the running clock. The Royals put their starters back in at the start of the fourth quarter and scored the only two points of the period early on. Hughbanks led the Dragons with five points. White tallied four, Crim and Murdick three each and Brown one. The Dragons' senior class of Hughbanks, White, Brown, Kendra Moore, McKenzie Hacker and Kenna Tweedy graduates having won a conference title in 2024 and posting a 54-44 career record over their four years.