New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team rallied from a six-point deficit early in the fourth quarter Tuesday to beat Franklin 64-55. The Dragons had built a 10-point halftime lead, but saw it become a deficit after being outscored 19-4 in the third quarter. Evan Darrah scored 18 of his career-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Dragons to their second straight victory and third win in their last four games. Franklin had started the third quarter on a 10-0 run to erase a 35-25 halftime deficit. Darrah and Evan Study hit back-to-back baskets to put the Dragons up four, but the Grizzly Cubs answered with nine straight points, all by guard Omari Thomas. His long step-back 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer gave the visitors a 44-39 lead. He scored 13 of his team’s 19 points in the quarter. But the Dragons began the comeback on the first possession of the fourth - a triple by Darrah to cut the deficit to 44-42. Thomas answered by scoring on a drive, but missed a three-point play opportunity, and a steal-and-score by Jaxson Doddridge gave Franklin a 48-42 edge. Darrah again hit a 3-pointer out of the corner to draw NP within three. Will Davison tied the game with another long triple. And after another defensive stop, Darrah missed a 3-pointer, got his own rebound, stepped back behind the line in the corner and rattled in his third triple of the quarter to put NP up 51-48. The Dragons would never trail after that. Doddridge hit a runner to cut the lead to one at the midpoint of the quarter, but the Dragons responded with a driving shot by Study. He was fouled and missed the ensuing free throw, but Sam Hirschy beat a blockout to grab the rebound and score to put NP up 55-50. Another stop led to Darrah hitting two free throws, and NP then pushed the lead to 10 when Eli Parrett forced a steal near midcourt and fed Darrah for a three-point play in the final 90 seconds. Darrah then went 4-for-4 from the line to ice the game. In the opening quarter, Davison hit a pair of baskets, while Cael Butler and Eli Parrett hit 3-pointers as the Dragons and Grizzly Cubs played to an 11-11 tie with multiple lead changes. Study hit a 3-pointer and finished the period with a conventional three-point play to put the Dragons up 17-11 after one. Davison got the Dragons going in the second quarter. He scored nine of his 13 first-half points in the second quarter, helping stake NP to a 10-point halftime edge. He finished with 16 points. Darrah hit a 3-pointer and then a driving shot later in the quarter to tally five points in the frame. Study tallied 12 points for his second career double-figure game - and second in a row. Hirschy added five points. Butler and Parrett tallied three each. The Dragons are now 12-11 on the season. They next play Thursday at home against Warren Central, which will be the Dragons’ Senior Night and also the final tune-up before next Wednesday’s sectional opener against Roncalli.