New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team seized control in the second quarter and never looked back Friday in a 71-47 season-opening victory at Eastern Hancock. Julius Gizzi scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Dragons, while Ben Slagley added 19 points. They led the Dragons early, as Slagley scored five early points and Gizzi tallied eight first-quarter points as NP built a 15-10 lead after a quarter. The Dragons quickly stretched the lead to double-digits at 26-14 in the second. Slagley had an early three-point play in the frame and eventually scored 12 points in the quarter. Gizzi hit a late 3-pointer to put NP up 31-19. Slagley added a basket, then hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Dragons up 36-19 at the break. EH cut the lead to 12 early in the third, but could get no closer, as Keagan Harrison, Gizzi and Austin McMahan each scored four points in the frame and the Dragons pushed the lead to 50-31 going intgo the final frame. In the final quarter, Brady Armstrong scored nine points and Evan Darrah tallied seven off the bench as the Dragons tallied 21 points to extend the final margin to 24. The Dragons were solid defensively and on the boards, especially in the 21-9 second quarter that broke the game open. Gizzi scored 15 of his 24 points in the opening half, and Slagley had 17 of his 19 before halftime. In addition to their scoring, Armstrong tallied nine points, Darrah seven, Harrson six, Austin McMahan four and Moses Haynes two. The Dragons also won the JV game 58-49. The Dragons are now 1-0 on the season. They next play Saturday in their home opener against Rushville.