New Palestine High School

The Dragons boys basketball team travels to Lawrenceburg for four games in two days in the Ray Furney Classic. Ray Furney Classic, Lawrenceburg FRIDAY 1 p.m.: New Palestine (4-1) vs. Jennings County (4-4) Location: Greendale Middle School, Lawrenceburg FRIDAY 5 p.m.: New Palestine (4-1) vs. Newport (Ky.) (8-3) Location: Lawrenceburg High School SATURDAY Game 1: 8:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. (depending on placement Friday) SATURDAY Game 2: 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. (depending on result of Game 3) Tickets: $15/single-day, $20/all-session, available cash or credit at the gate Audio: All NPHS games on NewPalRadio.com SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons hit the road for the Ray Furney Holiday Classic, their first-ever trip to Lawrenceburg. The Dragons face Jennings County at 1 p.m. Friday - the first meeting with the Panthers since the 2015-16 season. They will face Kentucky No. 8 Newport at 5 p.m. Friday. It will be the Dragons’ first-ever game against an out-of-state school. Saturday will feature two games. The first will be against either Bethesda Christian, Guerin Catholic or Lawrneceburg, based on pool placement. The second will be a placement game, with time and opponent based on Saturday’s first-game results. The Dragons won the Lebanon Holiday Classic last year, beating Indianapolis Metropolitan, Gary 21st Century and Lebanon in three games. It was the Dragons’ first holiday tournament victory since 2011-12. The Dragons’ next victory will move coach Trent Whitaker alone into second place on the NPHS career coaching wins list. With 120 wins, he is currently tied with Adam Barton for second place. Brian Kehrt (126) is the all-time wins leader. DRAGONS NOTES Junior Julius Gizzi had a historic weekend in the Dragons’ last two games, with his 74 points setting a school record for the most points in back-to-back games. He scored 31 Dec. 15 against New Castle, then followed with 43 points the next night at Franklin Central. Gizzi was 13-22 from the floor and 15-17 from the free throw line against FC. He was 14-22 against New Castle. He scored at least 20 points in three of the four halves on the weekend. Gizzi’s 43-point game was the third-largest single-game total in school history, eclipsed only by Ryan Curry’s 46-point game against Shelbyville in 2015 and T.J. Ott’s 44 points against Hamilton Southeastern in 1998. It was the sixth 40-point game in school history and the first since his older brother Maximus scored 41 Feb. 22, 2020 against Whiteland. Gizzi also became the first Dragon to score 30 points in a game since Blaine Nunnally scored 31 Jan. 29, 2021 against Yorktown. He is the first to score 30 in back-to-back games since Michael Morris tallied 31 against Shelbyville and 32 against Mooresville Feb. 1-2, 2013. Gizzi has tallied 20-plus points in each game, becoming the first Dragon to score 20 or more in three consecutive games since Steele Brasfield did so in five straight in February 2022. The Dragons have won four of their first five games for the third time in four years. As a team, the Dragons are shooting 52% from the floor. Ben Slagley is hitting 63% and Gizzi 56%. Gizzi currently ranks third in the state in scoring at 27.6 ppg, trailing International’s Philip Randolph (31.5) and Valparaiso’s Jack Smiley (28.8). Junior Moses Haynes had a solid game against New Castle with 10 points and six assists. Slagley added nine points - including the game-winning three-point play in the final 20 seconds - and nine rebounds. Against FC, Gizzi was the lone double-figure scorer and added eight boards. Slagley had eight points and five rebounds, while Evan Darrah tallied nine points. In addition to leading the HHC in scoring, Gizzi also leads the conference in rebounds at 7.8 rpg, with Slagley second (7.2 rpg). Haynes leads the HHC in assists with 5.4 apg. Slagley is fifth (3.2). SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS The Dragons open with a 4-4 Jennings County squad. JC is led by Carter Kent (18.2 ppg, 5.7 apg) and Cole Sigler (12.0 ppg). Newport is 8-2 and ranked No. 8 in Kentucky by Kentucky Sports Report. Sophomore Tay Kinney leads the Wildcats with 19.1 ppg, while senior Deshaun Jackson Jr. adds 12.2 ppg and 6.5 rpg. On Saturday, the Dragons will meet either Bethesda Christian, Guerin Catholic or Lawrenceburg in the first game. It will be at 8:30 a.m. if the Dragons finish third in their pool, and 11:30 a.m. if they finish first or second. Saturday’s final game will be at 2:30 p.m. (9th-12th place), 5 p.m. (5th/7th), 6:30 p.m. (3rd) or 8 p.m. (final). if it is a 7th or 5th-place game, 6:30 p.m. for third place and 8 p.m LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons open 2024 with a home game against Delta Jan. 5. FOLLOW US Follow the Dragons on Facebook (@newpalestinedragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons), Instagram (@newpalestinedragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com). All Dragons boys basketball games, home and away, are broadcast at NewPalRadio.com. All home games are also provided via pay-per-view at IHSAAtv.org. Photo credit: Kansas Spicer