New Palestine High School

Trent Whitaker became New Palestine's winningest boys basketball coach Friday, as the Dragons used a hot start and led wire-to-wire in a 77-60 victory over Roncalli. Whitaker is now 127-83 in nine seasons, passing Brian Kehrt's previous record of 126, coming full circle. Whitaker was on Kehrt's staff as an assistant coach in his final year, then served with Adam Barton for 120 victories. The Dragons are now 11-2 on the season after their sixth straight victory. Julius Gizzi scored 36 points - the second-highest total of his career and his ninth 30-point game in the last 10 contests - to lead the Dragons. Moses Haynes hit five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 19 points. The Dragons jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back. Haynes hit an early 3-pointer and then fed Gizzi for two, including one ahead of the first-quarter buzzer that gave the Dragons a 20-9 lead. Gizzi scored 10 points in the opening frame, in which the Dragons hit four triples. In the second quarter, Gizzi added 10 more points and Haynes five as NP built a 37-26 halftime edge. Roncalli cut the lead to six early in the third at 48-42, but Haynes answered with his third 3-pointer of the game, launching a 13-2 run to end the quarter and put the Dragons up 61-44. Gizzi tallied 12 of the Dragons' 24 points in the frame, including two three-point plays in the late run. In the fourth, Haynes hit two triples to help the Dragons see out the victory. The Dragons finished the game with nine 3-pointers. In addition to the two double-figure scorers, Evan Darrah and Ben Slagley scored six points each. Austin McMahan scored four. Brady Armstrong, Alex Guhl and Landon Seib each scored two points. Drew Keggeris scored 18 points and Luke Schmaltz 13 to lead Roncalli (7-5). The Dragons are back in action Saturday night at home against Franklin, which is also 11-2 after an overtime victory over Whiteland Friday. Photo credit: Jim Voelz