New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team is in action Wednesday at No. 1 Lawrence North, then travels to HHC rival Yorktown Friday. WEDNESDAY: New Palestine Dragons (11-3) at #1/4A #2 Lawrence North Wildcats (15-0) Time: 6 p.m. JV, 7:30 p.m. V Site: Lawrence North HS Tickets: $8, https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=66050 Audio: NewPalRadio.com FRIDAY: New Palestine Dragons (11-3, 3-1 HHC) at Yorktown Tigers (9-6, 1-3 HHC) Time: 6 p.m. F/JV, 7:30 p.m. V Site: Yorktown HS Tickets: $6, https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=66865&p=101725 Audio: NewPalRadio.com SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons play two big games this week, as they visit No. 1/2 Lawrence North Wednesday before traveling to conference foe Yorktown Friday. This is the second meeting between the teams. LN won a 59-58 decision last season in the schools’ first game. This is the Dragons’ second road game against an unbeaten, ranked team in eight days. NP beat Richmond 63-59 last Tuesday. The Red Devils had been 16-0. Friday, the Dragons and Tigers meet as NP looks to keep pace in the Hoosier Heritage Conference race. NP has won seven of the last eight meetings, including a 60-53 come-from-behind win last season. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons’ victory Friday made head coach Trent Whitaker the Dragons’ career boys basketball coaching wins leader. Whitaker passed Brian Kehrt, who won 126 games from 1995-2005. Whitaker has led the Dragons to three sectional and two HHC titles. The Dragons went 2-1 last week against strong competition, with a 63-59 victory over Richmond and a 77-60 win over Roncalli, followed by an 81-67 loss to Franklin. Against Richmond, Julius Gizzi led the Dragons with 33 points and nine rebounds, while Moses Haynes added 13 points and seven assists. Against Roncalli, the Dragons shot a blistering 67% - hitting 30-of-45 from the floor - in their 77-60 victory. Gizzi scored 36 points, hitting 13-of-18 from the floor. Haynes hit 7-of-10 - including 5-of-7 from deep - to score 19 points. That was his career high for 24 hours. The next night against Franklin, Gizzi scored 25 points - snapping his streak of 30-point games at five - and Haynes scored a career-high 21. He hit 6-of-10 from 3-point range, setting a season high. The duo became the first to score 20 in a game since Blaine Nunnally and Ian Stephens did so in 2023, also against Franklin. Gizzi has tallied 30 points in nine of his last 10 contests, the only player to score 30-plus eight times in a season. He is third in the state in scoring at 30.0 ppg. Ben Slagley reached 54 career blocked shots, tying Seth Cox for third in school history. Gizzi (7.8) and Slagley (7.0) are first and third in the HHC in rebounding. Haynes (6.1) leads the conference in assists, with Slagley fourth (3.8). Haynes also ranks ninth in the state in assists. Haynes is also fifth in the HHC in steals (2.2). SCOUTING THE WILDCATS LN enters after having won the Marion County title a week and a half ago. The Wildcats are off to their best start since going 29-0 in 2005-06 with Greg Oden and Mike Conley. Junior Azavier Robinson leads four Wildcats in double figures with 19.0 ppg. Kobi Bowles adds 12.4 ppg. Kai McGrew scores 11.5 ppg and grabs 6.8 rpg. SCOUTING THE TIGERS Yorktown won the Delaware County Tournament title two weeks ago, but lost 66-63 at New Castle last Friday. The Tigers beat Winchester 76-58 Tuesday. Senior Kieran Tewari leads the Tigers with a 15.1 ppg average. Senior Jacob Grim addds 10.6 ppg and 4.1 assists per game. Senior Mason Moulton - the quarterback on the Tigers’ football team - adds 7.5 ppg. LOOKING AHEAD The Dragons host Perry Meridian Feb. 1, then travel to Southport for a matinee Feb. 3. 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.