New Palestine High School

The New Palestine girls basketball team used a fast start in each half to build a comfortable lead against Yorktown and cruise to a 47-35 victory and the Hoosier Heritage Conference championship. The victory gave the Dragons a 6-1 record in HHC play, tying Pendleton Heights for the league title, and a 12-10 mark overall. Not only did it clinch the first league title since 2019 and the third HHC title overall, it also clinched the ninth consecutive winning season for the Dragons, a program record. The Dragons jumped out to a fast start, building a quick 13-2 lead behind Allie Blum, who scored nine first-quarter points. Sadey Hughbanks' 3-pointer helped the Dragons extend the lead, while Kendra Moore scored four points inside, giving the Dragons an 18-6 lead after one. The Dragons continued to clamp down defensively. Yorktown began the second quarter with a basket, but the Dragons quickly answered with baskets by Hughbanks, Blum and a 3-pointer by Vivian Miller to push the lead to 25-8. A steal-and-score by Miller in the closing seconds of the half gave NP a 27-12 lead at the half. In the second half, the Dragons started fast again, as Blum, Miller and Kylee Beranek all scored quick points in a 6-0 run to extend the lead to 33-12. NP held Yorktown without a point for the first six minutes of the quarter, but the Tigers finished the frame with a late flurry, scoring seven points in the final two minutes to cut the Dragons' lead to 35-19. Yorktown then began the fourth with an 9-2 run over the first three minutes to cut the lead to 37-28, and later trimmed the lead to 39-31 after a 3-pointer by Olivia Conklin. Vivian Miller answered with a coast-to-coast drive to restore a double-digit lead. Yorktown cut it to eight again, but the Dragons put the game away from the line, hitting 6-of-8 down the stretch to score six straight points, and on the defensive end, where they strung together stops. NP was 10-of-14 overall from the line in the fourth quarter.. Miller scored five points in the final frame, while Blum, Beranek and Hughbanks were a combined 7-of-8 from the line. Blum led the Dragons with 16 points. Miller added 12. Hughbanks scored seven. Beranek added six - all in the second half. Moore scored four points and Kenna Tweedy two. Lilly Sylvester led Yorktown with 14 points, while freshman Olivia Conklin scored 12 off the bench. The Dragons open sectional play Wednesday at Pendleton Heights against Greenfield-Central.