New Palestine High School

Senior Isabella Gizzi became the New Palestine girls basketball career scoring leader Tuesday, scoring her 1,173rd career point in the closing minutes of the Dragons' 58-54 loss at Franklin Central. Gizzi scored 23 points in the contest, helping lead a late rally that fell just short as the Dragons moved to 2-2 on the season. The Dragons fell behind 7-5 after a quarter, with a 3-pointer from Allie Blum and a basket by Gizzi providing the early scoring. FC opened up a 21-13 halftime lead, with Gizzi scoring six of the Dragons' eight second-quarter points. The Dragons had a big third quarter, with Blum hitting two 3-pointers, Vivian Miller drilling a triple and scoring five points, Nevaeh Gebhart also hitting an triple and Gizzi scoring seven points, outscoring the Flashes 23-22, but they trailed 43-36 going into the final frame. The Dragons opened the fourth quarter on a 14-6 run to take a 50-49 lead, starting with a triple by Miller, two free throws by Sadey Hughbanks, a basket by Gizzi and another 3-pointer by Miller. A hoop by Blum and two free throws from Gizzi gave the Dragons the lead. FC answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to re-take the lead and put the game away. Gizzi hit 6-of-7 from the line to score the Dragons' last six points, with her final free throw breaking the school career scoring record that had been held by her mother and coach - Sarah (Haynes) Gizzi - since 1994. She joins her brother Maximus, who scored 1,612 points for the Dragons boys from 2016-20, as one of eight brother-sister duos in the state to hold their programs' respective career scoring records. In addition to Gizzi's 23 points, Miller and Blum tallied 11 points each. Hughbanks tallied four points, Gebhart three and Kylee Beranek 2. The Dragons (2-2) are next in action Thursday at home against Warren Central.