New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team raced to an early lead Friday, but had to withstand a third-quarter run before seizing control in the fourth quarter of a 62-53 home victory over Eastern Hancock. The Dragons jumped out to a 13-2 lead, with two Ian Stephens dunks and 3-pointers by Stephens and Blaine Nunnally, and pushed the lead to 21-9 after a quarter. With the Dragons battling a little bit of foul trouble, EH began to string together stops and close the lead. A 3-pointer by Moses Haynes and a three-point play by Stephens helped the Dragons maintain a 29-25 lead at halftime. EH started the third quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 33-31 lead. The Dragons responded, with Ben Slagley tallying a basket and a three-point play and Haynes hitting a 3-pointer. Stephens also hit two free throws to put the Dragons up 43-38 after three. In the fourth quarter, the Dragons controlled the defensive end and the glass. Stephens hit a pair of early shots, then Nunnally began to work the high post against EH's zone and hit four straight shots. The Royals kept responding as the lead vacillated between five and seven for much of the frame. Nunnally hit 5-of-6 from the line to help push the lead back to double digits. He scored 13 fourth-quarter points. Stephens added six to help put the game away. Nunnally led the Dragons with 23 points. Stephens added 21, his second straight game tallying 20-plus points. Haynes added six, Slagley five, Eian Roudebush three and Julius Gizzi two. Jacob Spaulding led EH with 16 points, scoring 11 in the second half. Edric Miller added 13. The Dragons won the JV game 60-40. Rigg Mahurin, Keagan Harrison and Landon Seib scored 13 each to lead the Dragons. The Dragons (2-0) next play Saturday at Rushville. The JV game tips at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity at 7:30 p.m.