New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team used a 20-point first-half run to seize control Saturday in a 70-33 road victory at Rushville. The victory was the Dragons' biggest win margin since an 89-49 victory over Shelbyville Feb. 14, 2020. Four Dragons tallied in double figures in a balanced scoring effort. After surrendering the game's first four points, Ben Slagley hit a basket and Blaine Nunnally a 3-pointer to give the Dragons a 5-4 lead. Rushville re-took the lead on the next possession, but wouldn't score again for six minutes. In that time, a strong full-court pressure defense and excellent shooting led to a 20-0 run for the Dragons. NP took a 22-6 lead after a quarter, paced by eight points from Nunnally, a 3-pointer and a basket each from Ian Stephens and Julius Gizzi, and four points from Slagley. Stephens began the second quarter with a three-point play to push the lead to 25-6. A basket by Slagley and back-to-back hoops by Nunnally pushed the lead to 31-9 before a late Rushville run cut the edge to 33-16 at halftime. The Dragons broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring the Lions 26-5. Bryant Nunnally scored 10 points in the frame, including a pair of 3-pointers, to record a new career high. Slagley added four points in th equarter, while Brady Armstrong and Gizzi each hit triples. Moses Haynes added nine fourth-quarter points as the Dragons saw out the game. The Dragons improved their record to 3-0. Four players scored in double figures, led by Blaine Nunnally's 14. He scored 12 in the opening half. Slagley added 12 points. Stephens and Bryant Nunnally each scored 10. Haynes added nine points, Gizzi eight and Armstrong three. Eian Roudebush and Daniel Tippit each scored two points. The Dragons also won the JV game 50-21, led by Alex Guhl's 15 points. The Dragons are next in action Friday at Greenfield-Central to open Hoosier Heritage Conference play.