New Palestine High School

The New Palestine girls basketball team started Saturday night with a 3-point barrage. And they finished the night with another one, rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat Whiteland 59-49. The Dragons trailed 44-39, then scored 15 consecutive points to take command. The run was launched by Kenna Tweedy, who blocked a shot and grabbed the loose ball on one end, then drilled a 3-pointer out of the corner on the other to cut Whiteland's lead to 44-42. On the next possession, Tweedy hit a 3-pointer from the right wing on a quick release to give the Dragons the lead. Then, Sadey Hughbanks drilled her third triple of the game to put NP up 48-44. Gabbie Brown stepped in-between a Whiteland handoff, stole the ball, dribbled away clock and hit two free throws to push the lead to six, and the Dragons kept forcing stops and hitting foul shots. Brown was 8-of-8 from the line in the fourth quarter. Hughbanks was 3-of-4 down the stretch. The Dragons outscored Whiteland 25-11 in the final frame. They trailed 38-34 going into the quarter after Whiteland's Sukmahn Bains hit a shot from the volleyball line at the end of the third. Haven Flagle hit an early shot, Brooklyn Crim a free throw and Tweedy an 18-footer from the baseline, but Whiteland answered with six inside points to go up 44-39 before the Dragons began to surge. The Dragons also surged early. Kendra Moore hit two first-quarter 3-pointers and Hughbanks added another to put NP up 9-4 early. Baskets by Haven Flagle and Crim pushed the lead to 13-9 aftger a quarter. Hughbanks and Moore each hit 3-pointers to push the edge to 19-9 early in the second. But Whiteland rallied, with Bains hitting two 3-pointers in a 14-4 run to tie the game at 23-23 going into the third. The Warriors took the lead in the third, but the Dragons' 3-point shooting kept them in the game, with Tweedy, Moore and Brown each hitting triples to keep the Dragons within a possession, as Whiteland used its inside game to score 12 points before Bains' late 3-pointer. The Dragons hit 11 3-pointers in the game and had four players in double-figures. Moore scored 12 points, one off her career high. Hughbanks added 12 points, her second straight double-figure game. Tweedy and Brown scored 11 each, with all of their points coming in the second half. Flagle added six points, Crim five and Kylee Beranek two. Sophia Dyer led Whiteland with 20 points. Bains added 14 and post player Bryanna Gillock 11. The Dragons won the JV game 36-26. The Dragons are now 4-2 on the season. They open HHC play Tuesday at home against New Castle.