New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team took control in the closing minutes of a back-and-forth contest Thursday to beat 3A No. 10 Lebanon 59-48 and win the Lebanon Holiday Classic title. The Dragons improved to 9-0 on the season with the victory, capping a day in which they defeated two ranked teams. It marked the Dragons' first in-season holiday tourney title since the 2011-12 season. The contest had been a back-and-forth affair, as the Dragons roared back from a seven-point third quarter deficit, scoring the final six points of the frame, including two free throws by Blaine Nunnally and a basket by Ben Slagley to cut their deficit to 36-35 going into the fourth quarter. The Dragons took the lead on the opening possession of the final quarter, as Nunnally turned the corner and scored. It was quickly answered by Lebanon guard Kaiden Lark, but Nunnally again drove to the basket and made two free throws to put the Dragons up 39-38. Lebanon again scored to re-take the lead. Slagley responded with a three-point play to put NP up 42-40, but the Tigers' Jack Ferrell did the same to give the Tigers a 43-42 edge. Nunnally hit a twisting shot in the lane on the other end with 3:45 left to put the Dragons on top 44-43. They'd never surrender the advantage, getting back-to-back stops. Julius Gizzi grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a free throw to push the lead to two points. Ian Stephens, who had battled foul trouble the entire night, checked into the lineup, cut to the basket and scored to extend the lead to 47-43. Slagley drove and drew a foul, hitting two free throws to push the lead to six. Lebanon hit two free throws to cut the lead to 49-45, but the Dragons continued to respond. Nunnally hit back-to-back scoop shots in the lane in the final two minutes to push the Dragons' lead to 53-45. Mooresville's Jake Burns hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five, but Moses Haynes answered with two free throws to extend the advantage to seven, and then Dragons salted the game away with multiple stops. Nunnally scored 12 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter en route to being named Tournament MVP. Slagley added seven of his 12 points in the final frame. Bryant Nunnally matched up with Lebanon's Lark, whose seven third-quarter points gave the Tigers a lead, and limited his output in the fourth quarter, helping the Dragons seize control. The Dragons fell behind 7-2 in the opening minutes, but responded with a run led by Blaine Nunnally, who hit a 3-pointer and a three-point play to draw the Dragons even at 10-10 at the quarter break. NP scored the first nine points of the second quarter, with Stephens scoring five points to key the spurt that pushed the advantage to 19-10. Foul trouble sent three starters to the bench, but Gizzi stepped in and scored seven points in the frame to help the Dragons lead 26-24 at halftime, as Lebanon rallied in the closing seconds, capping the half the way the Tigers started it, with a 3-pointer by Jack Ferrell. Lebanon quickly took the lead in the third quarter, as the Dragons fell behind 36-29 before the Dragons scored the final six points of the frame. Nunnally scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half. Slagley tallied 10 of his 12 after halftime. Gizzi scored nine points, Stephens seven, Haynes four and Kendall Hill two. Nunnally tallied 54 points in the three games, including 23 in the Thursday morning victory over Gary 21st Century, to be named tournament MVP. Stephens joined him on the All-Tournament Team. He scored 43 points in the tournament, including 20 in the opening-round victory over Metropolitan and 16 in the semifinal win over Gary 21st Century. Slagley tallied double figures in all three games, including 22 against 21st Century, to finish the tourney with 44 points. Lark led Lebanon with 16 points, with 11 coming in the second half. Ferrell scored 13. The Dragons next play Jan. 6 at Hoosier Heritage Conference rival Delta.