New Palestine High School

The New Palestine basketball teams are in action tonight at Greenfield-Central for their annual doubleheader before the boys travel to Southport for a Saturday game FRIDAY: Eastern Hancock Royals (0-1) at (#13/3A #5) New Palestine Dragons (0-0) Time: 6 p.m. JV, 7:30 p.m. V Site: New Palestine HS gymnasium Tickets: $6, at gate or https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=104291 Video: IHSAAtv.org ($) Audio: NewPalRadio.com FRIDAY GIRLS: New Palestine Dragons (5-4, 1-2) at Greenfield-Central Cougars (7-2, 1-0) BOYS: (#10/3A #5) New Palestine Dragons (2-0) at (#4/4A #2) Greenfield-Central Cougars (3-0) Time: 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys Site: Cougar Gymnasium, Greenfield Tickets: $6, at gate or https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=100827 Video: WNDY-23 Audio: NewPalRadio.com SATURDAY BOYS: (#10/3A #5) New Palestine Dragons vs. (RV) Zionsville Eagles (1-3) Time: 2 p.m. Saturday Site: Southport Fieldhouse Tickets: $15, online only https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=98695 Audio: NewPalRadio.com SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons open the Hoosier Heritage Conference portion of their season with a trip to Greenfield-Central, where the Dragons clinched their fourth sectional title in six years in March in the last meeting between the two schools. The Dragons won that game 60-48 behind a 67% shooting performance and Julius Gizzi’s 31 points. This is the only possible meeting between the teams this season, as they are in different classes. While they are not in the same sectional for the first time since 2017, this game will be a matchup of two teams in the state’s Top 10 and two teams ranked in the Top 5 in their respective classes. It is the first time New Palestine has ever played game where both teams are ranked in the IBCA’s statewide Top 10. NP leads the all-time series 31-29, including a 22-7 mark since the 2004-05 season. They have played annually since 1984-85 - tied with Greenwood for second among the most consecutive years on the Dragons’ schedule. Only Mt. Vernon (since 1963-64) has been played more. On Saturday, the Dragons head to Southport to play in the Tipoff Classic against Zionsville. The teams have not played since 2003, when the Dragons won 64-55. The teams met annually from 1971-82 and played all but two seasons between 1988-2003. Between 1989-93, they were in the Rangeline Conference together. This is the Dragons’ first game in a single-day neutral site shootout since beating Mooresville 55-48 at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum Jan. 13, 2018. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons started the year with a 2-0 mark, beating Eastern Hancock and Greenwood last week. Against EH, Julius Gizzi tallied 33 points and eight rebounds, hitting 14-23 from the field and 5-9 from deep. Moses Haynes hit 4-7 from deep and tallied 16 points and nine assists. Ben Slagley nearly hit a triple-double, with nine points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Against EH, the Dragons hit 14-of-29 from 3-point range. The Dragons trailed much of the way against Greenwood, but rallied from a seven-point second-half deficit to beat the Woodmen 62-56, finishing the game on an 11-1 run. Gizzi scored 14 of his game-high 24 points from the line. Slagley had 15 points and eight boards, while Haynes had eight points and seven assists. Gizzi, a reigning All-State performer and Junior All-Star, was second in the state in scoring last season (28.9 ppg) and is one of four starters returning, joining Haynes, Slagley and Austin McMahan. With 57 points last weekend, Gizzi now has 1,106 points, tying him for fifth on the NPHS career scoring list. He needs 28 points to catch Kent Raymond for fourth. Gizzi’s game against EH was his 17th career 30-point game. SCOUTING THE COUGARS G-C opens with a 3-0 mark after beating Decatur Central 78-39 Tuesday. The Cougars are led by senior Braylon Mullins, who averages 36.0 ppg. SCOUTING THE EAGLES Zionsville is 1-3 through four games, splitting with Westfield and NorthWood last week. Senior Maguire Mitchell leads Zionsville at 17.3 ppg. Drew Snively adds 14.5 ppg. The Eagles play Friday against Lawrence Central before facing the Dragons.