New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team used suffocating defense Thursday to set a school record, beating host Pendleton Heights 58-41 at Pendleton Heights Middle School. The Dragons improved to 12-0 - setting a record for most wins to start a season - and 4-0 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference. The Dragons lead the league by a full game over second-place Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central with three conference games remaining. The game was tight throughout the first three quarters, with neither team able to build more than a four-point lead until the late stages of the third. Ian Stephens hit two early baskets to give the Dragons a lead, but PH responded and took a 7-4 lead with five straight points. Center Josiah Gustin hit three shots in tight to give the Arabians a four-point edge, but the Dragons answered with a three-point play by Ben Slagley and a Julius Gizzi 3-pointer to draw within one at 13-12 at the quarter break. The Dragons quickly took the lead in the second quarter, with Moses Haynes and Blaine Nunnally hitting early 3-pointers and Stephens scoring five points. The Dragons pushed the lead to 23-19 by the midpoint of the quarter, locking the Arabians down and limiting them to tough, contested shots in the lane. PH's Brayden Kanitz hit a free throw and a basket to draw PH within one as the Dragons went three and a half minutes without scoring until Slagley's two free throws in the final half-minute and a defensive stop gave the Dragons a 25-22 edge at the half. The Dragons continued their defensive prowess in the third, allowing the Arabians only two points in the opening half of the quarter as the Dragons were able to get the lead to 29-24 on baskets by Stephens and Slagley. Gustin got hot for PH and sandwiched a 3-pointer and a basket around a Stephens basket. The Dragons led 31-29, but finished the frame with a 6-2 run with Stephens scoring all six points, including a 3-pointer. He scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the frame. The Dragons did so with both Blaine Nunnally and Bryant Nunnally limited in minutes due to foul trouble. Leading 37-31 going into the final frame - their biggest of the night - the Dragons immediately pushed the lead to double-digits, at 43-33 - on early triples by Blaine Nunnally and Moses Haynes. The Dragons continued to pour on the offense, as Gizzi added two triples and a basket inside to push the lead back to double-digits and put the game away. Gizzi scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, tallying his third straight double-figure game. In addition to the 19 from Stephens and 15 from Gizzi, Blaine Nunnally scored eight and had several assists, especially in the final quarter. Slagley also scored eight points. Haynes hit two triples for six and Bryant Nunnally scored two. Gustin led PH with 15 points and was the Arabians' lone double-figure scorer. PH was held to six total field goals in the second half as the Dragons prevented the Arabians from getting many open looks. The Dragons are now off until Jan. 20, when they travel to Roncalli. The Dragons dropped a 62-59 decision in the JV game.