New Palestine High School

The start couldn’t have gone any better for the New Palestine girls basketball team Thursday night, as they scored the game’s first 10 points. But Yorktown answered with a big first-half run, took the lead early in the second quarter and never looked back, spoiling the Dragons’ Senior Night 57-46. Sadey Hughbanks and an aggressive half-court trapping defense that sped the Tigers up keyed the Dragons’ big start. Hughbanks hit two early 3-pointers and scored eight points to stake the Dragons to a 10-0 lead. But Yorktown slowly worked its way back into the game, going on a 20-3 run over the next eight minutes to take the lead, and then responded every time the Dragons got close. Yorktown cut the lead to 12-9 after a quarter, and then opened the second with an 11-1 run to go up 20-13. It was keyed by three 3-pointers - two by guard Olivia Conklin - with Hughbanks’ free throw the Dragons’ only point in that stretch. The Dragons went more than eight minutes without a field goal. A pair of late baskets by Tylar Whitaker and Kendra Moore drew NP within 22-17 at halftime. The Dragons had a quick start to the third - Kylee Beranek opened the half with a steal-and-score, and Whitaker’s 3-pointer cut Yorktown’s lead to 24-22. But the Tigers again answered with an 11-0 run, fueled by six points from freshman Rylie Johnson. The Dragons didn’t go away. Trailing by 13, Whitaker drove inside scored and was fouled. She missed the ensuing free throw, but Beranek rebounded, hit the putback from a difficult angle and completed the three-point play. Flagle opened the fourth quarter with a three-point play to cut Yorktown’s lead to 40-35, but led by 6-foot sophomore Alexis Fields, the Tigers again scored six straight points to go up 11. NP had chances to cut into the lead, but a few untimely turnovers and missed free throws - the Dragons were 4-of-9 from the line in the fourth quarter - slowed the comeback attempt. Yorktown was 11-of-14 from the line in the final frame. Fields and Conklin led four Tigers in double figures with 15 points each. While Hughbanks hit three 3-pointers and led NP with 13 points, the two seniors had strong games. Beranek added nine, points and 12 rebounds. She scored seven in the third quarter to keep the Dragons within contact. Whitaker tallied seven points, two off her career high, and gave NP a strong defensive game. The Dragons finished the regular season 10-11 - their 13th consecutive regular season with at least 10 wins. They move on to next week’s Class 3A Indian Creek sectional, where they will open Wednesday against Greenwood. NP beat the Woodmen 59-36 Nov. 13. In addition, Flagle and Brown scored five points each. Kenna Tweedy tallied three, while Kendra Moore and Brooklyn Crim scored two each.