New Palestine High School

It's sectional gameday for Dragons girls basketball New Palestine Dragons (10-11) vs. Greenwood Woodmen (4-18) Time: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5 Site: Indian Creek HS (Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/y1MvEC154Pr4irg26) Tickets: $7, https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=113471 Audio: NewPalRadio.com SETTING THE SCENE The Dragons open the sectional with a matchup against Greenwood. The Dragons won a 59-36 decision on Nov. 13, a game in which Kylee Beranek had a career-high 17 points and also added 12 rebounds for one of her two double-doubles this season. Sadey Hughbanks added 13 points and Kenna Tweedy 11 in that contest. The Dragons return to Class 3A, where they competed from 1998-2011. The Dragons had spent the last 13 seasons in Class 4A, winning two sectional titles in that span. The Dragons and Greenwood played annually from 1980-94, and have played every year since the 2000-01 season. They have met three times in the sectional, with NP winning 55-34 in 2017 and 46-26 in 2015, and Greenwood winning 39-38 in 2014. NP leads the all-time series 29-13 and has won eight of the last nine meetings. The Dragons have played in the sectional championship game in six of the last seven seasons, last winning a title in 2020. Last season, they beat Greenfield-Central and Pendleton Heights before falling to Mt. Vernon in the title game. If the Dragons advance to the title game again, it will be the program’s 11th consecutive season with a .500 or better final record. This is the Dragons’ first game at Indian Creek since Nov. 30, 2019, when they beat the host Braves 60-54 in a regular season game. NP has won six sectional titles - in 1990, 1992, 1993, 2004, 2018 and 2020. The 2004 title was in Class 3A. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons enter the tournament on a two-game skid, falling to two solid teams in Greensburg and Yorktown. Against Yorktown, the Dragons started on a 10-0 run before falling 57-46. Sadey Hughbanks led the way with 13 points, hitting three 3-pointers. She had eight of the Dragons’ first 10 points in the game-opening run. Kylee Beranek added nine points and 11 rebounds - including nine offensive boards. It was her fifth double-figure rebounding game of the season. Tylar Whitaker, who with Beranek make up the Dragons’ senior class, scored seven. The Dragons have had tremendous balance this season. Seven different players have tallied double-figures at least once this season, and all seven have led the team in scoring at least once. Hughbanks leads the Dragons with 9.3 ppg. Beranek is seventh in the HHC in rebounding at 6.3 rpg. Beranek’s highs came with 13 boards against Delta and 12 against Greenwood. Guard Gabbie Brown gives the Dragons a boost off the bench as the sixth player. She is sixth in the HHC with 2.9 assists per game, and is second on the Dragons in scoring at 6.6 per game. The Dragons have gotten defensive in 2025. Twice, they held teams below the 30-point mark, beating Triton Central 47-29 Jan. 14, and Waldron 62-21 nine days later. They marked the first time since Dec. 21, 2023 the Dragons held a team below 30 points. SCOUTING THE WOODMEN Greenwood enters with a 4-18 record, but the Woodmen won four of their last eight games, including a 41-37 victory over Perry Meridian in the Jan. 31 season finale. Senior Emma Gardner leads the Woodmen, scoring 8.6 points and grabbing 7.7 rebounds per game. Freshman Maddison Judge adds 6.6 ppg. LOOKING AHEAD The winner faces either Rushville or Shelbyville in Friday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal at Indian Creek. The Dragons beat Rushville 53-43 Nov. 26, but fell to Shelbyville 42-38 Dec. 10. The Dragons rallied from a 27-10 halftime deficit against Shelbyville to tie the game, only to fall short in the waning minutes. FOLLOW US Follow the Dragons on Facebook (@newpalestinedragons), Twitter (@NPHSDragons), Instagram (@newpalestinedragons) and online (NewPalestineAthletics.com). All Dragons home games are broadcast live at NewPalRadio.com and available via pay-per-view at IHSAAtv.org. NewPalRadio.com also broadcasts all IHSAA tournament games and select road games. Photo credit: Lauren Deering