New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team improved to 16-1 Thursday with a 45-34 victory over Perry Meridian. The Dragons locked down the Falcons, allowing only 10 first-half points, and controlled the contest for much of the night. Blaine Nunnally scored 15 points to lead the Dragons, becoming the school's career assists leader in the process. Julius Gizzi added 12 points. The Dragons jumped out to an early 10-5 lead, with Eian Roudebush getting the Dragons on the board with an early 3-pointer and Nunnally scoring five first-quarter points. Moses Haynes hit an early triple, but PM answered and the Dragons led 15-10 when Ben Slagley hit a shot in the lane. Julius Gizzi followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Dragons up 23-10 at the break. The 10 points allowed in the first half were the fewest allowed by the Dragons in a half this season. The Dragons maintained the lead in the second half. PM cut the lead to 10 in the third when Blaine Nunnally knifed through the defense for a three-point play, scoring his eighth point of the quarter, helping the Dragons build a 35-20 lead. Ian Stephens and Slagley added hoops in the frame. In the fourth, the Dragons pushed the lead as high as 17 points on multiple occasions, with Gizzi scoring a couple of hoops, while Nunnally and Stephens hit driving shots. Kendall Hill also added a basket. PM hit a pair of late 3-pointers to cut the lead to 11 at the buzzer. In addition to the two double-figure scorers, Stephens scored six points, Slagley four, Haynes and Roudebush three each and Hill two. PM was led by Patrick Schott and Brayden Jones, who scored 12 each. The Class 4A No. 7 Dragons are next in action Tuesday at home against Guerin Catholic. The Dragons dropped a close JV game 35-33.