New Palestine High School

The New Palestine girls basketball team had a strong start Saturday, but saw Mt. Vernon take a second-quarter lead and extend it in the second half before the Dragons eventually fell 50-36 in the sectional title game. The Dragons were playing in the championship game for the fifth time in the last six seasons and finished the year 13-12, a school-record-tying eighth consecutive winning season. Allie Blum got the Dragons started with a 3-pointer early and Isabella Gizzi added 11 first-quarter points, knocking down three 3-pointers. MV also hit four early 3-pointers to take a 16-15 lead after a quarter. The Dragons held MV to nine points in a low-scoring second quarter, but were held to four points from Kylee Beranek and trailed 25-19 at the half. MV opened the third quarter on a run and pushed its lead to double digits at 36-26, with Vivian Miller hitting a 3-pointer and Gizzi and Sadey Hughbanks each hitting shots for the Dragons. The Marauders scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to extend their lead before a late flurry by the Dragons. Gizzi hit a pair of shots and a 3-pointer. Beranek added two free throws and Miller one in the frame. Gizzi scored 20 points in her final high school game, finishing her career with 1,676 points and the season with 592 points, both school records. She graduates holding all of New Palestine's girls basketball scoring marks and has scored the most points of any New Palestine basketball player of either gender. Beranek added six points off the bench for the Dragons. Blum and Miller scored four each, while Hughbanks scored two. Ellery Minch led MV with 14 points.