New Palestine High School

The New Palestine boys basketball team returns to the court for a Tuesday tipoff with Guerin Catholic. Thursday New Palestine Dragons (16-1) vs. Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles (12-7) Time: 6 p.m. JV, 7:30 p.m. V Site: NPHS Tickets: $6, online at https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=29047 Audio: NewPalRadio.com Video: https://www.ihsaatv.org/newpalestine ($) SETTING THE SCENE For the second time this season, the Dragons will play three games in a week, starting with this Tuesday’s contest against Guerin Catholic. The Dragons also played three games Dec. 28-29 at the Lebanon Holiday Tournament, winning all three. The Golden Eagles are one of two Circle City Conference foes on the Dragons’ schedule. NP beat Roncalli 58-41 Jan. 20. This is the second all-time meeting between the two programs. The Dragons won a 66-60 decision last season at Guerin, with four players scoring in double figures. Ian Stephens had 17 points in that contest. The Dragons dropped two spots in the IBCA poll this week but remain in the Top 10. This will be the Dragons’ only Tuesday game of the regular season. DRAGONS NOTES The Dragons look to start a new winning streak after the 15-game one to start the season was snapped Jan. 30 in a one-point loss to Lawrence North. They led from the early stages and built the advantage as high as 17 in Thursday’s 45-34 victory over Perry Meridian, with the lead never dipping into single digits in the second half. Senior Blaine Nunnally became New Palestine’s career assists leader with three assists in Thursday’s win at Perry Meridian. He now has 376 for his career. He also reached another milestone, scoring his 1,100th point with a 15-point game. He has 1,101 and needs five points to catch 2015 graduate Ryan Curry for fourth place on the all-time NPHS scoring list and 33 points to catch 2004 alum Kent Raymond in third place. Sophomore Julius Gizzi tallied 12 points in the win over Perry Meridian, his eighth double-figure game of the season. He also tied a career high with six rebounds. Sophomore guard Moses Haynes tied his career high with five assists against Perry Meridian. Senior forward Ian Stephens added seven rebounds. The 34 points allowed to Perry Meridian were the second-fewest given up by the Dragons in a game this year, bettered by a 70-33 victory over Rushville Dec. 3. The 10 points allowed in the first half were a season-best in a half for the Dragons. The previous best was 15 in the second half against Roncalli in a 58-41 victory Jan. 20. Before last Monday’s loss to Lawrence North, the Dragons were one of two unbeaten teams in the state. At 22-0, Ben Davis remains unbeaten. The Dragons are one of 12 teams with one loss in the state and one of six in Class 4A. The Dragons had four players in double-figures against LN, with Stephens scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Blaine Nunnally added 12 points and six assists. Slagley talled 10 points and four boards, while Haynes reached his career high with 10 points and added four assists. The Dragons have clinched a winning season for the sixth consecutive year, equaling a program record of consecutive winning seasons set from 1983-89 under coaches Ed Frieje and Carl Hughes. Nunnally is fourth in the HHC in scoring at 17.1 ppg, with Stephens ranking seventh (16.4 ppg). Stephens (8.5) and Slagley (6.9) rank first and third in rebounding. Nunnally leads the league and ranks 21st in the state in assists (5.2 apg), with Moses Haynes sixth in the HHC (2.8 apg). Stephens ranks sixth in steals (1.5 spg). SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES Guerin Catholic enters the week having won three of its last four, but is coming offa 62-54 loss Saturday at North Central. Guerin features a balanced lineup. The Golden Eagles are led by junior Robert Sorensen (13.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and senior Kamea Chandler (10.4 ppg, 3.3 apg). Junior point guard Jack Cherry tallies 3.4 assists per game. Four other players average between five and eight points per contest.