Staff Reports
NEW PALESTINE — The New Palestine boys basketball team saw Beech Grove go on a 3-point shooting barrage Saturday during its season opener.
The visiting Hornets hit 16 3-pointers overall to down host New Palestine, 82-55.
Led by five early points from Matt Brown, the Dragons traded baskets with the Hornets and took a 9-8 lead, but Beech Grove scored eight straight points on three possessions, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Gavin Mitchell, to take a 16-9 lead after a quarter.
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Steele Brasfield scored six second-quarter points to keep the Dragons close, but the Hornets took a 33-22 lead going into halftime.
Beech Grove opened the third quarter with a run to push the lead to 20. New Palestine tallied 22 fourth-quarter points, led by Brasfield’s seven.
Brasfield led the Dragons with 14 points. Brown tallied 13 — three shy of his career high. Luke Burgess added seven off the bench. Ian Stephens scored six, Kyle Bastian five and Damon Hockett four.
The Dragons are next in action Saturday at Rushville. The game scheduled for Friday against Eastern Hancock has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Marauders power
past Huskies
The Mt. Vernon boys basketball team evened its season record Saturday with an 83-78 victory over host Hamilton Heights.
The Marauders jumped out to a 24-19 lead after the first quarter and stayed in front 44-35 at halftime before the Huskies clawed back.
Hamilton Heights tied the game 62-all after three quarters with a 27-point third, but the Marauders outscored the hosts 21-16 in the final frame to win.
Mt. Vernon is now 1-1 on the season with a road game at Decatur Central tonight.
Armon Jarrard led the Marauders with 29 points on 10 of 15 shooting from the field at 67 percent. Armon’s brother Amhad followed with 22 points on 9 of 15 shooting.
Avery Williams added 14 points, while both Cooper Galli and Eli Bridenthal each contributed five points.
The Marauders converted 10 of 18 3-pointers with Armon converting 4 of 6. He was also 5-for-9 from the free-throw line. Williams went 7 of 8 from the foul line.
Armon and Bridenthal both posted six rebounds. Amhad and Razhaun Wells finished with five boards and a combined seven assists.
Girls Basketball
Dragons score win over Warriors
The New Palestine girls basketball team used a balanced offensive effort Saturday to beat Whiteland, 53-47.
Nine different Dragons scored points in the contest. New Palestine built a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter before forcing several late defensive stops to seal the victory.
The Dragons fell behind early, despite strong 3-point shooting in the opening quarter. Anna Ackerman, Addi Jones and Grace Marshall all drained early triples, but the Dragons trailed 15-12 after a quarter and 21-16 late in the opening half.
New Palestine finished the half on a 14-3 run to take a 30-24 lead. Alaina Miller came off the bench to contribute seven points in the spurt, while Rachel Kelley and Khloe Patterson both hit shots and Anna Ackerman drilled a 3-pointer.
The Dragons’ bench contributed 18 points in the victory, a season-high.
Whiteland mounted a comeback by hitting 8 of 11 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. The Warriors drew as close as four, but the Dragons hit three late free throws to seal the victory.
Marshall led the Dragons with 12 points. Ackerman tallied nine. Jones scored eight. Miller tallied seven. Kelley scored six points. Isabella Gizzi, Faith Hensel and Koryn Marshall all scored three each. Patterson added two.
The Dragons are now 3-2. They next play tonight at home against New Castle.
Royals win third MEC game
The Eastern Hancock girls basketball team improved to 3-1 in the Mid-Eastern Conference and 5-2 overall on Saturday after a 56-50 win over host Wapahani.
The Royals have won three of their past four games, which included a pair of MEC contests, both on the road.
Eastern Hancock trailed Wapahani 30-21 at halftime, but a 20-point third quarter propelled the Royals to victory. EH outscored Wapahani 35-20 in the second half to rally back.
Grace Stapleton led the Royals with 12 points. Emma Bolding and Caroline Stapleton both finished with 10 points each. Chloe O’Neal and Sammie Bolding each had nine points. Ruby White added six points.
Caroline Stapleton went a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line and contributed six rebounds with three assists. O’Neal had a team-high eight rebounds.
White and Emma Bolding both had seven rebounds. Grace Stapleton posted five rebounds with four assists. Sammie Bolding had four assists.
The Royals are at Southwestern (Shelbyville) tonight and host Hagerstown on Saturday.
Other Scores & Results
The Mt. Vernon girls basketball team fell to East Central at home Saturday, 45-35 … The Marauders are now 3-2 on the season … They travel to Westfield on Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. varsity opening tip.
