MUNCIE — Four years. Four golden opportunities.
For a fourth straight year, the New Palestine Dragons are heading to the Class 4A Sectional 9 championship game, and they made it decisive on Friday night, defeating host Muncie Central, 63-30, in the semifinals.
“It’s super fun, and I’m really glad we get to play Mt. Vernon again,” New Palestine sophomore point guard Isabella Gizzi said. “We’ll see what happens, but I think we can win.”
In two of their past three sectional title game runs, the Dragons (15-9) have met Hoosier Heritage Conference and Hancock County rival Mt. Vernon (17-5), who knocked off Richmond, 44-32, in Friday’s first semifinal game.
In New Palestine head coach Sarah Gizzi’s first year at the helm in 2017-18, the Dragons defeated Mt. Vernon 45-39 in the title game. The next year, the Marauders turn the tables, 35-29, in the championship.
Last year, the two programs faced off in the quarterfinals, and the Dragons halted the Marauders’ quest at a repeat, 41-32, while also ending Mt. Vernon’s 21-game winning streak.
The Dragons went on to win their sixth sectional title all time two games later with a 64-53 win over Anderson in the finals at the Richmond Tiernan Center.
Tonight, as they meet for a third time in the finals since 2018 inside Muncie Fieldhouse, the task will be to avenge their 43-29 regular-season loss on Dec. 19 against the outright HHC champion Marauders, who finished 7-0 in the league.
“It’s exciting. It’s all we can ask for, I feel like. We set a goal every year to compete for conference and compete for sectional, and it’s pretty awesome to be back again,” Sarah Gizzi said. “I’m proud of the girls.”
The Dragons finished second in the HHC to Mt. Vernon this year, but they’re not the same team from 2019-20.
They’re a mix of experience and newcomers after the graduations of former senior leaders Jordan Reid and Michaela Jones, who were both key contributors to their 2020 sectional championship lineup.
The Dragons had to learn as the season progressed led by several vital returnees, and after stints of three two-game and one three-game losing streak during the regular season, the team is discovering who they are at the right time.
“We’re starting to jell a little bit more. I think, they’re learning to accept their roles a little bit and kind of maximize their role and how they can contribute to the team success and it’s visible,” Sarah Gizzi said. “It’s more fun to coach that way, too, when people settle in and do what they do best.”
Unselfishness has been an asset for the Dragons, who won their third straight game to reach the sectional finals.
Against Muncie Central, four players reach double digits in scoring, paced by senior Addi Jones’ 12, including nine in the second half as New Palestine increased their lead to 20-plus points.
“She’s a super athlete. She likes to be a playmaker. She can be a bit aggressive, but we don’t hold her back because usually good things happen, and she works so hard on defense and she does so many little things,” Sarah Gizzi said of Jones’ contributions. “She’s really been a good senior leader for us.”
Alaina Miller had 11 points in the semifinals, followed by 10 from Rachel Kelley and 10 from Isabella Gizzi, who shot 3 of 5 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers.
Gizzi’s second trey capped an 11-2 run in the third quarter to put the Dragons in control 39-20 with 3 minutes, 35 second left before the fourth.
The Dragons shot 6 of 18 from 3-point range at 33 percent and were 40 percent from the field at 20-for-49.
Isabella Gizzi’s performance marked her eighth consecutive double-digit game after a slow start to the season. Through the first 16 games of the 2020-21 season, Gizzi had 10 contests with 10 or more points.
Since, she’s amassed six 20-or-more point games in eight contests, including a season-high 31 against Anderson on Tuesday.
“Our attitude has changed a lot. We kind of have a better feel for each other now. We always start working as a team right when the season gets going and it’s helped me,” Isabella Gizzi said.
“I just had to get over that hump because at the beginning of the season I wasn’t doing very well. And, I’m just knocking down shots now and I’m more confident.”
The team spread the ball around repeatedly against Muncie Central, led by Jones’ five assists, Koryn Marshall’s three steals along with Anna Ackerman’s trio of thefts, fueled the offense. Eight Dragons scored at least two points in the semifinal win.
The final bucket came from junior Taylor Kelley, who banked in a 3-pointer to give the Dragons their largest lead and final tally.
Ackerman had six points for the Dragons. Faith Hensel added five and Koryn Marshall provided six off the bench. Grace Marshall hauled in six rebounds, and Jones had five.
Muncie Central was led by Jasiah Scaife’s 15 points.
“You just have to come out here and play your (tail) off and hope some shots fall for you and kind of survive and advance,” Sarah Gizzi said. “I know it’s a cliche, but it’s true.”
The same outlook will hold true tonight in the title game as the Dragons seek a repeat.
“The Anderson game was huge for us because we knew they would be a big test (and a rematch), and we persevered through not a very clean game. And we knew tonight was going to be difficult, playing Muncie Central on their home floor,” Sarah Gizzi said. “But, we had a ton of fans. It felt like a real sectional game. It didn’t feel like all the COVID stuff we’ve been dealing with, so it was really enjoyable.
“I’m sure tomorrow is going to be rocking in here.”
