New Palestine’s Alaina Miller goes past , left, goes past Mt. Vernon’s Kanyonrae Kenny during their game on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. (Tom Russo/Daily Reporter)
NEW PALESTINE — The New Palestine girls basketball team used a pair of second-quarter runs to seize control in a 60-51 victory over Greensburg on Tuesday night.
Playing without leading scorer Isabella Gizzi, several Dragons stepped up to lead the team to victory.
The Class 4A Dragons started slowly and fell behind 13-7 after a quarter and 20-12 early in the second, but heated up from distance in the second frame. Alaina Miller drilled a 3-pointer to get the Dragons going. Allie Blum and Rachel Kelley also drilled 3-pointers in a 10-point run that gave the Dragons a 22-20 lead.
Greensburg answered with a seven-point run to retake a five-point edge, but the Dragons scored the last eight points of the half to re-take a 30-27 halftime lead.
Greensburg rallied to take a 39-38 lead in the second half. It was short-lived, as Kelley hit a free throw to tie the game. It touched off an eight-point run, as Kelley hit a basket and a 3-pointer in the run to push the edge to 46-39 at the end of the third quarter.
Greensburg never cut the lead below seven as the Dragons’ ball handling and free-throw shooting put the game away. The Dragons were 8 of 10 from the line in the fourth quarter.
Alaina Miller led the Dragons with 21 points, her second straight 20-point game, including a pair of second-quarter triples. Rachel Kelley added a career-high 17 points. She drilled two 3-pointers.
Blum added 12 points. Vivian Miller scored a career-high-tying eight points, while Tylar Whitaker scored two.
The Dragons finished the regular season 12-10, clinching their seventh straight winning season.
Royals vanquish host Rebels
The Class 2A 12th-ranked Eastern Hancock girls basketball team erupted for 32-first half points and rolled to an easy 65-31 road victory at Randolph Southern on Tuesday.
The visiting Royals improved to 15-6 on the season and finished 8-1 in the Mid-Eastern Conference, securing at least second in the league behind Blue River (20-2, 8-0 MEC) with a potential of a shared title. Class A No. 4 Blue River hosted 2A Monroe Central (12-9, 6-2 MEC) on Thursday night.
Against the Randolph Southern Rebels, Eastern Hancock won its second game in the past three behind a 22-point outburst by junior Grace Stapleton, who shot 8 of 12 from the field.
Stapleton was 5 of 9 from 3-point range and had four rebounds and two steals.
Sammie Bolding followed with 19 points, a pair of 3-pointers, two rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Caroline Stapleton had four steals, two assists, four rebounds and three points. Makenzie O’Neal added six points, six rebounds, two steals and two assists.
Brooklyn Willis had five points and five rebounds. Emma Bolding chipped in four points and five rebounds. Ellie Meyer finished with four points and two rebounds. Ruby White and Anna White hauled in five rebounds apiece.
The Royals wrapped up their regular-season schedule on Thursday at home against Tri.
Cougars stay hot, beat Tigers
The Class 4A Greenfield-Central girls basketball team built on its recent momentum by winning its third game in its past four after defeating host Yorktown, 39-31, on Tuesday.
The Cougars improved to 8-12 overall this season and finished 3-4 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference after winning two of their past three league contests.
Greenfield-Central established a 17-13 halftime lead against Yorktown and outscored the Tigers 22-18 in the second half to win.
Freshman Chaney Brown scored a team-high 11 points and frosh Brooklyn McConnell added nine points to pace the Cougars.
Josie White and Annan Tiede each had five points apiece. Audrey Pechin finished with four points. Schuyler Sparks had three points. Kammi Anderson had two.
McConnell buried 3 of 7 shots from 3-point range. Brown posted six rebounds and two assists. White and Pechin had five rebounds each. Anderson grabbed a trio of boards. White led the Cougars with three assists.
