LEBANON — It makes sense.

To win the tournament, go to “The Winner.”

Down one point heading into the fourth quarter of the championship game of the Lebanon Holiday Tournament, New Palestine’s boys basketball team put the ball in senior guard Blaine Nunnally’s hands and let him go.

A four-year veteran of the basketball team and multi-sport star at the school, Nunnally scored 12 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter.

The Dragons outscored host Lebanon 24-12 in the final period to win the title game 59-48 Thursday night.

Nunnally was named the tournament MVP.

With the win, New Palestine is 9-0 on the season.

“He’s a winner,” Trent Whitaker said, describing his veteran guard. “He knows how to win. He’s a competitor and he’s going to make sure he does whatever he needs to do to make this team win. An incredible leader and the kids respect the heck out of him.”

The 5-foot-10 Nunnally scored inside with 5:04 remaining in the game to give New Pal the lead for good, 44-43. He was instrumental in closing the game out, too.

When Lebanon got within four, 49-45, with 2:16 remaining, he scored on a pair of coast-to-coast drives to up the lead to eight, 53-45, with just 1:16 to go.

“A lot of people stepped up in key roles,” Nunnally said, noting that the win was much more than his big fourth-quarter run.

The Dragons battled foul trouble all night. Nunnally sat out much of the first half with foul issues. His team-high eight first-half points were all scored in the first quarter.

Teammate and leading scorer Ian Stephens fouled out and played less than half of the game. Five players had two fouls at halftime. Starter Ben Slagley, who scored 12 points and had 22 in the semifinal win in the morning, also dealt with foul problems.

But it was Nunnally down the stretch to seal the deal.

“He doesn’t get fazed when something goes wrong,” Stephens said of his senior teammate. “He’s going to keep attacking and it’s great to be able to rely on him especially when I got in foul trouble and fouled out and other guys were in foul trouble. He stayed composed on the court when the crowd was going nuts. … Just give him the ball and let him put his head down and go.”

“No matter what they did, defense or rebounding or getting the ball where we know where we needed it the most, everyone does a great job with their roles,” Nunnally added. “That’s the reason we’re (9-0) and rolling pretty well right now.”

With the foul trouble, the Dragons had to get help from their bench, too. The New Pal subs outscored the Lebanon bench 15-0. Julius Gizzi had nine points. Moses Haynes had four and Kendall Hill scored two.

Stephens joined Nunnally on the all-tournament team.

It was just Lebanon’s second loss. The Tigers are 8-2. Sophomore Kaden Lark led Lebanon with 16 points. Jack Ferrell had 13.

The Dragons got to the championship game with a 76-57 victory over Class 2A No. 7 Gary 21st Century (6-2).

Blaine Nunnally scored 23 points and Slagley had a career-high 22. Four Dragons scored in double figures. Stephens finished with 16, 13 in the first half, and Gizzi had 13.

The Dragons return to action and Hoosier Heritage Conference play Jan. 6 at Delta.

New Palestine 59, Lebanon 48

New Palestine;10;16;9;24;—;59

Lebanon;10;14;12;12;—;48

New Palestine (9-0): Ian Stephens 3 1-1 7, Eian Roudebush 0 0-0 0, Ben Slagley 2 8-11 12, Bryant Nunnally 0 0-0 0, Blaine Nunnally 9 6-7 25, Julius Gizzi 3 3-6 9, Moses Haynes 1 2-2 4, Kendall Hill 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 20-27 59.

Lebanon (8-2): Landon Fouts 1 4-4 6, Jake Burns 1 1-3 4, Jack Ferrell 5 1-2 13, Kaden Lark 7 2-7 16, Korbyn Sloggett 4 0-0 9, Kayden Sloggett 0 0-0 0, Caleb Linton 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 8-16 48.

3-point goals: New Palestine 1 (Bl. Nunnally); Lebanon 4 (Ferrell 2, Ko. Sloggett, Burns).