New Palestine’s Julius Gizzi scores on a layup against Eastern Hancock on Dec. 1, 2023. Gizzi scored 43 points in the Dragons victory at Franklin Central Saturday. (Mike Brown | For The Daily Reporter)
New Palestine junior Julius Gizzi scored 43 points in New Palestine’s 75-56 victory at Franklin Central Saturday.
The Dragons have won two straight and are 4-1 on the season. The Flashes dropped to 2-5.
Gizzi’s 43-point performance is the third-highest point total for a Dragon in school history. Ryan Curry scored 46 in 2015 and T.J. Ott had 44 in 1998. Gizzi had 13 field goals, including two 3-pointers, and made 15 of 17 at the free-throw line.
“He was impressive,” New Palestine head coach Trent Whitaker said. “He only took 22 shots so he was pretty efficient overall.
“(He did a) little bit of everything. He had the 15-foot jumper and he kept attacking the rim. They pressed us to start and he got a couple easy ones off breaking the press. They put a smaller guy on him and he got a couple post-ups, a little bit of everything. He can score at all three levels.”
Gizzi had 31 on Friday in a 61-60 Hoosier Heritage Conference win at New Castle. In five games this season, he is averaging 27.6 points per game.
In the win over the Flashes, Evan Darrah added nine points and Ben Slagley scored eight and had a team-high five assists. Gizzi was the top rebounder with eight. Moses Haynes had six points and four assists.
New Palestine is off until a holiday tournament in Lawrenceburg on Dec. 29-30. The Dragons play Jennings County (3-3) at 1 p.m. on the 29th and Newport (Ky.) later that day at 5 p.m.
Cougars keep record clean at Hoosier Gym
The best start in school history continues to grow for the Greenfield-Central boys basketball team.
On Saturday at Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, the Cougars improved to 7-0 with a 62-47 win over Lawrenceburg.
The Cougars led big early. They scored 45 first-half points and had a 31-point halftime lead.
Foul trouble and a 24-point third-quarter from the Tigers closed the gap. Dallas Freeman, Jacob Hinton and Cooper Robertson all fouled out for G-C.
Lawrenceburg (4-2) outscored Greenfield-Central 33-17 in the final two quarters.
Braylon Mullins led the Cougars with 21 points. Boston Willard scored 18. He had 12 in the first quarter and 15 in the first half. Willard had four of G-C’s 10 3-point field goals. Braden Robertson added 13 points.
Greenfield-Central is back in action Wednesday at Rushville (0-6).
Royals lose road outing at Blackford
An early deficit was too much to overcome for Eastern Hancock’s boys basketball team in a 52-44 loss at Blackford Saturday.
Eastern Hancock trailed 17-8 at the end of the first quarter and 27-16 at halftime.
Kayden Ruble led the Royals with 13 points. Caiden Willis scored 11. Luke Morris and Caden Powers had nine points each.
Blackford (4-2) was led by Jacob Leas with 15 points.
Eastern Hancock (3-4, 1-1) returns to Mid-Eastern Conference play Tuesday at Randolph Southern (1-4, 1-0).
Boys wrestling
Dragons go 3-2 at Wilk Classic
New Palestine’s boys wrestling team went 3-2 at the Henry Wilk Classic in Mishawaka Saturday.
The Dragons picked up wins over Homestead (47-21), Fort Wayne Snider (42-28) and Goshen (49-27) and lost to Penn (48-19) and Mishawaka (34-33).
Gunner Butt (126) and Peyton Hornsby (138) each went 5-0. Butt had four wins by fall. Hornsby had two technical falls, a fall and major decision among his victories.
Cole Vandygriff (132), Bryce Doss (144) and Colin Whetsel (215) each went 4-1. Blake Doss (106), Brandon Brees (190) and William Glesing had three wins apiece.
The Dragons wrestle Warren Central, at home, Wednesday.
Girls basketball
Cougars get big HHC win
It was a close game early, but Greenfield-Central’s girls basketball team pulled away after the first quarter to earn a 54-36 Hoosier Heritage Conference win at Delta (7-7, 1-4) Saturday.
Up 10-8 after the first quarter, Greenfield-Central (9-3, 3-1) outscored Delta 18-2 in the second quarter to lead 28-10 at halftime. The Cougars had a 43-18 advantage heading into the fourth period.
Chaney Brown led G-C with 21 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Brooklyn McConnell was the second leading scorer with 18 points. She also recorded five steals. Madi Sonsini finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Also contributing to the team were Izzy Silcox with four points and Addi Herrin with six rebounds.
The Cougars head to Connersville (8-5) Tuesday.
