New Palestine’s Julius Gizzi (11) in a game earlier this season against Roncalli. On Saturday, Gizzi scored a New Palestine gym record 44 points in a 76-75 win over Whiteland.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
NEW PALESTINE — Junior Julius Gizzi set a New Palestine High School gym scoring record to lead the Dragons’ boys basketball team to a 76-75 win over Whiteland Saturday.
Gizzi scored 44 points, 24 in the second half, in the Dragons seventh straight victory.
Gizzi had eight first-quarter points, 12 in the second, 14 in the third and 10 in the final quarter.
He had 19 field goals, one 3-pointer, and hit 5 of 5 free throws.
The old gym record of 41 was set in 2020, also against Whiteland, by Julius’s older brother, Maximus Gizzi. The school record for points in a game is 46, set by Ryan Curry in 2015 at Shelbyville.
Along with the 44 points, the 6-3 guard had 17 rebounds.
New Pal junior Moses Haynes had nine points and eight assists.
New Palestine led by one after one quarter (19-18) and by two (35-33) at halftime. The Dragons extended their lead to 58-46 going into the fourth quarter. The Warriors outscored the Dragons 29-18 in the final period.
A blocked shot at the buzzer by New Palestine’s Austin McMahan sealed the win.
Whiteland (12-10) had four players score in double figures.
Wiatt McLaughlin led the Warriors with 28, 16 in the first half. Jaskirat Banwait scored 19 points. Ethan Edwards had 14 and Gavin Stubbe added 10.
For the Dragons, McMahan had seven points. Keagan Harrison scored five. Evan Darrah and Alex Guhl had four points apiece.
New Palestine (18-4) is back in action Tuesday at rival Mt. Vernon (13-8).
