NEW PALESTINE — The New Palestine Dragons boys basketball team has found the right formula to win sectional championships, the next step is to use those tools to win a regional.
No. 15 New Palestine (22-5) takes on No. 10 Ben Davis (20-5) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Southport Fieldhouse for the Regional 6 title.
New Palestine has won four sectional championships in the last six years, winning titles in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024.
In 2019, when it was a two-game format, the Dragons beat Avon before losing to Ben Davis in the final. The 2020 team, due to COVID-19, did not get a chance to play Lawrence North in the regional round. Last year’s team, the winningest in school history (23-3) lost to Brownsburg in the one-game regional championship.
“I think it’s one of those things that success breeds success,” New Palestine head coach Trent Whitaker said. “Our kids have seen the older kids win and they have that expectations that we’re going to win now. There has been times this year that we didn’t quite get excited after a big win. I think our kids expect to win. I think that’s the biggest thing, the mentality going into it. We’re not hoping to win. We’re going in thinking we can beat anybody.”
Players Brady Armstrong — the team’s only senior — and Julius Gizzi — a junior and team’s top scorer — believe it goes a little further than work on the floor.
“The connection with the guys off the floor, outside of basketball,” Gizzi, one of the state’s top scorers at 28.9 points per game, said. “Those years we’ve won the sectional, even the last six years all together, I think the teams off the court have been really close friends. These guys are some of my best friends. We hang out all the time and I think that plays a huge part.”
“The word that we wear on our shooting shirt, “Family” and playing together and working as one,” Armstrong added as a key to New Palestine’s success.
Putting all those things together may help win the program its first regional championship, but it won’t be easy.
Ben Davis comes in as the defending Class 4A state champions. The Giants graduated some talented players from that team, but still have had a successful season, led by a pair of Division-I recruits, K.J. Windham and Mark Zackary. Windham averages 16.3 points per game. The 6-3 guard has committed to Northwestern. Zackary is just a junior. He’s considered one of the state’s top football prospects in his class. He averages 10.3 points per game and is considered a lockdown defender.
“No. 1 is belief, and our kids do believe we can go over there and win,” Whitaker said of today’s regional championship game. “No. 2, it’s going to take a good start. It’s one thing to say it and you believe it, but another thing to go prove it. To start the game is going to be huge for us. The first four minutes, it’s one of those things you can’t get down 12-2. Last year, we hit a 3 (early) and didn’t hit much after that. We have to see something positive, get some stops and easy baskets and build from there.”
“[We need] a great start,” Gizzi added. “Some of the games we’ve started off slow, so we need a great start, and trust what we’ve been doing, trusting each other, following through with the scouting report and playing hard.”
The Dragons have their share of weapons outside of the scoring prowess of Gizzi. Junior point guard Moses Haynes has set single-season records for assists (177) and steals (51). Ben Slagley is the veteran of the team, and still only a junior. He’s a three-year starter and a versatile contributor averaging 9.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Whitaker also mentioned the work of some of the team’s role players, guys like Armstrong, juniors Austin McMahan, Keagan Harrison, Alex Guhl and sophomore Evan Darrah.
“It’ll take those same things, being focused and playing together,” Whitaker said. “Our kids are doing a nice job of buying into their roles, which is another thing that has helped us in the past winning sectionals. Everybody takes pride in their role. We talk about, do what you do best to help the team win. That’s something our kids have done a pretty good job of. You’ve got Austin McMahan, he’s not a limelight kid, but he defends and does the little things. [We ask them] to buy into your role and be a star in your role.”
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Class 4A Regional 6 Championship
At Southport High School, Southport Fieldhouse
Saturday, March 9
4 p.m., New Palestine (22-5) vs. Ben Davis (20-5)
Admission: All tickets will be digital (no cash) through your mobile phone and may be purchased through Eventlink (additional fees may apply). Present purchase verification on your mobile phone at the gate for admission. $10. Children age 5 and younger admitted free.
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NEW PALESTINE DRAGONS (22-5)
Head coach: Trent Whitaker (138-89 in 9th year at New Palestine)
State ranking: IBCA (No. 15)
Statistical leaders: Julius Gizzi (6-3, junior, 28.9 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 2.2 apg., 1.0 spg.), Moses Haynes (5-11, junior, 11.2 ppg., 6.8 apg., 2.0 spg.), Ben Slagley (6-4, junior, 9.5 ppg., 6.7 rpg., 3.7 apg., 1.4 bpg.), Austin McMahan (6-3, junior, 5.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg.), Keagan Harrison (6-2, junior, 3.8 ppg., 2.1 rpg.), Brady Armstrong (5-11, senior, 3.6 ppg.), Evan Darrah (5-10, sophomore, 4.0 ppg.)
Last regional title: none
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BEN DAVIS GIANTS (20-5)
Interim head coach: Corey Taylor (20-5, first year)
State ranking: IBCA (No. 10), Associated Press (Class 4A, No. 8)
Statistical leaders: K.J. Windham (6-3, senior, 16.3 ppg., 2.4 apg.), Mark Zackery (6-0, junior, 10.3 ppg., 3.8 apg., 2.1 rpg.), Mark White (6-4, senior, 8.5 ppg., 2.8 rpg., 1.5 spg.), Tavion Williams (junior, 7.5 ppg., 5.0 rpg.), Ramone Enis (6-5, senior, 7.1 ppg., 4.5 rpg.)
Last regional title: 2023
