With a win at Yorktown Thursday, New Palestine’s girls basketball team claimed a share of the Hoosier Heritage Conference championship, and kept the HHC’s traveling trophy.
Submitted photo
New Palestine got a lead early and hit free throws down the stretch to defeat host Yorktown 47-35 Thursday to claim a share of the Hoosier Heritage Conference girls basketball title.
The Dragons and Pendleton Heights both ended the season with 6-1 conference records. New Palestine defeated Pendleton Heights in a head-to-head matchup to grab the HHC traveling trophy. New Palestine’s lone HHC loss was to Greenfield-Central. The Cougars finished third at 5-2.
On Thursday, seniors Allie Blum and Vivian Miller led the Dragon scoring with 16 and 12 points, respectively.
The Dragons jumped out to an 18-6 first-quarter lead, had a 27-12 advantage at the break, and took a 35-19 lead into the final quarter.
New Palestine scored 10 of its 12 fourth-quarter points at the free-throw line. The Dragons made their 10 freebies on 14 attempts.
Sadey Hughbanks added seven points. Kylee Beranek scored six. Kendra Moore contributed four points and Kenna Tweedy tallied two.
It is New Palestine’s third HHC title overall and first since 2019.
“It’s been a goal all year,” New Palestine first-year head coach Craig Moore said. “Initially, our goal was just to get better as a team and find our identity. Once we did that we came really confident in who we are and what we want to do. Once we won a few conference games, [winning the HHC] was something we always talked about. Let’s get the next one. Let’s get the next one … Literally, it was one game at a time for us. It really feels good.”
The Dragons finish the regular season 12-10. Yorktown dropped to 13-10 and 3-4 in the HHC.
New Palestine takes on Greenfield-Central in a quarterfinal round game of the Pendleton Heights Sectional Wednesday.
Hot-shooting Cougars beat Cardinals
Greenfield-Central’s girls basketball team made 10 3-point field goals and won for the 17th time this season with a 65-50 victory over visiting Southport Thursday.
Freshman Izzy Silcox led four double-figure scorers with 20 points. She hit three 3-pointers. Brooklyn McConnell had a team-high four treys and finished with 14 points. Chaney Brown scored 15 points and had one 3-pointer. Madison Sonsini equaled McConnell’s mark with 14 points, and had two 3s.
Greenfield-Central improved to 17-6 with the win, equaling the program’s most wins since a 17-win season in 2016-17.
On Thursday, Silcox, Sonsini and McConnell each had first-quarter 3-pointers to help the Cougars jump out to a 17-5 lead. McConnell had two more treys in the first half. G-C led 28-23 at the break and 47-43 heading into the final period.
Silcox had six fourth-quarter points, including the team’s final 3.
Greenfield-Central takes on New Palestine Wednesday in a quarterfinal game of the Pendleton Heights Sectional. Southport finishes its regular season 2-19.
