New Palestine High School

Sophomore Will Davison's 37-point night helped lead the New Palestine boys basketball team to an 84-70 victory over Greenfield-Central Friday night, as the Dragons swept a doubleheader from the Cougars. The Dragons improved to 3-1 with the victory and 1-0 in Hoosier Heritage Conference play. Davison and Evan Darrah got the Dragons going early, and then Davison helped put the game away with 12 points in the first half of the fourth quarter as NP began to build separation. Darrah scored four quick points to start the game, and Davison followed with a 3-pointer to begin a nine-point quarter. The Dragons and Cougars swapped the lead several times in a high-scoring first quarter. Liam Atkinson drained a 3-pointer out of the corner just ahead of the buzzer to give the Dragons an 18-16 lead after one, despite the efforts of G-C's Isaiah Humes, who tallied 12 points in the opening frame. The game remained tight through the second quarter. G-C took a 20-18 lead with four quick points from Humes and Malachi Van, but Eli Parrett answered with a four-point play for the Dragons. Darrah added six points in the quarter and Davison seven, giving them 12 and 16 points, respectively, at the break, as NP built a 37-32 lead. The game remained tight through the early stages of the third quarter. G-C opened the frame with six straight points to go up 38-37. Eli Parrett then found Evan Study for a layup to restore the Dragons' edge. Davison hit a 3-pointer, which was answered by a G-C hoop, and Study followed with two free throws. After another G-C score, Atkinson was fouled out of the corner and hit all three free throws to put NP up 47-42. The Dragons began to build separation when Study scored to extend a lead to 49-44. Off an inbounds pass, Parrett drained a 3-pointer to push the lead to 52-44, but G-C hit back-to-back 3-poiners sandwiched around a Study basket to cut the lead to four. But Cael Butler hit his lone 3-pointer of the game to push the lead to seven. The Dragons led 58-52 when Parrett was fouled out high against G-C's aggressive defense. A technical foul followed. The Dragons hit three of the four free throws, then Davison hit a runner in the lane to extend the lead to 11. G-C then followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the lead to 63-58, but Davison drilled another triple to extend the lead to 66-58 after three. He tallied nine points in the frame to give him 25 for the day. Study scored all eight of his points in the quarter. Parrett added six. Davison then took over to start the fourth. He started with a steal-and-score to restore a double-figure lead. After a Sam Hirschy putback extended it to 12, G-C answered with a 3-pointer from Cole Mullins. But immediately, Davison went coast-to-coast, and, after a stop, scored on a backdoor feed to push the lead to 74-61. G-C scored five straight points, but Davison answered with a three-point play to put the Dragons ahead 77-66. Another 3-pointer from Davison was the dagger - it made it an 80-68 game with 2:30 to go. It was his 12th point of the quarter and 37th of the game. Atkinson and Darrah each hit late free throws to help seal the victory. Davison hit five 3-pointers, 13 field goals and was 6-of-8 from the line in the win. His 37 points tied Julius Gizzi for the 11th-most points in school history. He was one of four double-figure scorers for the Dragons. Darrah tallied 14 points. Parrett and Atkinson scored 10 each. Study scored eight - all in the third quarter. Butler had three and Hirschy two. Humes led three Cougars in double figures with 23 points. Blake Evans hit five 3-pointers and scored 17. G-C hit 11 3-pointers in the game, but the Dragons had nine. NP got separation by hitting 23-of-28 from the line in the contest. The Dragons also won the JV game 64-63 on a shot at the buzzer by Kade Stephens. It was played Thursday at G-C. The Dragons are now 3-1 (1-0 HHC). They also take possession of the HHC's traveling trophy with the victory. They are next in action Dec. 19 at New Castle.