DRAGONS GIRLS BASKETBALL 2020-21 GAME NOTES | NEWPALESTINEATHLETICS.COM | @NPHSDRAGONS SCHEDULE (14-9, 6-1 HHC) MUNCIE CENTRAL SECTIONAL Nov. 11 GREENWOOD W 44-28 NEW PALESTINE MT. VERNON Nov. 14 SOUTHPORT W 61-24 Nov. 21 at Lawrence North L 38-62 DRAGONS (14-9) MARAUDERS (16-5) Nov. 24 RUSHVILLE L 42-48 Sarah Gizzi (4th season, 71-27) Julie Shelton (20th season, 330-133) Nov. 28 WHITELAND W 53-47 8 p.m. Friday, February 5 6 p.m. Friday, February 5 Dec. 1 NEW CASTLE* W 78-38 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Delta* W 46-29 MUNCIE CENTRAL Saturday, RICHMOND Dec. 8 at Shelbyville* W 48-41 Feb. 6 Dec. 10 at Greenfield-C.* W 47-28 BEARCATS (6-11) RED DEVILS (8-5) Dec. 17 at Franklin Central L 41-48 Ron Howell (4th season, 24-63) Shane Hillard (3rd season, 25-36) Dec. 19 at Mt. Vernon* L 29-43 BROADCAST: All New Palestine games available on NewPalRadio.com Dec. 30 vs. Noblesville% L 55-70 Dec. 30 vs. Southport% W 54-45 SETTING THE SCENE Jan. 2 YORKTOWN* W 62-45 • The Dragons head to the weekend seeking their fourth straight sectional championship Jan. 6 WARREN CENTRAL L 37-49 game appearances. NP is seeking to play in its fourth straight sectional final and win Jan. 9 at Hamilton SE L 27-55 its third in four years. Jan. 12 at Triton Central otW 46-43 • The Dragons have won sectional titles in 1990, 1992, 1993, 2004, 2018 and 2020. Jan. 15 at Pendleton Hts.* W 57-54 Jan. 19 at Beech Grove W 71-34 Coach Sarah Gizzi has been involved in four - winning in 1992 and 1993 as a player Jan. 23 CATHEDRAL L 67-74 and the last two as a head coach. Jan. 26 LAWRENCE C. L 47-58 • The Dragons advanced with a 59-55 victory over Anderson in Tuesday’s first round. Jan. 28 RITTER W 48-37 Muncie Central drew Greenfield-Central, but received a bye into the semifinal when Class 4A Muncie Central sectional G-C had to withdraw from the tournament due to contact tracing. Feb. 2 Anderson W 59-55 • Mt. Vernon and Richmond play in the other semifinal. If NP and MV advance, it will be Feb. 5 Muncie Central 8 p.m. the third time in four years they’ve played in the sectional final. NP is 6-9 all-time in Feb. 6 Final (if win Friday) 7:30 p.m. sectional championship games. The Dragons are 7-9 all-time against MV in the tourna- *-Hoosier Heritage Conference game ment and 0-1 against Richmond. THE DRAGONS DRAGONS NOTES 3 Anna Ackerman 5-8 Jr. G/F • The Dragons used a big third quarter, fueled by a 16-2 run, to seize control and down 5 Alaina Miller 5-6 Jr. G Anderson 59-55 in Tuesday’s sectional opener. Guard Isabella Gizzi led the way 11 Isabella Gizzi 5-7 So. G with a career-high 31 points, including 15-of-17 from the line. She tallied 18 points 12 Faith Hensel 5-9 Sr. F after halftime and 13 in the fourth quarter. Gizzi also had nine rebounds, one shy of 13 Allie Blum 5-6 Fr. G her career high. Guard Anna Ackerman added 10 points and a career high-tying six 15 Rachel Kelley 5-5 Jr. G rebounds. Forward Addi Jones tallied eight points and five rebounds. 24 Koryn Marshall 5-7 Fr. G/F • The Dragons’ defense forced 12 steals and 24 turnovers in the victory over Anderson. 32 Addi Jones 5-6 Sr. G/F It was the third-highest turnover total forced, behind 27 forced against both New Castle 34 Grace Marshall 5-8 Jr. G/F 50 Whitney Miller 5-7 Sr. G/F and Southport. 54 Khloe Patterson 5-8 So. G/F • Jones committed to play college basketball at Bethel University this week. She finished Head coach: Sarah Gizzi the regular season with back-to-back double-doubles, her third and fourth of the year. Varsity assistants: Bruce Haynes, Nancy • Isabella Gizzi’s 31 points against Anderson were the most scored by a Dragon since Workman Bethany Murrell scored 33 against Lawrence Central Jan. 26, 2011. The school record JV coach: Bruce Torgersen is 36 points, set by NPHS head coach Sarah (Haynes) Gizzi in 1993-94. On Jan. 23 against Cathedral, Gizzi tallied 27 points, becoming the first Dragon to score 25 points HHC STANDINGS in a game since Raegan McMurray Jan. 11, 2017. Conf GB Over. • In the last seven games, Gizzi is averaging 22.4 ppg and is shooting 64 percent from Mt. Vernon 7-0 -- 16-5 the floor. She tallied 20 or more points in five straight contests from Jan. 12-26. New Palestine 6-1 1 14-9 Pendleton Hts. 5-2 2 11-11 • The Dragons went 6-1 in the HHC this season. They are 24-4 in conference play in Yorktown 4-3 3 15-5 Coach Gizzi’s four seasons at the helm. NP won the conference title in 2020 and has Greenfield-C. 3-4 4 5-13 finished second in 2019 and 2021. Shelbyville 2-5 5 8-15 • NP has posted its sixth consecutive winning season. It’s the second longest such New Castle 1-6 6 1-16 streak in school history. The Dragons posted eight straight winning seasons from Delta 0-7 7 5-16 1991-99 under the tutelage of head coach Allen Cooper, who is now the school’s SECTIONAL SCHEDULE athletic director. Class 4A at Muncie Central • Gizzi leads the Dragons with a 14.3 ppg scoring average. Jones tallies 8.0 ppg and 7.7 Tuesday, Feb. 2 rpg, while Ackerman averages 8.4 ppg. Mt. Vernon 36, Pendleton Hts. 32 SCOUTING THE WEEKEND FOES New Palestine 59, Anderson 55 • Muncie Central (6-11) is led by junior Jasi Scaife, who avearges 15.3 points and 13.1 Friday, Feb. 5 6 p.m.: Richmond vs. Mt. Vernon rebounds a game. Senior Sayla McIntosh adds 10.3 ppg. The Bearcats enter the sec- 8 p.m.: Muncie C. vs. New Palestine tional having dropped two straight. They are 1-2 against HHC teams this year. Saturday, Feb. 6 • Mt. Vernon (16-5) beat Pendleton Heights 36-32 Tuesday. MV is led by senior Lexi 7:30 p.m.: Championship Shelton (15.0 ppg). MV enters the weekend with a nine-game winning streak. Winner advances to Decatur Central • Richmond drew a bye enters the season with an 8-5 mark. Junior Jakaia Lotz (10.9 regional Feb. 13 (11:30 a.m. semifinal vs. ppg) leads Richmond, which has played just three games since New Year’s Day, Ben Davis sectional winner) winning two. DRAGONS GIRLS BASKETBALL | 2021 MUNCIE CENTRAL SECTIONAL RECORD WHEN 2020-21 RESULTS Home games 6-4 Date Opponent Score Points Rebounds Assists Road games 6-4 Nov. 11 GREENWOOD W 44-28 Gizzi 16 Jones 16 Jones 4 Neutral sites 2-1 Nov. 14 SOUTHPORT W 61-24 Ackerman 16 Gizzi/Jones 7 G.Marshall 3 Nov. 21 at Lawrence North L 38-62 Ackerman 9 G.Marshall 7 Kelley 1 vs. 4A schools 8-8 Nov. 24 RUSHVILLE L 42-48 Gizzi 13 Jones 6 3 with 2 vs. 3A schools 5-1 Nov. 28 WHITELAND W 53-47 G.Marshall 12 G.Marshall 7 Jones 5 vs. 2A schools 1-0 vs. ranked teams 1-1 Dec. 1 NEW CASTLE* W 78-38 Gizzi 18 Jones 8 Gizzi 5 Dec. 5 at Delta* W 46-29 Gizzi 13 Gizzi 8 A.Miller/Jones 2 vs. HHC teams 6-1 Dec. 8 at Shelbyville* W 48-41 Gizzi 13 Gizzi 8 Hensel 3 vs. non-conference 8-8 Dec. 10 at Greenfield-C.* W 47-28 Kelley 11 Jones 12 Jones 6 Conference Indiana 2-0 Dec. 17 at Franklin Central L 41-48 Gizzi 16 Jones 11 Gizzi/G.Marshall 2 Eastern Indiana 0-1 Dec. 19 at Mt. Vernon* L 29-43 Ackerman 11 Jones 8 3 with 1 Hoosier Crossroads 0-3 Dec. 30 vs. Noblesville% L 55-70 Gizzi 13 Jones 8 Jones 5 Indiana Crossroads 2-0 Dec. 30 vs. Southport% W 54-45 Gizzi 16 K.Marshall/Jones 6 Gizzi 3 Metropolitan 0-3 Jan. 2 YORKTOWN* W 62-45 Ackerman 18 Jones 7 G.Marshall 5 Mid-State 3-0 Jan. 6 WARREN CENTRAL L 37-49 Jones 13 Jones 9 Gizzi 4 North Central 1-0 Jan. 9 at Hamilton SE L 27-55 Ackrmn/K.Mrshll 7 K.Marshall 4 G.Marshall 2 Independents 0-1 Jan. 12 at Triton Central otW 46-43 Gizzi 20 Jones 9 Gizzi 6 Jan. 14 at Pendleton Hts.* W 57-54 Gizzi 23 G.Marshall 8 Jones 5 Tuesday 5-2 Jan. 19 at Beech Grove W 71-34 Gizzi 25 Jones 7 A.Miller 4 Wednesday 2-2 Jan. 23 CATHEDRAL L 67-74 Gizzi 27 Jones 5 Ackerman 4 Thursday 3-1 Jan. 26 LAWRENCE CENTRAL L 47-58 Gizzi 20 Jones 12 Jones 5 Saturday 4-4 Jan. 28 RITTER W 48-37 Jones 13 Jones 12 Gizzi 5 IHSAA sectional at Muncie Central November 3-2 Feb. 2 vs. Anderson W 59-55 Gizzi 31 Gizzi 9 Jones 3 December 5-3 January 5-4 Feb. 5 vs. Muncie Central 8 p.m. February 1-0 Feb. 6 vs. MV/Richmond 7:30 p.m.