For the Daily Journal
Agony and ecstasy best described the New Palestine-Indian Creek girls basketball game Monday night.
It was agony for the Dragons and ecstasy for the host Braves, who pulled off an upset with an impressive 51-46 victory.
This was the Dragons’ third loss in their past six games, and it was perhaps their most devastating of the season. At the same time, this was one of the Braves’ biggest wins.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
Adding to the big night for Indian Creek was senior Addie Rund, who not only scored a game-high 25 points but also became the seventh Indian Creek girls basketball player to score 1,000 points in her career.
“I’m excited; this was a big win for us,” said Indian Creek’s first-year coach Brian Ferris. “(New Palestine) is a good team. They have quickness, balance, and they are big, so for us this was a great night.”
For both teams, the second quarter likely led to the outcome.
During that period, New Palestine went 0 for 6 from the field and only scored eight points, all from the free throw line.
“We had some bad shots,” New Palestine coach Sarah Gizzi said. “We took some extremely poor shots and we didn’t play strong.
“This loss bothers me.”
Injuries have plagued the Dragons as of late — Gizzi dressed only nine players for the game — but the coach was not making any excuses about the injuries.
“We worked hard at practice, but we just laid an egg,” Gizzi said. “But I thought (Indian Creek) played well and they shot well.”
The start of the game was kind of an omen for New Palestine (12-4) as it started slow, missing its first four shots of the game.
The Dragons did recover and had a first-quarter stretch where they hit baskets and held a 16-9 lead, but then they went cold in the second and for the first two minutes of the third quarter.
At least part of that was due to Indian Creek’s man-to-man defense.
Meanwhile, the Braves (11-8) put together a 17-point second quarter to lead 26-24 at halftime. New Palestine tied the game at the end of the third at 37-all before the Braves took over the fourth quarter.
In addition to Rund’s big night, teammate Katie Burkman added 12 points.
Leading the Dragons was junior Leah Seib with 12 points. Haley Harrison and Katelyn Herron added 11 each.
Gizzi hopes this is the only bad game for the Dragons this week. Next up is Pendleton Heights on Friday in a game that will likely be for the Hoosier Heritage Conference championship.
Roncalli is up next for Indian Creek on Thursday night in another nonconference tilt. The Braves then have a week off prior to their Western Indiana Conference playoff game Jan. 19.
