The Beech Grove Hornets will challenge the New Palestine Dragons at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Beech Grove has given up an average of 58.9 points per game this season, so hopefully the team got some defensive drills in this week.
Beech Grove is headed into Friday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Friday. They had to suffer through a 68-37 loss at the hands of Whiteland. While losing is never fun, the Hornets can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Indiana basketball rankings (they are ranked 231st, while the Warriors are ranked 78th).
Beech Grove's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Bishop Moore, who shot 45% from the field to rack up 14 points and four blocks, and BJ Mastin, who posted nine points. That's the most points Mastin has posted since back in December of 2024.
Meanwhile, two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only New Palestine walked away with it. They blew past the Lions 75-31 on Tuesday. The Dragons have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 11 matches by 20 points or more this season.
New Palestine's win came from a few key players Beech Grove will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Julius Gizzi, who went 8-for-16 en route to 20 points in addition to five boards and four steals. The contest was his 27th in a row with at least 15 points. Another player making a difference was Moses Haynes, who earned 11 points along with seven assists and five steals.
New Palestine has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 15 of their last 16 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 22-3 record this season. Beech Grove's loss dropped their record down to 8-16.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Beech Grove has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 24.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like New Palestine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 24.6 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Beech Grove against New Palestine in their previous matchup back in November of 2020, as the team secured an 82-55 victory. Does Beech Grove have another victory up their sleeve, or will New Palestine turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
