Monday wrapup: Dragon girls fall to PH

Girls basketball

Pendleton Heights 60, New Palestine 31: The Dragons dropped a 60-31 decision to Pendleton Heights on Monday evening in the final Hoosier Heritage Conference game of the 2012-13 season.

NP played largely even with the Arabians for three of the four quarters, but PH used a 20-4 second quarter to turn a 13-8 first-quarter edge into a 33-12 halftime lead. PH outscored NP 15-10 in the third to take a 48-22 lead after three, and then outscored the Dragons 12-9 in the fourth.

Freshman Haley Stratman led the Dragons with 12 points and five rebounds. She hit four 3-pointers, including a pair of early triples, to lead NP in scoring. Natalie Kehrt added eight points. Adie Lorsung and Gia Nitschke had four each.

NP shot 6-of-11 from 3-point range in the game.

Stratman and Katlyn Keele led the Dragons with five rebounds each. Emma Laughlin had three assists. Carly Hackler had four rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

PH had three players in double figures, led by guard Tiffany Wertz, who was 12-of-12 from the line and scored 14 points. University of Evansville signee Kenzie Gustin had 13 points, and Kiawna Cottrell added 10. Gustin and Meghan Dawson had seven boards each, as the two teams each had 27 rebounds.

The Arabians did a lot of their damage from the line. They shot 23-of-26 from the stripe, drawing 20 fouls on the Dragons, while NP was just 5-for-8 and drew 10 fouls on PH. 

NP (3-16, 1-6 HHC) concludes its regular season Wednesday at home against Connersville. PH (13-8, 4-3 HHC) finished its regular season and will open sectional play Feb. 5 at Greenfield-Central against Connersville.