NEW PALESTINE — The Pendleton Heights boys basketball team embraces a “we are one” mentality every time it takes the court, and on Friday night, the Arabians came out unified for their coach.
Competing against Hoosier Heritage Conference rival New Palestine on the Dragons’ annual Coaches vs. Cancer night, the Arabians weren’t just playing to win.
They wanted to honor assistant coach Pete Gorga, who is battling leukemia.
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Through the first eight minutes, they played inspired basketball, hitting 6 of 8 from 3-point range to take a 24-11 lead, but the Dragons responded to ultimately pull out the victory, 76-61, behind a career night from Dawson Eastes.
“It was a special night, Coaches vs. Cancer, and we have a coach that has cancer, and our kids really rallied behind him. I think they came out motivated to play as hard as they could for him,” Pendleton Heights head coach Kevin Bates said. “Both teams just came out hot, and we tried to settle in, and once we settled in, their physicality really took over after the first quarter.”
Jamison Dunham converted his first three shots from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers en route to team-high 19 points.
Davrick Black added three 3s in the first quarter to finish with 16 points, and Tristan Ross drained another 3-pointer in the first for 15 points by the final buzzer.
“Both teams were jacked in a great atmosphere. The result, really, as a fan — what a great first quarter,” Bates said. “We played hard. I told them I was proud of them, but we physically got beat. The physicality of New Pal just hurt us.”
Eastes provided the push New Palestine (4-9, 3-1 HHC) needed to overtake the Arabians (5-7, 1-1 HHC) with a career-high 31 points and nine rebounds.
The Hanover College recruit shot 12 of 15 from the field and was 5 of 8 from the free-throw line as New Palestine turned a 13-point deficit into a 15-point win.
But, for the first 16 minutes, the Arabians were on a mission.
Pendleton Heights put together a 24-point first quarter with 7-point lead entering the second. New Palestine charged back in the second quarter to take a 35-31 halftime lead before a 12-2 run in the third cushioned their margin to 10 points.
Eastes had 16 points by halftime, while the Dragons’ all-time career leading scorer Maximus Gizzi added 24 points for the game followed by 10 from Eric Roudebush.
“I told our kids this would be the most physical team we’d play to date, and New Pal proved that tonight,” Bates said. “You have to give them credit. They had a good game plan. Eastes seemed like he was everywhere tonight. Seemed like he got every rebound, scored every basket at the corner of the board, made a couple of 3s. He was phenomenal. And Gizzi is Gizzi. He’s the leading scorer for a reason.”
The Arabians cut the deficit 43-38 midway through the third quarter, and a Ross 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left in the frame brought them to within 4 points, 45-41, but the Dragons surged ahead behind a 10-3 run in the fourth.
“That’s a really good basketball team. You have to throw out their record,” Bates said. “I think they play the 12th-ranked schedule in the state, and I told our kids that. So I tip my hat to them.”
While unable to win for their coach, the Arabians’ effort during their second-straight loss echoed their admiration for one of their favorite mentors.
“He goes through these treatments, and yesterday he went through a seven-hour treatment and then he came and sat on the bench for the JV game and was really sick by halftime,” Bates said. “He had to go back today, and the same thing, but he makes every game. He’s had it for a couple of years. He’s a war vet. He’s the toughest individual I’ve ever been around. The kids love him.”