Sectional semifinals

While there were two top-five teams at the New Palestine sectional, it still appeared to be a balanced field.

Has it ever been.

Three games -- all barnburners -- and both of the sectional's top-five teams are out, along with some great individual performances.

New Palestine and Shelbyville survived Friday's action in two high-scoring games, and will play for the sectional championship. Join Andrew & Chris at 7:05 p.m. Saturday night from the Dragons' lair.
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In tonight's action, the Dragons fell behind early, but led for the final three quarters in a 77-74 victory over Hamilton Heights. NP trailed for the entire first quarter, but took the lead at 19-17 when Josh Penley hit a 3-pointer at the start of the second quarter. From there, NP never trailed, as Penley scored a career-high 30 points. NP went nuts from the field in the second, hitting 7 3-pointers -- including three from Taylor Rainey and two each from Penley and Solomon Haynes -- and that allowed the Dragons to spread out a lead. It jumped as high as 13 early in the third before Austin Etherington and Seth Small tried to bring HH back. Etherington scored 27 points for the Huskies, and Small scored 12 in the second half, but it wasn't enough. NP was able to hold on at the end, with Brandon Collins plucking Etherington's 3-pointer out of the corner out of the air at the buzzer. Penley (30), Rainey (11), Collins (10) and Haynes (10) all scored in double-figures for the Dragons.

In the second game, Shelbyville led early, but Mt. Vernon bounced back in the second quarter led by freshman guard C.J. Coleman, who had 14 of his 24 points in the first half. However, the Marauders' Quinn Williams put forth a performance for the ages in the second half. He scored 24 points in the fourth quarter -- 31 in the second half and 38 in the game -- to try to lead the Marauders back. Many were shots with hands in his face, drives and more. MV scored 35 fourth-quarter points. However, the Golden Bears had too much shooting. Shelby hit 11 3-pointers in the game, with John Hartnett hitting three big triples in the third to help turn a one-point Marauder halftime edge into an 11-point lead. MV kept coming back, but Shelbyville always had an answer. In the fourth, Ben Kramer scored 10 of his team-high 24 points -- including two key three-point plays -- and point guard Patrick Ellis poured in several of his 19 -- to hold the Marauders at bay. MV only had one possession with a chance to tie in the fourth quarter, but Ellis forced a steal and the Bears iced it from the line. Williams made certain his final quarter of high school basketball would be one of his best.

Also tonight, Eastern Hancock saw its stellar season end with an 18-4 record, as the Royals fell to Centerville 73-58. EH trailed 27-20 at halftime and 43-32 at the end of three. EH scored 25 points in the final quarter, but couldn't scale the mountain and complete the comeback. Dustin Smith will graduate as EH's career scoring leader, and a tremendous class of Smith, Zach Kissick, Steven Stunda and Austin Lee will graduate.

Two other HHC teams were in action tonight, and both won. Pendleton Heights beat Connersville 29-25 at New Castle. The Arabians will face Richmond -- a 61-43 winner over host New Castle -- in the sectional championship game. Delta will also be playing for a title at the Muncie Fieldhouse. The Eagles beat Blackford 52-40, and will face Eastbrook in the championship game.