Indians Scalp Dragons, Barely

To say that the Pickens County Dragons, and the Lumpkin County Indians, held a defensive duel would be a colossal understatement. The two teams’ total combined point amount was 71, with the visiting Indians edging their hosts 37-34.Both teams approached the game with a defensive man to man mindset that made it difficult for the opponent to score. The Indians scored the game’s first bucket, fittingly off a break away steal. The momentum continued with neither team able to make many shots because of the persistent defense of the other. Lumpkin County took a 8-6 lead into the second quarter.

The Indians were able to establish an 18-7 lead in the second quarter as they went on a 10-1 run. Chris Leicht, of Pickens County, finally stopped the bleeding with a field goal scored with just over two minutes left in the second quarter. The Indians held an 18-9 advantage at half-time.

The Dragons continued the defensive pressure in the second half, which enabled them to mount a comeback. After outscoring the Indians 8-3 in the third the home team entered the fourth quarter down by four, 21-17.

Nearly two minutes passed in the final quarter before either team scored. Hoya, Hunter Polk, broke the scoring drought with two free throws to increase the visitors’ lead to six. The Indians eventually pushed the lead up to a 27-18 advantage before Spencer Jones got two of his 11 points from the charity stripe, to pull within seven.

The Dragons’ fate seemed sealed when the Hoyas’ Taylor Guthrie stole an in-bounds pass and a clear path to the basket, but he missed the dunk and the Dragons’ Austin Murphy was fouled on the defensive rebound. After missing the second of a one and one opportunity the home team was down three, 33-30.

The two teams traded free throw makes and misses before Guthrie hit a driving lay up and free throw with 9.8 left that gave the visitors the final lead of the game.