“Nettes” Nab First Place Finish in Three Way Tie

The Pickens High School Dragonettes and Dragons basketball teams participated in the annual ETC TV3 Tip-Off Tournament played at Gilmer High School this year. The round robin tournament featured teams from Fannin County, Copper Basin and, Gilmer High School, the host school. The Dragonettes finished in a three way tie for first. Despite a near double double from Sarah Smith, 11 points and nine rebounds, and 15 points from Danielle Goss, the Dragonettes fell 49-46 to the Lady Bobcats of Gilmer, in the last girls’ game of the tournament.

The game was a back and fourth battle throughout, as neither team was able to wrestle full control from the other. The first quarter ended with both teams tied at 14 a piece.

The Dragonettes caught fire in the second quarter, as Pickens picked up a 23-19 lead with just a few seconds left in the half. However, a buzzer beating three from Gilmer’s Brittany Lowman cut the lead to one, 23-22, at half-time.

The third quarter saw the Dragonettes’ fire dwindle some, as the Bobcats took the lead going into the fourth, 37-33.

Pickens pulled to several ties in the fourth, but the “Nettes” never nabbed the lead. A Goss jumper with 29.1 left in the game made the score 47-46, with Gilmer leading.

With six seconds left in the game, a steal by Jade Green, followed by her making a free throw and Lowman’s block of a last second shot attempt by Smith clutched a “Cats’” victory and forced a three way tie for first place.

Kadie Mullinax, Danielle Goss, and Sarah Smith were named to the All Tournament team.

The Dragons faced the first place finishing Bobcats for the last game of the tournament. Pickens fell in a hard fought 59-54 victory for Gilmer, despite a double double from Tyjah Howell, 12 points and 12 rebounds, and 21 points from Shannon Brooks, who also had six rebounds.

The Dragons lacked fire early, as Gilmer built up a 7-0 lead before Brooks broke the scoring drought. Brooks’ bucket ignited a 9-5 Dragons’ run that saw Pickens entered the second quarter down 12-9.

The second quarter saw the Dragons take the lead briefly before ending with both teams tied at half time, 25-25.

The Dragons’ offense got cold in the third as Pickens was outscored 18-8 in the quarter.

Despite outscoring the Bobcats 21-15 in the fourth, the Dragons could not climb out of the hole Pickens buried itself in the third. Pickens closed the gap but could not pull off the come from behind victory, and fell 59-54.

After the game Brooks and Howell were named to the All Tournament team.