Dragons finish 2-1 in Thanksgiving Classic

Jasper, Ga — It was championship Tuesday on November 25th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Darlington Tigers on the final day of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Both teams came into the game having won both of their previous games in the round robin format. The Tigers, would use a big second half to pull away for the win, 73-49.

 

Darlington, would jump out to an early lead in the first quarter as Brent Bell, Christian Teasley, and Cam Selig would combine to go on a 6-0 run. A three by Jonah Jordan, would end the run and cut the lead in half. After a pair of free throws by Selig, McCord Purdy, would make his first basket of the game to cut the lead back to 3. A three by Teasley, would push the lead back up to 6 for the Tigers.

Jordan and Purdy, would then combine to go on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 11. After a bucket by Joseph Ogunyemi, Purdy, would tie the game back up with a pair of free throws. A 5-0 run by Ogunyemi and Bell, would close out the first quarter and give the Tigers an 18-13 lead heading to the second.

 

A basket by Mitchell Raughton, would extend the Darlington lead to 7 to start the second quarter. Back to back threes from Hayden Jones and DJ Mitchell, would cut the lead down to 1. After a lay-in by Ogunyemi, Purdy, would split a pair of free throws as the Tigers led it, 22-19. The two teams would trade baskets for the rest of the half as the Tigers took a 28-25 lead into the break.

 

Darlington, would begin the second half by going on a 5-0 run to make it 33-25. Jordan, would end the run with a three to make it 33-28. After back to back baskets by the Tigers, Mitchell, would hit a three to make it 37-31. A 5-0 run by Darlington, would extend the lead to 42-31. Mitchell, would hit his second three of the quarter to cut the lead to 8. Mitchell, would end another 5-0 run by the Tigers as he would make all three free throws after being fouled on a shot attempt.

Back to back threes by Jordan Wilkerson, would put Darlington up 53-37. Purdy, would end the scoring in the third with a pair of free throws as the Tigers led the Dragons going to the fourth, 53-39.

 

Mitchell, would hit a three to begin the fourth to cut the lead to 11. A 10-0 run by the Tigers, would stretch their lead out to 63-42. Jordan, would end the run after he split a pair of free throws. An 8-0 run by Darlington, would make it 71-43. Sawyer Purdy, would then make a pair of free throws. After a basket by the Tigers, Zade Waller and Landon Rice, would get back to back buckets to end the game as the Tigers took this one, 73-49.

 

Scoring leaders for the Dragons:

DJ Mitchell: 15 points (All-Tournament Team)

McCord Purdy: 15 points (All-Tournament Team)

Jonah Jordan: 8 points

Hayden Jones: 5 points

Sawyer Purdy: 2 points

Landon Rice: 2 points

Zade Waller: 2 points

 

The Dragons, will get to work off their Thanksgiving meals as they travel to take on the Banks County Leopards on Friday, November 28th. The game will be played at Truett McConnel University in Cleveland, Ga. Tip off is set for 8:30 pm.