Nettes season ends in Final Four

Douglasville, Ga — For the second time since 2022, the Pickens Dragonettes, found themselves one game away from the state championship game on Saturday, March 7th. To do that, they would have to go through an old region foe in the Heritage Lady Generals. The Nettes, were coming off a big upset of Jenkins in the Elite 8, while the Lady Generals, held off Oconee County. The Lady Generals, would come away with the win, 46-35.

 

The Nettes, started off fast as Darbi Stanley would hit a three, and Reagan Ludington would get a layup to go and also make a pair of free throws to give the Nettes a 7-0 lead. The Lady Generals, would get on the board after a pair of free throws by Paisley Collins. Ludington, would get a point back after splitting a pair of free throws to make it 8-2. The Lady Generals, would then go on a run to close out the first quarter.

Collins, Tori Epps, and Ansley Lawson, would combine to go on a 7-0 run to end the first quarter as the Lady Generals would take a 9-8 lead heading to the second.

 

Stanley, would give the Nettes an 11-9 lead to start the second quarter after her second three pointer of the game. A bucket by Bailee Hollis, would tie the game at 11. Back to back threes by Epps and Lawson, would make it 17-11. Tania Rivera, would collect an offensive rebound and get the put back to make it 17-13. A late basket by Epps, would give the Lady Generals a 19-13 lead over the Nettes at the half.

 

A layup by Ema Tanner, would open up the second half and stretch the lead to 21-13. A three by Stanley, would cut the lead to 21-16. After another bucket by Tanner, back to back layups by Skyler Lathem and Rivera, would cut the lead to 23-20. Collins and Epps, would then hit back to back threes for the Lady Generals to make it 29-20. Ellison Steinhauer, would split a pair of free throws to make it 29-21.

Back to back buckets by Epps and Sunshine Davenport, would give the Lady Generals a 33-21 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

 

Steinhauer, would make back to back baskets to start the fourth quarter as the Nettes would cut the lead down to 8. A three by Epps and a bucket by Tanner, would stretch the lead out to 38-25. A layup by Steinhauer and a three by Rivera, would once again trim the lead down to 8. Back to back layups by Epps and Collins, would make it 42-30. After Steinhauer split a pair of free throws, Tanner, would make a pair to give the Lady Generals a 44-31 lead.

A basket by Steinhauer, would make it 44-33. After Epps split a pair of free throws, Steinhauer, would get another bucket to go to make it 45-35. Tanner, would split a pair of free throws to make it a final score of 46-35.

 

Scoring leaders for the Nettes:

Ellison Steinhauer: 12 points

Darbi Stanley: 9 points

Tania Rivera: 7 points

Reagan Ludington: 5 points

Skyler Lathem: 2 points

 

The Nettes, will have the majority of their core coming back next season. They will be back in a familiar region as they will be back in region 6-AAAA next year with the same group of schools Chestatee, Dawson, North Hall, and White County. GAC and Johnson-Gainesville will depart and Gilmer will come back to the same region as Pickens for the first time in several years. It should make for another exciting year of Nettes basketball.