Dragons finish 2-1 in Thanksgiving Classic
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 26, 2025
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.
Purdy and Mitchell combine for 58 in win over Chattahoochee
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 25, 2025
Jasper, Ga — After picking up a big win on Saturday, the Pickens Dragons were looking to build off of that win on Monday, November 24th as they took on the Cougars of Chattahoochee in the second day of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Earlier boys action saw Darlington defeat Whitefield Academy. In what was a back and forth game, the Dragons, came away with a 73-62 win.
DJ Mitchell, would get the scoring started as he hit a three to give the Dragons the early advantage. After a bucket by Josh Coleman, McCord Purdy, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 8-2 Dragons. The Cougars, would respond with a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 11-8. Purdy and Jonah Jordan, would combine to go on a 7-0 run to make it 15-11 Dragons.
After Austin Lavretta split a pair of free throws, Mitchell, would hit his second three of the quarter to make it 18-12. A late three by Gilbert Campbell, would cut the Dragons lead to 18-15 heading to the second quarter.
Both the Dragons and Cougars traded baskets to begin the second quarter. Purdy and Mitchell, would then combine to go on a 5-0 run to give the Dragons a 27-19 lead. After a 4-0 run by the Cougars, Jordan, would get a bucket to go to make it 29-23. Campbell, much like he did to end the first quarter, ended the first half with a three to cut the Dragons lead to 29-26 heading into the break.
A basket by Purdy, would get things going in the second half. The Cougars, would then go on a 5-0 run, to tie the game up at 31. Mitchell, would hit four straight free throws to give the Dragons a 35-31 lead. After Lucas Gould hit a pair of free throws, Campbell, would hit another three to give the Cougars a 36-35 lead. Purdy, Mitchell, and Hayden Jones would then combine to go on an 11-0 run to give the Dragons a 46-36 lead.
Jackson Nunes, would end the run by completing an and-1 play and cutting the lead down to eight. After a pair of free throws by Purdy, Nunes, would split a pair of free throws as the Dragons took a 48-40 lead into the fourth.
Nunes, would start the scoring on the fourth quarter by completing his second and-1 play to cut the lead down to five. A basket by Coleman, would trim the lead down to three. After Jones and Coleman traded buckets, Mitchell, would hit a pair of free throws to make it 52-47. A basket by Nunes, would once again make it a three point game. Purdy and Nunes, would then trade three point makes as the Dragons led it, 55-52.
Purdy and Jones, would then combine to go on a 7-0 run to stretch the lead out to 62-52. A three by Nunes, would put an end to the run and make it a seven point game. After a pair of free throws by Purdy, Nunes, would score on a layup to make it 64-57. A three by Mitchell, would once again give the Dragons a ten point lead.
A lay in by Purdy, would give the Dragons their largest lead of the night at 12. A bucket by Jowan Martinez, would cut the lead back to 10. A pair of free throws by Purdy, would push the lead back to 12. After Martinez split a pair of free throws, Purdy, would cash in on both of his to make it 73-60. A late pair of free throws by Nunes, would make it 73-62. The Dragons, win this one, 73-62.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 34 points
DJ Mitchell: 24 points
Hayden Jones: 8 points
Jonah Jordan: 7 points
The Dragons, will be back on the floor on Tuesday, November 25th as they battle the Darlington Tigers in the third and final day of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Both teams are 2-0 heading into this final game and will be looking for an outright win. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.