Dragons fall to Bobcats in physical rivalry game
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 16, 2022
Jasper, Ga — After the girls game, it was time for the Dragons and Bobcats to take the floor. The Dragons, were coming off of a 64-51 win over Southeast Whitfield on the road to run their win streak to 5 games in a row. The Bobcats, came into the game having won a tough back and forth game with West Hall on the road, 54-51. Gilmer, won the first two meetings of the season against Pickens by scores of 60-53, and 66-56. Pickens, got on the board with a 59-46 win last month. After much back and forth and very physical play from both sides, the Bobcats came away with a 53-46 win.
To open the ball game, the Bobcats got on the board first with a bucket to give themselves a 2-0 lead. Jaden Stewart answered for the Dragons with a three pointer to make it 3-2. After a bucket by Gilmer, Pickens went on a 5-0 run as Luke Rogers made a bucket and Collin Kellogg hit a three to make it 8-5. After a Bobcat bucket made it 8-7, the Dragons went on a 7-0 run with 5 of those 7 points coming from Kellogg to make it 15-7. Gilmer would then go 1 for 2 from the free throw line to make it 15-8. Marcus Pike hit a shot to give Pickens a 17-8 lead going to the second quarter.
Dragons on offense
Just like the first quarter, the second quarter began with a bucket by Cade Carter of the Bobcats. Caleb Keith quickly answered with a bucket of his own to make it 19-10 Dragons. After a pair of free throws from Gilmer, Rogers made a bucket to again keep the Pickens lead at 9. A free throw make and a bucket by the Bobcats cut the lead down to 21-15. A pair of free throws from Chanler Dunn made it 23-15 Dragons. Gilmer, would then close the first half on an 8-0 run to tie this game up at 23 heading to the break.
Dragons on defense in the second quarter
To start the second half, Gilmer again put the first points on the board as they hit a three pointer to make it 26-23. Caleb Bryant would then hit a pair of free throws and Rogers made a bucket to give the Dragons a 27-26 lead. After a bucket and an and-one conversion by the Bobcats, Rogers made another bucket to tie it up at 29. After a three pointer gave Gilmer the lead back, Rogers hit another shot to cut it to 32-31. An Ethan Banks bucket made it 34-31. Rogers, continued his scoring surge in the third as he again made another bucket to make it 34-33. A 4-0 run from the Bobcats to close out the third made it 38-33 going to the fourth.
Dragons with the ball in the second half
The scoring run from the third quarter carried over to the fourth quarter for Gilmer as they opened with a three pointer to make it 41-33. Keith then answered with a three to make it 41-36. After a bucket by the Bobcats, Kadyn Hampton made two free throws to make it 43-38. A Mark Tyson bucket made it 45-38. Hampton, got the hoop and the harm as he would complete the three point play to make it 45-41. After a free throw from Banks, Kellogg hit a three pointer to make it 46-44. From then on it would become a free throw game as the Bobcats scored 5 of their last 7 points from the charity stripe, while the Dragons could only manage a late Stewart bucket in the late stages of this one. The final in this one, 53-46 Gilmer.
Leading Scorers For Gilmer:
Ethan Banks: 17 points
Mark Tyson: 13 points
Lewis Mulkey: 6 points
Will Kiker: 6 points
Christian Somner: 6 points
Leading Scorers For Pickens:
Luke Rogers: 14 points
Collin Kellogg: 11 points
Jaden Stewart: 5 points
Caleb Keith: 5 points
Kadyn Hampton: 5 points
7-AAAA Boys Region Standings:
Central-Carroll: 11-5 (6-0)
Heritage: 8-7 (4-2)
Northwest Whitfield: 13-3 (3-3)
Cedartown: 5-8 (3-3)
Pickens: 9-10 (3-3)
Southeast Whitfield: 7-10 (2-4)
Ridgeland: 6-10 (0-6)
Weather permitting the Dragons will be back in action on Tuesday, January 18th as they host the Cedartown Bulldogs in a key 7-AAAA match up. As you can see from the standings above, both teams are tied for third in the region currently. Pickens holds a win over Northwest Whitfield, Northwest Whitfield holds a win over Cedartown, and Cedartown holds a win over Pickens. The Dragons will look to earn a season split with Cedartown after the Bulldogs survived after a late rally to beat Pickens 55-52 earlier this season. Tip off set for 7:30.
Dragons end 2021 with win over Bobcats
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 31, 2021
Jasper, Ga — What better way to close out 2021 than with some 515 rivalry action am I right? That’s what we got in Jasper on Thursday, December 30th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Gilmer Bobcats in the final day of the Pickens Holiday Tournament. For the Bobcats, they came into this game having fell to Creekview on Tuesday, and having beaten Lassiter on Wednesday. For the Dragons, they came into the game looking to end their 2021 on a high note after tough losses to Lassiter and Sonoraville on Tuesday and Wednesday. After jumping on them quickly in the first quarter, the Dragons came away with a big 59-46 win over the Bobcats.
In the first quarter, the Dragons used a good balance of defense and offense to jump out to a quick 12-6 lead. Pickens would then go on an 8-0 run getting three pointers from Jaden Stewart and Caleb Keith, as well as a bucket from Luke Rogers to make it 20-6. After a free throw make from the Bobcats’ Britt Taylor, Keith hit three to make it 23-7 Dragons going to the second quarter.
Dragons on offense late in the 1st
The second quarter started out with several runs as Rogers went on a 3-0 run to make it 26-7, then Luke Wimpey of Gilmer made three free throws to make it 26-10. After another Rogers free throw and an Isaiah Williams bucket, Pickens went up 29-10. The Bobcats then went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead down to 29-16. Stewart would then make a free throw and Collin Kellogg would hit a three pointer to make it 33-16. Gilmer closed out the first half on a 6-0 run to make it 33-22 Dragons going into the break.
Dragons defending the painted area
After getting the final bucket of the first half, Mark Tyson of Gilmer began the second half by getting a bucket and cutting the lead to 33-24. Stewart then countered with a three pointer to make it 36-24. Taylor, then made a bucket to make it 36-26. The Dragons then went on an 11-0 run as Stewart hit a three and two layups during the run. Kellogg and Rogers got the run started with a pair of buckets. After a three pointer from Wimpey, Keith and Stewart made back to back buckets to make it 51-29 Pickens going to the fourth.
Dragons looking for an open shot
Keith, continued his hot shooting as he opened up the fourth quarter with a three pointer to make it 54-29. Back to back three pointers from Christian Sumner and Ethan Banks cut the lead to 54-35. After a bucket by Rogers, Banks and Keith would trade three point field goals. The Bobcats ended the game on an 8-0 run, but the Dragons came away with the win, 59-46.
Leading Scorers For Gilmer:
Ethan Banks: 14 points
Britt Taylor: 6 points
Will Kiker: 6 points
Mark Tyson: 4 points
Leading Scorers For Pickens:
Luke Rogers: 19 points
Jaden Stewart: 16 points
Caleb Keith: 14 points
Collin Kellogg: 5 points
The Dragons finish the 2021 part of their schedule at 6-9. They will look to get on the board in region play on Tuesday, January 4th as they welcome the Ridgeland Panthers to the Dragons Den for a 7-AAAA match up. Tip off for that one is set for 7:30 pm.