Dragons season ends in Sweet 16
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 23, 2025
Albany, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, made the four hour trip down to Albany on Saturday, February 22nd to battle the Monroe Golden Tornadoes in a AAA Sweet 16 match up. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were the #10 seed, while the Golden Tornadoes, were a #7 seed. The Dragons, would take the lead in the fourth, but the Golden Tornadoes, would pull away late to pick up a 63-58 win.
Before the game even started, the Dragons, would be shooting free throws as the Golden Tornadoes were given a technical during warm ups. McCord Purdy, would split the free throws and the Dragons would start the game with the ball. The Golden Tornadoes, would start the game on a 9-0 run to make it 9-1. The Dragons, would counter with an 8-0 run as Parker and Dodge Davis, as well as Caleb Lanford, combined for the run to tie the game.
James Adams, would end the run with a layup to put the Golden Tornadoes up 11-9. A layup by Dodge Davis and a pair of free throws by Brock Barton, would put the Dragons up 13-11. After another layup by Adams tied it, Barton, would be fouled by Adams just as the buzzer sounded. Barton, would hit both free throws to put the Dragons ahead, 15-13 going to the second.
The second quarter, would not be kind to the team in green. The Golden Tornadoes, would retake the lead by starting off the quarter with a 7-0 run. Barton, would end the run with another pair of free throws to make it 20-17. After a basket by Chase Dixon and a free throw make by Lorenzo Still, Parker Davis, would cut the lead to 23-19 after a layup. The Golden Tornadoes, would end the first half on a 4-0 run as they led the Dragons, 27-19 at the break.
The Dragons, would begin the second half with a 4-0 run as Dodge Davis would make a pair of free throws, and Jamin Martin would connect on a little jumper in the lane to cut the lead to 27-23. After Still split a pair of free throws, Dodge Davis, would make both of his free throw shots to make it 28-25. Later on in the quarter, the Dragons, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 37-33.
The Golden Tornadoes, would counter with a 5-0 run of their own as they would stretch the lead to 42-33. Dodge Davis, would end the third quarter by getting the layup to go through contact. He would hit the free throw to cut the lead to 42-36 heading to the fourth.
Still, would start the fourth quarter with a layup to make it 44-36. After a pair of free throws by Dodge Davis, Still, would again score to make it 46-38. Dodge Davis, would again keep the Dragons within striking distance as he would make it 46-40. After a bucket by Irvin Ellis, Dodge Davis, Parker Davis and Brock Barton, would hit three straight three pointers to put the Dragons ahead, 49-48.
Ellis, would end the run and put the Golden Tornadoes back in front by one. Dodge Davis, would then put the Dragons back on top with a layup. After a basket by Brayden Burns, Dodge Davis and Lanford, would combine to go on a 5-0 run to put the Dragons on top, 56-52. Still, would cut the lead down to one after he completed an and-1 play. Barton, would put the Dragons up 58-55 after hitting a pair of free throws.
Burns, would tie the game at 58 after completing an and-1 play. The Golden Tornadoes, would then get a steal and Burns would be fouled attempting a dunk. The Dragons, had a couple of opportunities to tie the game, but they would not fall. Still, would put the game away as he would make 3 of 4 free throws to seal the 63-58 win for Monroe.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 27 points
Brock Barton: 11 points
Parker Davis: 7 points
Caleb Lanford: 6 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
Jamin Martin: 2 points
McCord Purdy: 2 points
Dragons finish regular season undefeated
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 8, 2025
Jasper, Ga — On Friday, February 7th, the Pickens Dragons, had a chance to do something no other Dragon team had done before them. Finish the regular season undefeated. They would accomplish that goal, if they defeated the Dawson Tigers. The Dragons, came into the game 24-0 overall and 13-0 in 6-AAA play. The Tigers, came into the game 8-16 overall and 5-8 in 6-AAA play. The Dragons, behind a big run to begin the game, picked up the win, 92-52.
The Dragons, would start off fast in the first quarter as they opened up the game with a 14-0 run. Dodge Davis, Brock Barton, Caleb Lanford, and Parker Davis all contributed to the run. After Mason Harvey split a pair of free throws, Dodge Davis, would hit a three to make it 17-1. Samuel Glover, would then go on a 5-0 run to make it 17-6. Lanford, would respond with a 5-0 run of his own to stretch the lead out to 22-6.
After both teams would trade baskets, Barton and Jamin Martin, would end the first quarter with a 7-0 run to make it 31-10 heading to the second quarter.
The Tigers, would begin the second quarter by going on a 7-0 run to cut the lead down to 31-17. Jack Ledbetter, Landon Lee, and Gunnar Weaver would combine for the run. The Dragons, would counter with their own 7-0 run as Martin, Lanford, and Aiden Mumaw would help stretch the lead out to 38-17. Ledbetter and Garrett Matthews, would then go on a short 4-0 run to make it 38-21.
The remainder of the first half saw the Tigers outscore the Dragons, 9-8 as Pickens would take a 46-30 lead into the break.
The Dragons, would start the second half by going on a mini 4-0 as McCord Purdy made a pair of free throws and Parker Davis would make a layup to give Pickens a 50-30 lead. After Cayson Chester split a pair of free throws, Dodge Davis and Purdy would make back to back baskets to make it 54-31. Later on in the quarter, the Dragons, would go on another 14-0 run to make it 70-35. A bucket by Jed Morris, would end the run and make it 70-37.
The Dragons, would close out the third quarter on a 7-2 run to make it 77-39 heading to the fourth quarter.
Dodge Davis, would open the fourth quarter with a three to make it 80-39. After Chester made a pair of free throws, the Dragons, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 85-41. After both teams traded 4-0 runs, the Tigers, would combine for a 7-0 run to make it 89-52. A late three by Brody Bryant, would give the Dragons a 92-52 lead. The Dragons, would run out the rest of the clock as they made history finishing the regular season 25-0.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Jamin Martin: 23 points
Dodge Davis: 18 points
Brock Barton: 13 points
McCord Purdy: 11 points
Caleb Lanford: 10 points
Parker Davis: 7 points
Brody Bryant: 3 points
DJ Mitchell: 3 points
Montego Morgan: 2 points
Aiden Mumaw: 2 points
6-AAA Boys Region Tournament Quarterfinal games:
#8 Johnson-Gainesville vs #1 Pickens
#7 Chestatee vs #2 GAC
#6 White County vs #3 Lumpkin
#5 Dawson vs #4 North Hall
The boys side of the 6-AAA Region Tournament will take place at Pickens High School next week starting on Wednesday, February 12th. The Pickens Dragons, will take on the Johnson-Gainesville Knights at 8:30 pm.
Dragons improve to 24-0 with win on Senior Night
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 5, 2025
Jasper, Ga — It was a night of celebration on Tueday, February 4th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Johnson Knights on Senior Night. Prior to the game, Seniors from swim, dance, cheer, and basketball were all recognized. The Dragons, had four Seniors honored in Brock Barton, Dodge and Parker Davis, and Caleb and Joshua Lanford. Caleb, was then presented with a commemorative basketball to celebrate surpassing 1,000 career points. As for the game, the Dragons, picked up the 94-29 win.
To the delight of the student section, Joshua Lanford got the start alongside the other Dragon Seniors. Parker Davis, would get the scoring started after splitting a pair of free throws. After a layup by Monty Young gave the Knights a 2-1 lead, the Dragons, would go on a 12-0 run to take a 13-2 lead. A three by Richard Silva, would cut the lead to 13-5. The Dragons, would close out the first quarter with an 11-0 run to make it 24-5 heading to the second.
Dodge Davis, would get the second quarter going with a bucket to make it 26-5. After a basket by Cruz Gobert, Jamin Martin and Parker Davis, would combine for a 5-0 run to stretch the lead out to 31-7. Gobert, would end the run with another bucket to make it 31-9. A 10-0 run by the Dragons, would stretch the lead out to 41-9. A three by Maddox Whitmire, would end the run and cut the lead to 41-12.
After Dodge Davis would make a pair of free throws, Jeremiah Gray, would get the lay up to go to make it 43-14. Parker Davis and DJ Mitchell, would end the first half with a 5-0 run as the Dragons led the Knights, 48-14 at the break.
Barton, would open the second half with a three to make it 51-14. Braydon Black, would then answer with a three on the other end. A 10-0 run by the Dragons would stretch the lead to 61-17. Whitmire, would then hit his second three of the game to put an end to the run. the Dragons, would close out the third quarter by going on a 14-0 run to make it 75-20 going to the fourth.
The Dragons, would continue the run from the end of the third quarter to begin the fourth as they scored the first 6 points of the frame. Young, would then split a pair of free throws and then hit a three to make it 81-24. Montego Morgan and Martin, would then make back to back threes to make it 87-24. After another three by Young, Mitchell, would hit his second three of the game to make it 90-27.
After a lay-in from Josh Smith, Morgan and Mitchell, would end the game on a 4-0 run as the Dragons came away with the win, 94-29.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 18 points
Parker Davis: 17 points
Jamin Martin: 12 points
Caleb Lanford: 10 points
Brock Barton: 9 points
McCord Purdy: 9 points
DJ Mitchell: 8 points
Sawyer Purdy: 6 points
Montego Morgan: 5 points
6-AAA Boys Basketball Standings:
Pickens: 24-0 (13-0) #1 seed
GAC: 18-6 (10-3) *tied #2 seed
Lumpkin: 16-8 (10-3) *tied #2 seed
North Hall: 14-10 (7-6) #4 seed
Dawson: 8-16 (5-8) #5 seed
White County: 5-19 (4-9) #6 seed
Chestatee: 4-20 (3-10) #7 seed
Johnson-Gainesville: 1-20 (0-13) #8 seed
With the final regular season games happening on Friday, February 7th, it appears the only thing left to figure out, is who will be the #2 and #3 seed in next week’s 6-AAA region tournament. Should GAC and Lumpkin win their games on Friday, it seems like some sort of tiebreaker will be needed as both teams split their season series, and both lost to Pickens. As for the Dragons, they will host the Dawson Tigers on Friday at 7:30 pm.
Dragons defeat Bulldogs at Longhorn 5-Star Classic
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 1, 2025
Milton, GA — The Pickens Dragons, were selected to take part in a showcase called the Longhorn 5-Star Classic on Saturday, February 1st. There were teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, and New York in this showcase. The Dragons, were paired up with fellow Georgia team, the North Gwinnett Bulldogs. The Dragons, came into the game with an overall record of 22-0. The Bulldogs, came into the game with a record of 6-17. The Dragons, had three score in double figures as they defeated the Bulldogs, 75-46.
Much like their game on Friday night, the Dragons started quickly after the opening tip as McCord Purdy found Dodge Davis for the three. It was the Davis brothers show early on as they would combine for the first 12 points of the game. Purdy, would join in with a layup to make it 14-0. Max Patterson, would put an end to the run with a layup to make it 14-2.
Brock Barton and Parker Davis, would then combine for a 5-0 run to make it 19-2. After Patterson split a pair of free throws, Caleb Lanford, would be on the receiving end of a nice pass from Purdy for the open layup to make it 21-3. A bucket by Patterson, would make it 21-5. The Dragons, would close the first quarter on a 5-0 run as they would lead the Bulldogs, 26-5 heading to the second quarter.
Parker Davis, would begin the second quarter with a basket to make it 28-5. A layup from Micah Jones, would cut the lead to 28-7. Lanford and Jones, would then trade three point buckets as the Dragons led it, 31-10. The Dragons, would then go on a 15-0 run including hitting three straight threes to stretch the lead out to 46-10. Joseph Young, would close out the first half scoring with a layup as the Dragons would go into the half with a 46-12 advantage.
Lanford and Purdy, would start the second half by making back to back baskets to make it 50-12. The Bulldogs, would then go on a 5-0 run as Young would make another layup, and Chauncey Davis Jr, would hit the teams first three to make it 50-17. After a layup by Parker Davis, the Bulldogs, would go on another 5-0 run as Patterson would make a layup and JJ Gallagher would hit a three to make it 52-22.
Jamin Martin, would get in on the action with a basket to make it 54-22. Patterson and Young, would then make back to back layups to cut the lead down to 54-26. Parker Davis, would then make back to back layups to stretch the lead back out to 58-26. Both teams, would trade buckets the rest of the third quarter as the Dragons led it, 61-28 heading to the fourth.
Jeremy Adeosun, would drive in for the layup to begin the fourth quarter scoring. After Parker Davis responded with a layup of his own, Adeosun, would split a pair of free throws to make it 63-31. Dodge Davis, would split a pair of free throws as well as the Dragons led it, 64-31. After Camron Milom made a layup, Aiden Mumaw would make a pair of free throws to give the Dragons a 66-33 lead.
Gallagher, would hit his second three of the game to make it 66-36. Mumaw, would then find an open Montego Morgan for the jumper to make it 68-36. That would start what would become a 7-0 run as the Dragons extended their lead to 73-36. The Bulldogs, would counter with a 10-0 run to make it 73-46. Martin, would get collect a late offensive rebound for the put back as the Dragons picked up the win, 75-46.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
Parker Davis: 24 points
Caleb Lanford: 16 points
Dodge Davis: 15 points
McCord Purdy: 7 points
Jamin Martin: 4 points
Aiden Mumaw: 4 points
Brock Barton: 3 points
Montego Morgan: 2 points
With the win, the Dragons improve to 23-0. They have two more regular season games left before the region tournament. First up, a match up against the Johnson-Gainesville Knights on Tuesday, February 4th. It will be Senior Night. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons clinch #1 seed in 6-AAA region tournament
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 1, 2025
Jasper, Ga — On the final day of January, the Pickens Dragons welcomed the White County Warriors to the Dragons Den for a 6-AAA contest. The Dragons, came into the game 21-0 overall and 11-0 in 6-AAA. The Warriors, came into the game at 5-17 overall and 4-7 in 6-AAA play. The Dragons, used a big first quarter to cruise to an 89-42 win.
The Dragons, got things going right after the tip as McCord Purdy, found Dodge Davis for the three to make it 3-0. That would help kickoff a 7-0 run for the Dragons as they took a 7-0 lead. Blayne Gunter, who recently returned for the Warriors, would put an end to the run and make it 7-2. The Dragons, would then go on a 10-0 run to stretch their lead out to 17-2. A basket by Dawson Oliver, would put an end to the run and make it 17-4.
Dodge Davis, would then get the layup to go through contact. He would make the free throw to make it 20-4. After a three by Cohen Michaud, Purdy and Brock Barton, would hit back to back threes to give the Dragons a 26-7 lead. The two teams would trade baskets to end the first quarter as the Dragons led it, 28-9.
A bucket by Barton, would start the scoring in the second quarter as he would make it 30-9. The Dragons, would then go on a free throw streak as Parker Davis and Jamin Martin, would go 6-6 to make it 36-9. A three by Michaud, would make it 36-12. After a layup by Caleb Lanford, Gunter, would go on a 5-0 run as he would hit a three and then complete an and-1 play to cut the lead down to 38-18.
A jumper from DJ Mitchell, would make it 40-18. A buzzer beater from Gunter, would make it 40-20 with Pickens ahead at the half.
Much like he did to begin the game, Dodge Davis, would start the second half off with a three to make it 43-20. Purdy, would follow that up with a layup to make it 45-20. A three by Tripp Nix, would get the Warriors on the board in the third. The Dragons, would then go on an 8-0 run to stretch the lead out to 53-23. A basket by Gunter, would put an end to the run and make it 53-25.
Lanford and Dodge Davis, would then hit back to back threes to make it 59-25. Michaud, would make a pair of free throws to make it 59-27. The Dragons, would then go on a 7-0 run to stretch the lead to 66-27. After a three by Gunter, Parker and Dodge Davis, would close out the third quarter with back to back baskets to make it 70-30 heading to the fourth.
Parker Davis and Lanford, would begin the fourth quarter by going on a 9-0 run to make it 79-30. After a bucket by Gunter, the Davis brothers, would make back to back baskets to stretch the lead to 83-32. Michaud and John Phillips, would then go on a 4-0 run to make it 83-36. Mitchell, would end the mini run with a three to make it 86-36. After Phillips split a pair of free throws, Oliver, would connect on a layup to make it 86-39.
Montego Morgan, would get in on the scoring action with a three to make it 89-39. A late three by Tyler Franklin, would make it 89-42. The Dragons, would dribble out the clock and come away with an 89-42 victory.
Leading scorer for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 24 points
Parker Davis: 23 points
Caleb Lanford: 12 points
McCord Purdy: 12 points
Brock Barton: 10 points
DJ Mitchell: 5 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
Jamin Martin: 2 points
6-AAA Boys Region Standings:
Pickens: 22-0 (12-0)
GAC: 17-6 (9-3)
Lumpkin: 15-8 (9-3)
North Hall: 13-10 (6-6)
Dawson: 8-15 (5-7)
White County: 5-18 (4-8)
Chestatee: 4-19 (3-9)
Johnson-Gainesville: 1-19 (0-12)
With that win, the Dragons, have clinched the #1 seed for the 6-AAA region tournament that will begin for the boys on Wednesday, February 12th. Before that, the Dragons will make the trip down to Milton to take part in the Longhorn Showcase where they will take on the North Gwinnett Bulldogs in non-region action on Saturday, February 1st. Tip off is set for 1:30 pm.
Dragons sweep War Eagles to stay alone in first place
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 18, 2025
Gainesville, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, came into their game on Friday, January 17th against the Chestatee War Eagles, looking to extend their winning streak to 18 in a row and also stay alone atop the 6-AAA standings. The War Eagles, were coming off of a back and forth game against North Hall on Tuesday. Using a big scoring first half, the Dragons, came away with a 95-31 victory.
McCord Purdy, would get the hand off from Caleb Lanford, and connect on a three to give the Dragons the early lead. After a steal by Brock Barton, Purdy, would return the favor to Lanford as he would hit a corner three to make it 6-0. A three from Carter Edmondson, would cut the lead in half. Dodge Davis, would get a steal on the defensive end, then finish at the offensive end with a layup to make it 8-3.
Lanford, would get a steal of his own and then draw a foul. He would make both free throws to stretch the lead to 10-3. A block by Parker Davis would lead to a fast break for the Dragons and Dodge Davis would finish it off with a dunk after a nice pass from Purdy. Ethan Dunn and Isaac Brown would make back-to-back baskets to cut the lead to 12-7. A 10-0 run by the Davis Brothers would make it 22-7 Dragons.
A bucket by Sebastian Spinelli, would end the run and cut the lead to 22-9. A three by Barton, would make it 25-9. After a jumper by Brown, the Dragons, would end the first quarter on a 5-0 run as Dodge Davis would make a pair of free throws, and Purdy would nail a three just before the buzzer to make it 30-11 heading to the second quarter.
The second quarter began with the Dragons continuing their run from the end of the first quarter as Barton, Lanford, the Davis brothers, and Jamin Martin combined for a 13-0 run to give the Dragons a 43-11 lead. A step back three from Spinelli, would end the run and cut the lead to 43-14. Dodge Davis, would find an open Purdy for his third three pointer of the first half to make it 46-14.
Nice passing from the Dragons after an in-bounds play, led to an open layup for Dodge Davis to make it 48-14. Dodge Davis, would then poke the ball free and then would finish on the other end after the long pass from Lanford to make it 50-14. A three by Spinelli, would again end scoring run by the Dragons and cut the lead to 50-17. Barton, would leap up to steal the in-bounds pass, take it all the way for the hoop and the harm. He would make the free throw to make it 53-17.
Montego Morgan, would make a great bounce pass to a cutting Barton for the layup to make it 55-17. Spinelli, would get a tough shot to fall to cut the lead to 55-19. Morgan, would crash the offensive board for the rebound and then make the put back to stretch it to 57-19. Brown, would then go to the line and make both free throws to cut the lead to 57-21. Martin, would draw a foul of his own and hit both free throws to make it 59-21.
Dodge Davis, would work through contact to get the layup and the foul. He would make the free throw to stretch the lead to 62-21. A steal by Parker Davis, would lead to little jumper off glass by Martin just as the first half ended as the Dragons took a 64-21 lead into the break.
Parker Davis, would open up the second half with a dunk to make it 66-21. After a little bit of a drought by both teams, Purdy, would come away with a steal and find an open Dodge Davis for a one handed dunk to make it 68-21. After a defensive rebound by Lanford, he would launch a long outlet pass to Parker Davis for the lay-in. Parker Davis, would then nail a corner three to make it 73-21.
Lanford, would again find Parker Davis as he would hit another three to make it 76-21. Barton, would take the hand off from Parker Davis, and drive it into the lane for the layup to make it 78-21. Spinelli, would put an end to the scoring drought for the War Eagles as he split a pair of free throws to make it 78-22. Just before the end of the third, Parker Davis, found Barton for a corner three. The Dragons, led the War Eagles, 81-22 heading to the fourth.
Dunn, would begin the fourth quarter scoring with a layup through contact. He would make the free throw to cut the lead to 81-25. Camden Jones, would then split a pair of free throws to make it 82-25. Landon Johnson, would pull up for a short jumper to make it 82-27. A block by the Dragons would lead to a three by Morgan to make it 85-27. Martin, would then take the offensive rebound all the way and finish with a pull up jumper to make it 87-27.
Morgan, with the shot clock draining, threw up a three pointer and banked it in to make it 90-27. A three by Corbin Larned, would cut the lead to 90-30. DJ Mitchell, would use a nice spin move to get the lay-in to make it 92-30. A steal by Morgan, would lead to fast break points as Mitchell found Morgan, who nailed another three to make it 95-30. Larned, would split a pair of free throws as the Dragons would pick up the 95-31 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 23 points
Parker Davis: 16 points
Brock Barton: 15 points
Jamin Martin: 11 points
Montego Morgan: 11 points
McCord Purdy: 9 points
Caleb Lanford: 7 points
DJ Mitchell: 2 points
Camden Jones: 1 point
6-AAA Boys Basketball Standings:
Pickens: 18-0 (8-0)
GAC: 13-5 (6-2)
Lumpkin: 12-7 (6-2)
North Hall: 12-7 (5-3)
Dawson: 6-13 (3-5)
White County: 3-15 (2-6)
Chestatee: 2-16 (1-6)
Johnson-Gainesville: 1-13 (0-7)
The Dragons, will be back inside the Dragons Den on Tuesday, January 21st as they will play host to the Lumpkin Indians. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons continue winning ways; now 14-0
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 5, 2025
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, were finally back on their home court on Saturday, January 4th as they took on the Coahulla Creek Colts in non-region action. After a big win on the road at White County the night before, the Dragons, came into the game at 13-0 overall and 4-0 in 6-AAA. The Colts, came into the game at 11-2 overall and 5-1 in 7-AA. The Dragons, kept their win streak in tact as they picked up the 78-39 victory.
Parker Davis, got the scoring started with a layup to make it 2-0 Dragons. A three pointer by Carter Quarles, would put the Colts ahead by one. Another bucket by Parker Davis, would give the Dragons the lead back. A 5-0 run by the Colts, led by Cullen Marti and Quarles, would give the Colts an 8-4 lead. A three pointer by Caleb Lanford, would cut the lead down to one. A pair of free throws by Waelyn Baliles, would stretch the lead back to three.
The Dragons, led by a combined 7-0 run from Parker Davis and Lanford, would reclaim the lead, 14-10. After a basket by Baliles, Lanford and Dodge Davis would hit back to back threes to make it 20-12. Gage Voyles, would cut the lead down to 5 after he made a layup and converted the and-1. After Lanford would split a pair of free throws, Marti, would connect on a three pointer to make it 21-18.
Parker Davis, would stretch the lead back to 5 after hitting a pair of free throws. After a tough bucket by Voyles, Parker Davis, would close out the quarter with a basket to make it 25-20 Dragons heading to the second.
Voyles, would begin the second quarter with another lay in to make it 25-22. Dodge Davis and Brock Barton, would then combine for an 8-0 run to make it 33-22. A bucket by Baliles, would put an end to the run and cut the lead down to 33-24. The Dragons, would respond with another 8-0 run to make it 41-24. A late three pointer by Brody Bartlett, would cut the lead to 41-27 at the break.
The Dragons, would start the second half using a 5-0 combined run from Barton and Dodge Davis to stretch the lead out to 46-27. A three pointer by Quarles, would put an end to the run, and make it 46-30. A 6-0 run by the Dragons would make it 52-30. After a basket from Voyles, the Dragons, would go on a 12-0 run to balloon the lead out to 64-32. Both teams would end the third quarter by trading buckets as the Dragons took a 69-36 lead into the fourth.
Dodge Davis and Montego Morgan, would begin a shortened fourth quarter by combining to go on a 6-0 run to make it 75-36. Both teams, would then trade three point makes as the Dragons would come away with the 78-39 win over the Colts.
Leading Scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 21 points
Parker Davis: 18 points
Dodge Davis: 15 points
Brock Barton: 14 points
Jamin Martin: 5 points
DJ Mitchell: 3 points
Montego Morgan: 2 points
The Dragons, will get back into region action on Tuesday, January 7th as they will travel down to Gainesville to take on the Johnson Knights. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons end 2024 with a 12-0 record
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 31, 2024
St. Simons Island — The Pickens Dragons, were lucky enough to ring in the new year down near the beach as they were one of eight teams that took part in Basketball at the Beach. A scouting service/media outlet named Relentless Hoops, put on the event. Frederica Academy, hosted the event. On Monday, December 30th, the Dragons, defeated the Johnson-Savannah Atom Smashers by a score of 62-54. On Tuesday, a big third quarter helped the Dragons pick up a 63-41 win over the Groves Rebels.
Dodge Davis got the scoring going for the Dragons with a bucket. The Rebels, answered with a basket to tie it up at 2. The Dragons, would then go on a 7-0 run to lead it, 9-2. Back to back buckets from Tyrone Chisholm, would cut the lead down to 9-6. After both teams traded baskets, the Dragons would close out the first quarter on a 4-0 run as Montego Morgan would hit a three, and McCord Purdy would split a pair of free throws to make it 17-10 going to the second.
Avion Dillard, would get the scoring started in the second quarter as he would cut the lead to 5. A 5-0 run by Purdy, would stretch the lead out to 22-12. Davion Adams, would end the run with a basket to make it 22-14. The two teams would go back and forth the rest of the first half as the Dragons led the Rebels, 25-18 at the break.
The second half began with Cameron Jenkins getting the bucket for the Rebels to once again cut the lead to 5. A combined 5-0 run by Caleb Lanford and Parker Davis, stretched the lead out to 30-20. A basket by Chisholm, would again get the lead down to single digits. Dodge Davis, would then go on a 6-0 run to make it 36-22 Dragons. After a bucket by Kaleb Detty put an end to the run, the Dragons, would rattle off 13 straight points to make it 49-24. A free throw by Adams closed out the third as Pickens led Groves, 49-25.
Dillard, would split a pair of free throws to begin the fourth quarter. Parker Davis, would score the first field goal of the fourth to make it 51-26. After a bucket by Detty, Dodge Davis would make a pair of free throws as the Dragons led it, 53-28. After both teams made a basket, Chisholm, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 55-35. Camden Jones, would put an end to the run with a bucket to make it 57-35.
The Rebels, would then go on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 57-41. The Dragons, would end the game on a 6-0 run as Brock Barton and Parker Davis combined for the run. The Dragons, took this one, 63-41.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 16 points
Parker Davis: 11 points
Caleb Lanford: 11 points
McCord Purdy: 10 points
Brock Barton: 6 points
Jamin Martin: 4 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
Camden Jones: 2 points
The Dragons, will enter the 2025 with a 12-0 record. Pickens, will be on the road to begin the new year as they will head up to Cleveland to take on the White County Warriors in a 6-AAA match up. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons score 100 points in win against Trojans
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 14, 2024
Jasper, Ga — Much like the Nettes, it was the final home game of the 2024 portion of the season for the Pickens Dragons as they took on the Trojans of North Hall on Friday, December 13th. Both teams, were coming off big wins and the winner of this one would find themselves atop the 6-AAA standings. The Dragons, scored no less than 20 points in every quarter on their way to a 103-40 win.
The Dragons, started off the game with a quick bucket as Parker Davis won the tip, Brock Barton grabbed it, tossed it to Dodge Davis, who would score a tough basket to make it 2-0. A bucket by Cole Hulsey, would tie the game up at 2. After a basket by McCord Purdy gave the Dragons the lead, Hulsey, would go on a 4-0 run to make it 6-4 Trojans. A 10-0 run by the Dragons would give them a 14-6 lead. Hulsey, ended the run with a bucket to make it 14-8.
The Dragons, would then go on a 5-0 run to stretch the lead to 19-8. A pair of free throws by Hulsey, would cut the lead down to 9. The Dragons, would close out the first quarter on a 6-0 run as they led the Trojans, 25-10 heading to the second quarter.
The Trojans, would finally get someone other than Hulsey in the score book to begin the second quarter as Cole Brooks would make a layup to cut the lead to 25-12. A three pointer from Brock Barton, would make it 28-12. That would kickoff a 17-0 run by the Dragons as they led it, 42-12. A pair of free throws by Brooks, would make it 42-14. After a three pointer from Montego Morgan, the Trojans, would hit a late bucket to make it 45-16 at the half.
The second half started with Dodge Davis scoring back-to-back baskets to make it 49-16. A pair of free throws from Walker Vining, would make it 49-18. After a layup by Barton, Hulsey, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 51-23. Barton, would then complete an and-1 play to make it 54-23. Later on in the third, the Dragons, would go on a 12-0 run to stretch the lead out to 75-31. Max Young, would split a pair of free throws to make it 75-32 going to the fourth.
Dodge Davis, again got the scoring going as he opened up the fourth quarter with a bucket to make it 77-32. After Vining split a pair of free throws, the Dragons, would go on another 12-0 run to make it 89-33. A free throw make by Drew Cronan, would put an end to the run. After the two teams traded baskets, the Dragons would go on a mini 4-0 run to make it 96-36.
After Cronan again split a pair of free throws, A 7-0 run by the Dragons would make it 103-37. Cronan, would hit a late three pointer as the final score in this one would be Pickens 103 North Hall 40.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 23 points
Brock Barton: 21 points
Parker Davis: 17 points
McCord Purdy: 13 points
DJ Mitchell: 8 points
Montego Morgan: 8 points
Caleb Lanford: 6 points
Jamin Martin: 4 points
Aiden Mumaw: 2 points
Caden Kirchoff: 1 point
6-AAA Boys Basketball Standings:
Pickens: 8-0 (3-0)
GAC: 6-3 (2-1)
North Hall: 5-3 (2-1)
Lumpkin: 5-4 (2-1)
Dawson: 3-6 (1-2)
White County: 3-6 (1-2)
Chestatee: 1-8 (0-3)
Johnson, Gainesville: 0-8 (0-3)
Much like the Nettes, the Dragons will end the 2024 portion of the schedule by taking part in a pair of tournaments. The first tournament, will be the War Lodge Invitational at Sequoyah High School where they will take on Alcovy and Seckinger. First up, Alcovy on Friday, December 20th. Tip off is set for 5:30 pm.
Dragons stay hot with win in region opener
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 7, 2024
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, welcomed the Chestatee War Eagles to the Dragons Den to begin 6-AAA play on Friday, December 6th. The Dragons, came into the game 5-0 after an undefeated November and ranked 5th in 3A by Kyle Sandy. The War Eagles, may have come into the game 1-4, but they have several players that can get hot at any moment. The Dragons, exploded offensively in the second half as they pulled away for an 84-47 victory.
The War Eagles, began the game with Cody Couch and Sebastian Spinelli hitting back to back threes to take a 6-0 lead. After a slow start by the Dragons offense, Senior Brock Barton, would then go on a 7-0 run to give the Dragons a 7-6 lead. Ethan Dunn, would put an end to the run with a basket to make it 8-7 War Eagles. Caleb Lanford, would then give the Dragons a one point lead with a bucket.
Spinelli, would hit his second three of the quarter to give the War Eagles an 11-9 lead. The Dragons, would then go on a 9-0 run led by the Davis brothers, and Barton to give the Dragons an 18-11 lead. Dunn, would cut the lead to 5 to make it 18-13 Dragons heading to the second quarter.
Jamin Martin and Parker Davis, would start the second quarter with a 5-0 run to make it 23-13 Dragons. A three by Elian Salcido, would trim the lead to 7. After a 5-0 run by Barton and Martin, the Dragons lead expanded to 28-16. Spinelli, would convert the rare four point play as he hit the three and the free throw to make it 28-20. After McCord Purdy split a pair of free throws, Spinelli would hit another three to make it 29-23.
A 5-0 run by Lanford would make it 34-23 Dragons. A three by Nazir Dixon would end the run and make it 34-26. Purdy, would end the first half with a three to make it 37-26 heading to the break.
The Dragons, would start the second half with a 9-0 run as Barton would hit a three, then Lanford would hit back to back threes to make it 46-26. Spinelli, would make a pair of free throws to end the run. A 10-0 run by the Dragons would stretch the lead out to 56-28. Dixon, would end the run with a bucket to make it 56-30. After the two teams traded baskets, the War Eagles would make several free throws in a row to make it 62-37.
As the clock drained down at the end of the third quarter, Montego Morgan sliced through the defense for the layup to make it 64-37 Dragons heading to the fourth.
Barton, opened up the scoring in the fourth with a basket to make it 66-37. The two teams, would again trade buckets until the Dragons would go on a 9-0 run to make it 81-43. A basket by Dixon, would end the run and make it 81-45. Parker Davis, would hit a three to make it 84-45. Dunn, would end the scoring with a bucket as the Dragons would come away with a 84-47 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 22 points
Brock Barton: 19 points
Dodge Davis: 15 points
Jamin Martin: 9 points
Parker Davis: 7 points
McCord Purdy: 7 points
Montego Morgan: 5 points
6-AAA Region Standings:
Pickens: 6-0 (1-0)
North Hall: 4-2 (1-0)
Lumpkin: 4-3 (1-0)
Dawson: 1-8 (1-0)
GAC: 4-3 (0-1)
Chestatee: 1-5 (0-1)
White County: 1-6 (0-1)
Johnson, Gainesville: 0-6 (0-1)
The Dragons, will head to Lumpkin on Tuesday, December 10th to take on the Indians in another 6-AAA battle. The Indians, led by Georgia Tech football signee Cal Faulkner, picked up a big win at GAC to open their region schedule. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons end November with Thanksgiving Classic Tournament win
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 27, 2024
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons came into their game against the King’s Academy Knights on Tuesday, November 26th looking for a perfect month of November and a Pickens Thanksgiving Classic Tournament win. The Dragons, would outscore the Knights, 53-17 in the second half to come away with a 94-49 win.
The Dragons, would win the tip, Brock Barton would find Dodge Davis, and much like the game on Monday, Davis would slam it home to make it 2-0. After a three pointer by Roger Willson, Dodge Davis would make a layup to give the Dragons a 4-3 lead. A bucket by Bryson McCleskey, would give the Knights a 5-4 lead. The Dragons, answered with a 5-0 run by Caleb Lanford and McCord Purdy to make it 9-5. After a basket by Cole Bennett cut the lead down to two, Parker Davis would make a layup to push the lead back to four.
After the Davis brothers split a pair of free throws, Ty Gangster would hit a three to make it 13-10. A pair of free throws from Parker Davis would stretch the lead to 15-10. The Knights, would go on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to just one. A 4-0 run from the Dragons to end the first quarter, Gave Pickens a 19-14 lead heading to the second.
Bennett, began the second quarter by splitting a pair of free throws to cut the lead down to four. A 6-0 run by the Dragons would extend the lead out to 25-15. A three by Brooks Thrasher would end the run and cut the lead to 25-18. After Barton split a pair of free throws, Gangster, would make both of his free throws to cut the lead to 26-20. A three by Charlie Wohlers, would cut the lead to three. Purdy, would make a pair of free throws to stretch the lead back to five.
Wohlers, would hit another three to once again make it a two point game. Purdy and Barton, would combine for a 4-0 run to make it 32-26. After Bennett split a pair of free throws, Barton would make a three to give the Dragons a 35-27 lead. Bennett, would again split a pair of free throws to make it 35-28. A 5-0 run by the Dragons would make it 40-28. Bennett, would make a layup to cut the lead to ten.
After Purdy would split a pair of free throws, McCleskey would make both of his to close out the first half. Heading into the break, Pickens led The King’s Academy, 41-32.
The Dragons, would begin the second half by going on a 5-0 run to stretch their lead out to 46-32. After Bennett would make a pair of free throws, the Dragons, would go on another 5-0 run to make it 51-34. Bennett, would hit a three to make it 51-37. Dodge Davis, would then make back-to-back baskets as the Dragons led it, 55-37. A three by Thrasher would make it 55-40. A third 5-0 run by the Dragons in the quarter would stretch the lead out to 60-40.
A bucket by Gangster would make it 60-42. The Dragons, would then go on an 8-0 run as they got baskets from Jamin Martin, Parker Davis, Lanford, and Camden Jones during the run. A three pointer by Asa Goings would put an end to the run and make it 68-45. Lanford, would close out the third with a three pointer to make it 71-45 going to the fourth.
The fourth quarter started with the Dragons going on a 16-0 run to extend their lead out to 87-45. Bennett, would put an end to the run and get the Knights on the board in the fourth with a bucket. The Dragons, would then go on a 7-0 run to make it 94-47. A basket by Wohlers would give us a final score of 94-49.
All Tournament Selections:
Caleb Lanford
McCord Purdy
Tournament MVP:
Dodge Davis
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 28 points
Dodge Davis: 22 points
Caleb Landford: 17 points
Brock Barton: 10 points
Parker Davis: 10 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
Camden Jones: 2 points
Jamin Martin: 2 points
The Dragons, will now rest up and get ready for 6-AAA play as they will host the Chestatee War Eagles on Friday, December 6th. Tip off is set for 8:30 pm.
Dragons sink Raiders to move to 4-0
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 26, 2024
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, took on the Raiders of Alpharetta on Monday, November 25th for Day two of the Pickens Thanksgiving Classic. The Dragons, would use a fast start to the game to propel them to a big win over the Raiders, 83-43.
The Dragons, got things going right at the beginning as a tip drill led to a wide open dunk for Dodge Davis. This would start a 12-0 run by the Dragons as Dodge Davis, Brock Barton, and Caleb Lanford would all score during the run. CJ Terry, would get the Raiders on the board after splitting a pair of free throws. After a pair of free throws from McCord Purdy, and a bucket by the Raiders, Lanford and Dodge Davis would combine for a 5-0 run to make it 19-3.
After a basket by Terry, Barton would hit a three to make it 22-5. A pair of free throws by Andrew Trembo would make it 22-7. Montego Morgan, would answer with a pair of free throws of his own. The Raiders, would then go on an 8-0 run to cut the Dragons lead down to 24-15. A three by DJ Mitchell, would make it 27-15 Dragons heading to the second quarter.
The Raiders, would start the second quarter on a 6-0 run after hitting back to back threes to make it 27-21. After both teams traded three point buckets, Lanford would go on a personal 5-0 run to make it 35-24. After a basket by the Raiders, the Dragons would go on an 11-0 run to stretch the lead out to 46-26. After Adam Bahhur, split a pair of free throws, Mitchell and Lanford would make back to back threes to give Pickens a 52-27 lead at the break.
Lanford, would stay hot to begin the second half as he hit a three. Dodge Davis, would follow that with a layup to make it 57-27. After George Bixby split a pair of free throws, Dodge Davis and Lanford would make back to back buckets to expand the lead out to 61-28. The two teams would then trade baskets as the Dragons led it, 63-31. Bahhur and Josh Johnson, would make back to back threes for the Raiders to cut the lead to 63-37.
The Dragons, would respond with a 10-0 run as they got four points each from Purdy and Jamin Martin. Dodge Davis would also contribute to the run to make it 73-37. After a basket by the Raiders, Martin would close out the third with a three to make it 76-39 Dragons heading to the fourth.
A shortened fourth quarter started with Morgan driving into the lane and finishing with a tough layup to make it 78-39. That would start a 7-0 run as Martin would make a jumper and Aiden Mumaw would connect on a three to make it 83-39. The Raiders, would end the game on a 4-0 run as the Dragons would come away with an 83-43 victory.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 25 points
Dodge Davis: 17 points
Jamin Martin: 12 points
Brock Barton: 8 points
DJ Mitchell: 6 points
McCord Purdy: 6 points
Montego Morgan: 4 points
Aiden Muumaw: 3 points
Parker Davis: 2 points
The Dragons, will wrap up the Pickens Thanksgiving Classic on Tuesday, November 26th as they take on The King’s Academy Knights. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons move to 2-0 after win in home opener
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 20, 2024
Jasper, Ga The Pickens Dragons were on their home court on Tuesday, November 19th as they welcomed the Wolfpack of Whitefield Academy to the Dragons Den. The season started off on the right foot for the Dragons as they defeated the Gilmer Bobcats, 75-41, in a game played at Cherokee High School on Saturday, November 16th. While things started off somewhat slowly for the Dragons in this one, they would eventually pull away and defeat the Wolfpack, 71-32.
The Dragons would get the scoring going in the first quarter as Senior Brock Barton, as he put Pickens up, 2-0. After Riley Hughes tied it up with a layup, Barton, who transferred from Baylor School in Tennessee, hit back to back threes to make it 8-2. The Wolfpack, would then go on a 6-0 run of their own powered by Will Holland and Cash Peterson to tie the game at 8. Senior Dodge Davis, would make a layup to give the Dragons a 10-8 lead. A three by Lofton Brown would give the Wolfpack an 11-10 advantage.
The Dragons, would then go on a 13-0 run as Dodge Davis would hit a three, Parker Davis would split a pair of free throws, and Jamin Martin would come off the bench and knock down 3 threes to make it 23-11. Before the quarter came to an end, Hughes would make a pair of free throws. Heading to the second quarter, Pickens led Whitefield Academy, 23-13.
A bucket by the Wolfpack would get things started in the second quarter as it cut the lead down to 23-15. Barton, would hit his third three of the game, and Parker Davis would make a layup to give the Dragons a 28-15 lead. A 5-0 run by Holland would trim the Dragons lead down to 28-20. The Dragons, would close out the first half on a 9-0 run. Montego Morgan would get the run started with a bucket.
McCord Purdy would get his first points of the game with a three, and Parker Davis would chip in 4 points to make it 37-20 Pickens at the half.
The Dragons, would start to take over in the second half as they began the third quarter on a 12-0 run. The Davis twins, Dodge and Parker, would combine to score 8 of the 12 points during the run. Purdy would make a layup and Caleb Lanford would get his first points of the contest as the Dragons extended their lead out to 49-20. A basket by Holland would put an end to run and make it 49-22.
After Parker Davis and Holland traded buckets, DJ Mitchell and Purdy would bring the third quarter to a close by hitting back to back threes. Heading to the fourth quarter, Pickens led Whitefield Academy, 57-24.
The scoring in the fourth began with Hughes as he would split a pair of free throws. Parker Davis, would then make a layup and Dodge Davis would connect on a pair of free throws to make it 61-25. Hughes, would make a layup to make it 61-27. A nice pull up jumper by Mitchell would make it 63-27. Holland, would go on a mini 3-0 run to make it 63-30.
The Dragons, would then go on an 8-0 run as Mitchell and Martin would hit a three each and Camden Jones would get into the score book with a put back layup to make it 71-30. A bucket by Connor Wynne would be the final points of the game as the Dragons took this one, 71-32.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 13 points
Parker Davis: 13 points
Jamin Martin: 12 points (4 threes)
Brock Barton: 11 points (3 threes)
McCord Purdy: 8 points
DJ Mitchell: 8 points
Caleb Lanford: 2 points
Montego Morgan: 2 points
Camden Jones: 2 points
The Dragons, will be back in action at home on Saturday, November 23rd as they’ll play host for a three day Thanksgiving tournament. First up, Mt. Bethel. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons hit 18 threes in road win at Lumpkin
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 31, 2024
Dahlonega, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, made the trek to Dahlonega on Tuesday, January 30th as they took on the Lumpkin County Indians in a battle of two of the hotter teams in 7-AAA. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were 15-6, 6-2 in 7-AAA, and winners of 7 out of their last 8. The Indians, were 11-11, 4-5 in 7-AAA, and winners of 8 out of their last 9. The Dragons, hit 17 threes during the game including 6 from freshman Jamin Martin en route to a 70-50 win.
The ball game started with Hayden Jones knocking down the first three of the night to make it 3-0. T.J. Gaddis, would cut the lead to 1 as he got his first shot to drop. A lay in by Parker Davis would put the Dragons back up by 3. Caleb Lanford, would follow with a pair of free throws and Dodge Davis would hit his first three of the game to make it 10-2. Gaddis, would cut the lead in half as he made the layup and the foul shot.
After a bucket by Parker Davis, Gaddis again answered with a basket to make it 12-7. The Davis brothers, would then hit back to back threes to make it 18-7. Cal Faulkner, would be the first Indian other than Gaddis to score as he made it 18-9 as they would go to the second quarter.
The Dragons, began the second quarter with a 5-0 run as Dodge Davis made a basket and Jones hit his 2nd three to make it 23-9. Gaddis, then completed his 2nd and-1 of the game as that made it 23-12. After a three by Jamin Martin, Faulkner would go on a 6-0 run to make it 26-18. The Dragons, would then go on a 10-0 run as Martin hit two more threes, Dodge Davis hit a three, and Montego Morgan split a pair of free throws to make it 36-18.
Jac Chambers, would end the run with a three to make it 36-21. Morgan, would connect on a three just before the end of the first half to put the Dragons up, 39-21 going to the break.
The second half began with the Indians going on a 7-0 run as Landon Pierce hit a three, then Preston Cox and Chambers made back to back buckets to cut the lead to 39-28. Martin, ended the run by sinking his 4th three of the game. Faulkner responded with a three of his own. Martin, came right back and nailed his 5th three. After another three by Pierce, Lanford and Martin made back to back threes to make it 51-34.
Faulkner and Pierce would end the third quarter by making back to back threes of their own to cut the Pickens lead down to 51-40 going to the fourth.
Gaddis, would start the fourth quarter by making a pair of free throws to cut the lead down to 51-42. Back to back threes by Lanford stretched the Dragons lead back out to 57-42. After a three by the Indians, the Dragons would go on a 9-0 run to make it 66-45. A bucket by Faulkner would end the run to make it 66-47. McCord Purdy, would then hit a three to make it 69-47.
After a three by Jackson Pulley, Lanford would split a pair of free throws to end the ball game as the Dragons came away with the 70-50 win.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Jamin Martin: 18 points (6 threes)
Caleb Lanford: 12 points (3 threes)
Dodge Davis: 11 points (3 threes)
Parker Davis: 11 points (1 three)
Hayden Jones: 8 points (2 threes)
McCord Purdy: 6 points (2 threes)
Montego Morgan: 4 points (1 three)
7-AAA Basketball Standings:
Gilmer: 15-7 (9-1)
Pickens: 16-6 (7-2)
Dawson: 13-9 (5-4)
Wesleyan: 9-13 (4-5)
Lumpkin: 11-12 (4-6)
White County: 6-16 (2-7)
West Hall: 5-16 (2-8)
The Dragons, will once again be on the road as they head to Cleveland, Ga on Friday, February 2nd to take on the White County Warriors. The Dragons, defeated the Warriors back on January 9th. Tip off set for 8:30.
Coach Martin wins 100th game as Dragons defeat Gilmer
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 20, 2024
Jasper, Ga — The Dragons Den was filled to the brim on Friday, January 19th as the Pickens Dragons hosted their rivals, the Gilmer Bobcats in a big time 7-AAA match up. Coming into the game, the Dragons were 14-5, 5-1 in 7-AAA play, and riding a 6 game win streak. The Bobcats, came into the game 12-6, and in first place in 7-AAA at 6-0. After a close first quarter, the Dragons outscored the Bobcats, 50-26 the rest of the way to pick up a 65-38 win.
The Bobcats, got things going early as they dumped it inside to their guy in the middle, Jackson McVey, for the first two points of the game. After several missed shots from both teams, the Dragons were able to tie the game up with a jumper by McCord Purdy. McVey, put the Bobcats back in front with a layup. He was then able to convert the free throw to make it 5-2. A nice pass from Parker Davis found a cutting Caleb Lanford, who would score to cut the lead down to one.
A corner three ball by Lanford gave the Dragons their first lead of the night at 7-5. The Bobcats, were able to find an open Kohan Davis under the basket on a fast break and he tied the game up at 7. Parker Davis, hit his first three of the game to make it 10-7. Ryder Wofford, would split a pair of free throws to cut the Dragons lead down to two. A jumper by JD Taylor would tie things up at 10.
A second three pointer by Lanford put the Dragons right back in front, 13-10. A nice drive by Davis, led to a layup that cut the Dragons lead down to one. A nice pass from Lanford found Hayden Jones cutting to the basket for the layup to make it 15-12 as they went to the second quarter.
The second quarter began with good ball movement by the Dragons that led to a second three pointer from Parker Davis that made it 18-12. Keegan Bryant, then drove to the basket, and scored the layup to make it 18-14. After a bit of a scoring drought, Purdy found Jones on an in-bounds play for the layup to make it 20-14. With the shot clock about to expire, Purdy, was able to hit a long three to make it 23-14. McVey, put an end to the run with a layup to make it 23-16.
A missed shot by the Dragons led to an opportunity for the Bobcats to find McVey for his first dunk of the evening to cut the lead down to 23-18. Lanford, kept his hot shooting going as he hit his third three pointer of the first half to make it 26-18. Dodge Davis, followed that up with a three of his own to make it 29-18. Wofford, would then split a pair of free throws to make it 29-19. Montego Morgan, grabbed a missed shot from the Bobcats, drove down the court, and found Dodge Davis for the layup to make it 31-19.
After another great passing display by the Dragons, Lanford would hit his fourth three of the first half to make it 34-19. McVey, would then make a layup to cut it to 34-21. That would be the score heading into the half.
The second half started with Wofford splitting a pair of free throws to cut the lead down to 12. After a missed shot by the Dragons, Wofford, was able to split a pair of defenders to sink the floater to cut the lead to 10. The Dragons, who are always lethal on the fast break, pushed the lead back to 12 after a layup from Jones. After Dodge Davis was able to draw a foul on McVey, he would split the free throws to make it 37-24. A turnover by the Bobcats on the other end, led to a three by Dodge Davis that made it 40-24.
Again, on another fast break chance, Purdy found Lanford driving to the basket for a layup to make it 42-24. A little while later, Purdy made a nice move as he drove to the basket and laid the ball up using an up and under move to avoid McVey’s block attempt to make it 44-24. McVey, put an end to the run with a layup to make it 44-26. Dodge Davis, was at the right place at the right time as he was able to rebound the missed three point attempt from Jones to lay it in and make it 46-26.
McVey, was able to collect a missed shot and dunk it in to make it 46-28. The Dragons, once again took advantage of getting back quickly as Purdy found Parker Davis in the lane for the layup to make it 48-28. After a block by Parker Davis on the other end of the court, Jones found Lanford in transition for the layup to make it 50-28 going to the fourth quarter.
A nice feed from Parker Davis to his brother Dodge for the layup started the scoring in the fourth quarter to make it 52-28. After a pair of turnovers, Bryant, made a layup to cut it to 52-30. A nice drive by Morgan led to a foul. While he was hurt on the drive, Morgan gutted it out, and made both of the free throws to make it 54-30. A corner three by Bryant made it 54-33. Parker Davis, would counter with a three of his own. Bryant, then hit another three to make it 57-36. A jumper at the free throw line by Lanford and a jumper by Purdy made it 61-36.
After a turnover by the Dragons, the Bobcats were able to take it down the court and McVey would finish it off with his third dunk of the game. Parker Davis, jumped in front of the pass attempt and that led to a fast break and it was capped off by Purdy lobbing it up to Parker Davis for the lay in to make it 63-38. After another turnover, those two got another chance to go to work as Purdy tossed the ball off the backboard and Parker Davis threw it down to close out the game, 65-38.
7-AAA Basketball Standings:
Pickens: 15-5 (6-1)
Gilmer: 12-6 (6-1)
Dawson: 11-8 (4-3)
Lumpkin: 9-10 (3-4)
Wesleyan: 8-12 (3-4)
West Hall: 4-13 (2-5)
White County: 4-15 (0-6)
The Dragons, will have the next week to get ready as they begin a 4 game region road trip starting on Friday, January 26th as they take on the Dawson Tigers. The Dragons, defeated the Tigers on December 12th. Tip off set for 8:30 pm.
Dragons defeat Spartans for 6th win in a row
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 17, 2024
Oakwood, Ga — After picking up a big win over Wesleyan on Friday, January 12th, the Pickens Dragons took a 5 game winning streak into their game against the West Hall Spartans on Wednesday, January 17th. This game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, January 16th, but the cold weather forced it to be pushed back a day. The Dragons, kept things rolling as they came away with a 68-53 road victory.
Caleb Lanford, got the game started with a three pointer to put the Dragons up early. After Glenn Matiba split a pair of free throws, Parker Davis made a layup to make it 5-1. Parker Davis, would then pick up his 2nd foul and would have to sit for the majority of the first quarter. Teryk Tilley, would cut the lead to 5-3 after a bucket. Hayden Jones, would make his first three of the game to push the lead to 8-3.
A 5-0 run by the Spartans would tie the game at 8. After Jones ended the run with a layup, Ian Pardue hit his first three to give the Spartans an 11-10 lead. McCord Purdy, would put the Dragons back on top 12-11 with a bucket. A second Pardue three pointer gave the Spartans a 14-12 lead. Back to back three pointers from Nathan Wallace and Purdy would give the Dragons an 18-14 lead going to the second quarter.
A basket by Landon Bennett got things going in the second quarter as the Spartans cut the lead to two. Purdy and Dodge Davis would then combine for a 5-0 run to stretch the lead to 23-16. Bennett, picked up his second bucket of the quarter to end the run and cut it to 23-18. After a layup by Jones, Matiba got the lay-in to go as well as the free throw to make it 25-21.
Jones and Matiba would then trade baskets as the Dragons led 28-23. Back to back three pointers from Purdy and Montego Morgan stretched the lead out to 34-23. Pardue, closed out the first half with a three to make it 34-26 Dragons going into halftime.
Wallace, connected with his second three pointer to start the third quarter as the Dragons led 37-26. After a basket by Tilley, the Dragons would go on a 12-0 run as the Davis brothers, and Jones contributed to the run as Pickens made it 49-28. A bucket by Troy Smith would put an end to the run and cut it to 49-30. After Jones split a pair of free throws, Bennett got a layup to go to make it 50-32. Jones, would close the third going 2-2 from the line to give the Dragons a 52-32 lead.
A three point play by the Spartans began the fourth quarter scoring as that cut the lead to 52-35. After a bucket by Dodge Davis, Smith would make back to back three pointers to make it 54-41. A 7-0 run by Dodge Davis and Caleb Lanford would stretch the lead back out to 20. A 4-0 run by the Spartans with baskets from Bennett and Ethan Clifford, made it 61-45. Dodge Davis, would then make a layup, and then split a pair of free throws to make it 64-45.
Tilley, would convert an and-1 play to cut the lead back to 16. Both teams traded baskets to end the ball game as the Dragons picked up their 6th straight win, 68-53.
Top Scorers For The Dragons:
Hayden Jones: 16 points
Dodge Davis: 14 points
Parker Davis: 12 points
McCord Purdy: 11 points
Caleb Lanford: 6 points
Nathan Wallace: 6 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
The Dragons, will be back home insode the Dragons Den on Friday, January 19th as they welcome their rivals from the north, the Gilmer Bobcats. The Bobcats, came away with a close win on December 5th earlier in the season. A win for the Dragons, would split the in season series and tie the Bobcats on top of the region standings. Tip off set for 8:30.