Dragons set to battle Bobcats for 7-AAA Championship
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 16, 2024
Dahlonega, Ga — A trip to the 7-AAA Region Championship was up for grabs as the Pickens Dragons took on the Lumpkin Indians on Thursday, February 15th. The Dragons, defeated Lumpkin in both match ups in the regular season. Defeating a team three times in one season is a tough feat, but the Dragons were able to get by the Indians, 51-35.
The Indians, started off hot offensively to begin the ball game as Cal Faulkner would hit back to back threes to put them up 6-0 early on. The Dragons, would answer with an 8-0 run as both Dodge and Parker Davis, as well as Caleb Lanford helped give Pickens its first lead of the night. Stephen Sherrill, ended the Dragons run with a three to put the Indians ahead, 9-8.
Lanford and McCord Purdy would hit back to back threes to put the Dragons on top, 14-9. A layup by Faulkner would end the first quarter as the Dragons would take a 14-11 lead into the second quarter.
The Dragons, began the second quarter by going on a 9-0 run as Dodge Davis, Lanford, and Purdy all contributed to the run to put Pickens up, 23-11. The Indians, responded with a 7-0 run as Landon Pierce hit a three, and Faulkner and Preston Cox made back to back baskets to cut the lead to 23-18. Parker Davis, would then go on a 4-0 run to stretch the lead back out to 27-18.
Faulkner and Purdy would trade buckets to end the first half as the Dragons would go into the locker room with a 29-20 lead.
The second half scoring started with a 5-0 run by Dodge Davis to make it 34-20 Dragons. A three by T.J. Gaddis would end the run and cut the lead to 34-23. Both teams would then trade baskets to end the third quarter as Hayden Jones would get into the score book with a layup, Faulkner would add to his total, and Nathan Wallace would score on a layup to make it 38-26 Dragons going to the fourth.
Parker Davis and Purdy would split free throws to make it 40-26 to begin the fourth quarter. A bucket by Sherrill would cut the lead back to 12. A three by Lanford and a pair of split free throws by the Davis Brothers would make it 45-28. A three by Faulkner would cut the lead down to 15. After Purdy split a pair of free throws, Cox was able to make the layup and the free throw to cut the lead to 46-33.
A 5-0 run by Purdy and Lanford would extend the lead to 51-33. A late basket by Gaddis, would make it 51-35 as the Pickens Dragons would advance to the 7-AAA Region Championship game.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 14 points
Caleb Lanford: 14 points (4 threes)
McCord Purdy: 11 points
Parker Davis: 8 points
Hayden Jones: 2 points
Nathan Wallace: 2 points
The Dragons, will now turn their attention to the 7-AAA Region Championship game on Saturday, February 17th as they take on their 515 rivals, the Gilmer Bobcats. The Bobcats, defeated the Dawson Tigers 74-60 in the other region semifinal game to advance to Saturday. The Dragons and Bobcats split their regular season meetings with each team winning on their home floor. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons punch ticket to AAA State Tournament
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 13, 2024
Jasper, Ga — It’s region tournament time as the 7-AAA region tournament started on Monday, February 12th. By virtue of being the #2 seed, Pickens hosted the first round of the tournament. Earlier games saw Dawson defeat Wesleyan, and Lumpkin defeat White County. The Dragons, with the home crowd watching, picked up a 66-36 win over the Spartans to advance to the State Tournament and the semifinals of the region tournament.
The first quarter began with the Dragons going on an 11-0 run. Nathan Wallace, Dodge Davis, Caleb Lanford, and McCord Purdy all contributed to the run. A basket just outside the free throw line by the Spartans ended the run and made it 11-2. The Dragons, would answer with a 5-0 run to make it 16-2. a bucket by the Spartans just as the shot clock was about to go off would make it 16-4 going to the second quarter.
The second quarter began with a three by Lanford. His third of the first half. After a basket by the Spartans to make it 19-6, West Hall followed it up with a three pointer to cut the lead to 19-9. The Spartans would add to their run with a free throw line jumper to make it 19-11. The Dragons, would put an end to the 7-0 run with a three by Purdy to stretch the lead to 22-11.
Jamin Martin, would then hit his first three of the ball game to make it 25-11. The run would continue for the Dragons as Parker Davis got the layup to go to make it 27-11. The 8-0 run would come to an end as the Spartans hit a jumper to make it 27-13. After a cold streak by both teams, Lanford would find Parker Davis underneath for the layup to make it 29-13. Hayden Jones, would somehow split a double team for the layup to make it 31-13.
A long three by the Spartans would make it 31-16. Parker Davis, would collect an offensive rebound and get the put back amidst the contact. He would make the free throw to give the Dragons a 34-16 lead. Just before the end of the first half, a foul on a three point attempt was called. The Spartans, would make two of the three free throws and going into the half, the Dragons led, 34-18.
The third quarter started with Lanford hitting his fourth three pointer of the game to stretch the lead to 37-18. After a defensive rebound by the Dragons, Purdy found Jones with an outlet pass who then found a cutting Dodge Davis, who threw down the two-handed dunk to make it 39-18. The Spartans, would end the 5-0 run with a tough layup to cut the lead to 39-20. The fifth three of the evening by Lanford gave the Dragons a 42-20 lead.
Parker Davis, would then use a nice head fake to drive in for the layup to make it 44-20. Dodge Davis, would then split a pair of free throws to make it 45-20. The Spartans, would get the hook shot to fall and make the free throw to cut the lead to 45-23. Dodge Davis, would get by his man for the layup to make it 47-23. After a turnover by the Spartans, Martin, would hit his second three of the night to make it 50-23.
Marin, would continue his hot shooting as he hit another three to make it 53-23. The Spartans, would end the run with a turnaround jumper to cut the lead to 53-25. A lay in by the Spartans would make it 53-27. Purdy, would then split a pair of free throws to make it 54-27. A steal by Montego Morgan would lead to Martin’s third three of the quarter and his fourth of the game. A running hook shot by the Spartans would make it 57-29.
A nice find from Parker Davis to Hayden Jones for the layup made it 59-29. After a defensive rebound by the Dragons, Martin hit Jones with a great lead pass from the other end of the court for the layup to make it 61-29. The Spartans, used a nice jump stop move for the layup to make it 61-31 going to the fourth.
The shortened fourth quarter would begin with the Spartans making a layup after a nice pass to cut the lead to 61-33. The Spartans, would then collect a defensive rebound and turn it into a three pointer to make it 61-36. The Dragons, would end the 5-0 run by the Spartans as Jones got into the lane for the layup and the foul. Jones, would make the free throw to put the Dragons up, 64-36. Camden Jones, would make the layup after a nice pass to make it 66-36.
That would be the final as the Dragons defeated the West Hall Spartans for the third time this season to advance to the AAA State Basketball Tournament and to the semifinals of the 7-AAA region tournament.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 17 points (5 threes)
Jamin Martin: 12 points (4 threes)
Dodge Davis: 9 points
Parker Davis: 9 points
Hayden Jones: 9 points
McCord Purdy: 6 points
Camden Jones: 2 points
Nathan Wallace: 2 points
The Dragons, will now get ready for Thursday, February 15th as they head to Lumpkin to take on the Indians in one of the semifinal games of the 7-AAA region tournament. Tip off is set for 5:30 pm.
Dragons lock up #2 seed for next week’s Region Tournament
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 10, 2024
Jasper, Ga — On Friday, February 9th, the Pickens Dragons hosted the West Hall Spartans for the final regular season game of the 2023-24 season. The Dragons, were also celebrating their two Seniors, Caymen Morgan and Nathan Wallace. Coming into the game, the Dragons were 17-7, and 8-3 in region play. The Spartans, were 6-17, and 2-9 in region play. Four Dragons scored in double figures as Pickens defeated the Spartans, 80-24.
The Dragons, began the ball game on a 14-0 run as Dodge Davis, Caleb Ledford, Parker Davis, and Senior Nathan Wallace all contributed to the run. Troy Smith, would end the run and get the Spartans on the board with a jumper just inside the free throw line. After Ledford split a pair of free throws, Teryk Tilley hit a three to make it 15-5. Ethan Clippard then drove the baseline for a layup to make it 15-7.
The Dragons, would close the first quarter with an 8-0 run as Parker Davis made a layup, and Hayden Jones and Ledford hit back to back threes. Going to the second quarter, the Dragons led the Spartans, 23-7.
The run that ended the first quarter, would continue into the second quarter as Dodge Davis 7 straight points to put the Dragons up, 30-7. Smith, would go on a 4-0 run to make it 30-11. A three by Dodge Davis would make it 33-11. That would kick off a 15-0 run to end the first half as Dodge Davis would hit another three, then Jamin Martin would connect on a three, then Wallace would hit his second three, then Martin would hit another one. Going into halftime, the Dragons were leading the West Hall Spartans, 45-11.
The Dragons, kept the threes flying to start the second half as McCord Purdy got in the score book with his first three of the game to make it 48-11. The Dragons, would go on to score 21 points in the third while holding the Spartans to just 4 points to increase their lead to 66-15 going to the fourth.
The fourth quarter began with Parker Davis making a layup to stretch the lead to 68-15. A layup by Karter Shields would make it 68-17. After a pair of free throws by Dodge Davis, Glenn Matiba, would make a layup to make it 70-19. The teams then traded threes as Purdy hit his 2nd three, then Landon Bennett answered with a three to make it 73-22. A 5-0 run by Dodge Davis and Martin would make it 78-22.
Another layup by Matiba would end the run and make it 78-24. A layup from Aiden Mumaw would be the final bucket of the game as the Dragons defeated the Spartans, 80-24.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Dodge Davis: 22 points
Caleb Lanford: 14 points
Parker Davis: 13 points
Jamin Martin: 12 points
McCord Purdy: 6 points
Nathan Wallace: 6 points
Hayden Jones: 5 points
Aiden Mumaw: 2 points
Final 7-AAA Boys Basketball Standings:
Gilmer: 16-8 (10-2) #1 seed
Pickens: 18 -7 (9-3) #2 seed
Lumpkin: 13-12 (6-6) #3 seed
Wesleyan: 11-14 (6-6) #4 seed
Dawson: 14-11 (6-6) #5 seed
White County: 7-18 (3-9) #6 seed
West Hall: 6-18 (2-10) #7 seed
The Gilmer Bobcats, by virtue of being the #1 seed, will get a bye and automatically earn a spot in the AAA State Tournament. The first round of the 7-AAA Region Tournament will take place at Pickens High School on Monday, February 12th. Wesleyan will take on Dawson at 4:30, Lumpkin will take on White County at 6, and Pickens will take on West Hall at 7:30.
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.
Dragons begin 2024 with big region win
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 10, 2024
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, closed out 2023 on a high note winning their bracket in the Marlin Christmas Classic Tournament and looked to stay hot as they began 2024 by taking on the White County Warriors in 7-AAA action. The Dragons, came into the game 11-5 and 2-1 in 7-AAA play. The Warriors, came into the game 4-12 and 0-3 in 7-AAA play. Using a big first quarter, the Dragons were able to pick up a 73-55 win.
The Dragons, began the ball game by going on a 6-0 run as Parker Davis scored 4 points and Hayden Jones picked up 2 points. A three pointer by David Bowman ended the run and cut the Dragons lead in half. From there, the Dragons would go on a 10-0 run as Caleb Lanford, Jones, and Dodge Davis would all contribute points to make it 16-3. A basket by Noah Futch would end the run and make it 16-5.
Dodge Davis and Lanford, would then combine for a 5-0 run as Davis made a layup and Lanford hit a three to make it 21-5. After a basket by Bowman, Dodge Davis closed out the first quarter scoring by converting an and-1 to give the Dragons a 24-7 lead going to the second quarter.
The Warriors, started the second quarter by going on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to 24-11. A three pointer by Jamin Martin made it 30-11 Dragons. After Futch made a bucket and Braxton Anderson split a pair of free throws, the Dragons would go on a 7-0 as Lanford hit a three, and McCord Purdy and Nathan Wallace made back to back layups to make it 34-14. A layup by Anderson stopped the run and made it 34-16.
Both teams would then trade three pointers as Wallace ended the first half with a buzzer beater to make it 40-19 Pickens at the half.
The Davis brothers kicked off the second half scoring as Dodge split a pair of free throws and Parker made a layup to make it 43-19. After a 4-0 run by the Warriors, the Dragons countered with a 6-0 run as Purdy made a free throw, Parker Davis made a layup, and Jones hit a three to make it 49-23. Both teams then traded three pointers as the Dragons led it 52-26.
The warriors, would then go on a 9-0 run to cut the lead down to 52-35. A 6-0 run by the Dragons would close out the third quarter as Pickens would take a 58-35 lead into the fourth.
The Dragons and Warriors went back and forth to begin the fourth quarter. White County, would go on a 9-0 run to make it 62-47. Purdy and DJ Mitchell, hit back to back three pointers to stretch the lead to 68-47. The two teams traded buckets as the game came to a close with the Dragons getting the 73-55 victory.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 16 points
Parker Davis: 13 points
McCord Purdy: 12 points
Dodge Davis: 11 points
Hayden Jones: 7 points
DJ Mitchell: 6 points
Nathan Wallace: 5 points
Jamin Martin: 3 points
Scorers for the Warriors:
David Bowman: 16 points
Noah Futch: 15 points
Dawson Oliver: 9 points
Braxton Anderson: 8 points
Zach McCoy: 3 points
Tripp Nix: 3 points
John Phillips: 1 point
The Dragons, are now 12-5 and currently sit in 3rd place in 7-AAA at 3-1. On Friday, January 12th, the Dragons will be back home as they take on the Wesleyan Wolves. Should the Dragons win that one, they will jump to 2nd place in the region standings. Tip off set for 8:30 pm.
Dragons advance to Marlin Christmas Classic Championship
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 30, 2023
Panama City, Florida — The Pickens Dragons are closing out 2023 and ringing in 2024 down in Panama City Beach, Florida participating in the Marlin Christmas Classic Tournament. Teams from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and even Kentucky are all competing in this three day tournament. On Thursday, December 28th, the Dragons took on St. Paul’s Episcopal High School (AL) and came away with a 79-38 win. On Friday, December 29th, the Dragons battled the host school, the Arnold Marlins (FL), and advanced to the finals with an 82-39 victory.
The first quarter started with the Dragons going on a 10-0 run as Parker and Dodge Davis made layups, and McCord Purdy and Hayden Jones made back to back three pointers. The Marlins, would cut the lead to 4 as Roman Howell would go on a personal 6-0 run to make it 10-6. The Dragons would counter with a 6-0 run of their own as Dodge Davis got the 3-point play the hard way, and Caleb Lanford hit a three to make it 16-6.
After a bucket by the Marlins and a free throw make by Parker Davis, Conner Chandler made a jump shot to cut the Dragons lead to 17-11. A 4-0 run by Jones and Jamin Martin made it 21-11 Dragons going to the second quarter.
Pickens, would really take over in the second quarter as they began the frame with a 5-0 run as Nathan Wallace made a three and Lanford made a layup to make it 26-11. After a pair of free throws by Howell ended the run, the Dragons would go on an 18-0 run to stretch the lead out to 44-13. Dodge and Parker Davis, Wallace, and Jones all contributed to the run. A pair of free throws by Chandler would end the run.
Parker Davis, ended the first half by making a layup and hitting the ensuing free throw to make it 47-15 Dragons going into the half.
Jones, started the second half with a layup to make it 49-15. Will Cotter, scored the first points of the second half for the Marlins with a layup to make it 49-17. After a three pointer by Purdy, the Marlins would go on a 5-0 run as Finn Lewis would hit a three, and Chandler would make a pair of free throws. The Dragons, would then go on a 9-0 run as Wallace made a three, and Dodge Davis and Purdy made baskets to make it 61-22.
After both teams traded buckets, Cam Jones made a layup just before the buzzer to make it 66-26 Dragons going to the fourth quarter.
Parker Davis, got the final quarter going with a layup to make it 68-26. After a three pointer by the Marlins Drew Moseley, the Dragons would go on a 5-0 run with Wallace hitting another three, and Parker Davis making a layup to give Pickens a 73-29 lead. Later on in the quarter, Chandler and Lewis would make back to back three pointers to make it 75-37. Montego Morgan and Wallace would also hit back to back threes to make it 81-37.
As the clock was running down, Howell would hit a pair of free throws and then Aiden Mumaw would split a pair of free throws to give the Dragons an 82-39 victory.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Parker Davis: 19 points
Nathan Wallace: 15 points (5 threes)
Dodge Davis: 13 points
McCord Purdy: 11 points
Hayden Jones: 9 points
Caleb Lanford: 7 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
Cam Jones: 2 points
Jamin Martin: 2 points
Aiden Mumaw: 1 point
The Dragons, will take on the Jordan Christian Prep Seahawks in the RoMo Photo Bracket Championship game on Saturday, December 30th. The tip is set for 4:00 on Saturday afternoon, but that is subject to change.
Dragons keep things rolling with 5th straight win
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 22, 2023
Blue Ridge, Ga — On Thursday, December 21st, the Pickens Dragons traveled back up to Blue Ridge for the second day of the Fannin Holiday Tournament to take on the Adairsville Tigers. The Dragons, came in winners of four straight including Tuesday, December 19th against the hosting Fannin Rebels. The Tigers, were coming off of a big win over the Sonoraville Phoenix on Friday, December 15th. The Dragons, stayed hot as they picked up their 5th straight win, 50-37.
Dodge Davis got the scoring started as he gave the Dragons an early lead. Later on in the first quarter, with the game tied at 4, the Dragons would go on a 9-0 run as McCord Purdy hit a three, Dodge Davis made a layup, and Purdy hit back to back shots to make it 13-4. A layup by the Tigers ended the run to make it 13-6. Dodge Davis, would end the quarter with a layup to make it 15-6 Dragons going to the second quarter.
The second quarter began with both teams scoring a bucket as the Dragons led 17-8. There wasn’t much scoring after that for both teams as both offenses stalled a bit. The Dragons, finished the first half on a 4-0 run as Parker Davis and Hayden Jones both made layups to make it 24-10 Pickens at the half.
The Dragons, would go on a 5-0 run to begin the second half as Parker Davis made a layup and Purdy hit another three to make it 29-10. The Tigers, would then hit back to back three pointers to make it 29-16. After a bucket was made by each team, the Dragons went on a 7-0 run as Dodge and Parker Davis both made layups, and Nathan Wallace hit a three to make it 38-19. An 8-0 run by the Tigers cut the lead down to 38-27.
Jones and Purdy hit back to back three pointers to close out the third as the Dragons led the Tigers 44-27 going to the fourth.
The run that started at the end of the third quarter, kept going as the fourth quarter began as Purdy again made his way to the basket to make it 46-27. The two teams then went back and forth for a bit, trading buckets. The Tigers, closed out the game on a 5-0 run, but the Dragons came away with the win, 50-37.
Scorers for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 15 points
Parker Davis: 12 points
Dodge Davis: 8 points
Hayden Jones: 7 points
Nathan Wallace: 6 points
Caleb Lanford: 2 points
The Dragons, will head up the road to Blue Ridge for the third and final time this week as they take on the Cherokee Bluff Bears on Friday, December 22nd. Tip time set for 5:30 pm.
Dragons move to 1-1 in 7-AAA after win over Tigers
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 13, 2023
Jasper, Ga — It was a big time atmosphere inside the Dragons Den on Tuesday, December 12th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Dawson Tigers in an important game early on in the 7-AAA schedule. The Dragons, came into the game 4-4 and 0-1 in region play. The Tigers, came into the game, 5-3 and 1-1 in region play. The Dragons, outscored the Tigers 37-21 in the second half to pick up a much needed win, 74-59.
Caleb Lanford got the scoring started for the Dragons in the first quarter as he hit a three to put them up 3-0 early on. Trey Harvey, would go on a 5-0 run as he tied the game with a three, then gave the Tigers their first lead of the night with a pair of free throws. After Parker Davis tied the game with a bucket, Harvey made two more free throws, then Caden Reed and Ethan Parker both made baskets to give the Tigers an 11-5 lead.
Parker Davis, ended the 6-0 run with a layup to make it 11-7. A 4-0 run by Dre Walton and Harvey, pushed the Tigers lead to 15-7. After a layup by Dodge Davis, Amari Horner connected on a layup of his own to make it 17-9. Dodge Davis, cut the lead to 6 with a pair of free throws. Both teams would trade buckets to end the first quarter as the Tigers took a 19-13 lead into the second.
Reed, extended the Tigers lead to begin the second quarter with a basket to make it 21-13. The Dragons cut it to 4 after Dodge Davis split a pair of free throws and Lanford hit a three to make it 21-17. Parker, would make a layup to bring the lead back to 6, then both teams traded free throws as the Tigers led it 25-19. The Dragons, then went on an 8-0 run as McCord Purdy made a basket, and Lanford and Hayden Jones hit a pair of three pointers to give the Dragons a 28-27 lead.
Both teams would then go back and forth as the first half came to an end. Parker, made a long two pointer just before the end of the first half to put the Tigers on top, 38-37 at the break.
The Dragons, started the second half on a 5-0 run as Dodge Davis split a pair of free throws, and he and Purdy made back to back shots to give Pickens a 42-37 lead. After both teams traded buckets for a bit, Purdy and Lanford combined for a 5-0 run to give the Dragons a 52-45 lead. Harvey and Parker combined for a 4-0 run to close out the third quarter a Pickens led Dawson, 52-49 going to the fourth.
The Dragons, went on a 7-0 run to begin the fourth quarter as Parker Davis made a layup, and Purdy connected on a pair of free throws and a three pointer to make it 59-49. After a basket by Reed to end the run, Lanford and Parker Davis combined for a 5-0 run to make it 64-51. Later on in the quarter, the Tigers were able to cut the lead down to 9, but the Dragons were able to hold on and pick up a big region win, 74-59.
Scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 19 points
McCord Purdy: 18 points
Parker Davis: 14 points
Hayden Jones: 13 points
Dodge Davis: 8 points
Nathan Wallace: 2 points
Scorers for the Tigers:
Trey Harvey: 27 points
Ethan Parker: 17 points
Caden Reed: 7 points
Nick Bellinger: 2 points
Amari Horner: 2 points
Dre Walton: 2 points
7-AAA Region Standings:
Gilmer: 6-2 (3-0)
Wesleyan: 6-5 (2-0)
West Hall: 3-5 (2-1)
Pickens: 5-4 (1-1)
Dawson: 5-4 (1-2)
White County: 3-7 (0-2)
Lumpkin: 2-8 (0-3)
The Dragons, will be back on their home floor on Friday, December 15th as they host the Lumpkin Indians in another 7-AAA contest. Tip scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Dragons pick up road win against Whitefield Academy
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 10, 2023
Mableton, Ga — It was the second day of a back to back for the Pickens Dragons on Saturday, December 9th as they took on the Whitefield Academy Wolfpack who are out of the Single-A D-1 classification. The Dragons, were looking to bounce back after a tough 61-55 loss at Sonoraville on Friday, December 8th. After holding a 7 point lead at the half, the Dragons exploded for a 32 point third quarter as they got the win, 70-48.
The Dragons, got things going early on in the first quarter as Dodge and Parker Davis combined for a 6-0 run to put the Dragons up 6-0. The Wolfpack, countered with a 7-0 run to take the lead 7-6. A jumper by Montego Morgan and a three pointer from Caleb Lanford gave the Dragons an 11-7 lead. After a three by the Wolfpack, Hayden Jones made a basket and Morgan hit a three to give the Dragons a 16-10 lead going to the second.
The Wolfpack, started the scoring in the second quarter as the bucket cut the Dragons lead to 16-12. Lanford got things going for the Dragons with his second three pointer of the game. After the Wolfpack split a pair of free throws, McCord Purdy picked up his first points with a jumper to make it 21-13. Later on in the quarter, after the Wolfpack cut the lead to 3, the Dragons went on a 7-0 run as Morgan scored 5 points during the run and Jones added a bucket.
The Wolfpack, got the final points of the first half as they would hit a corner three to make it 32-25 Dragons going into the half.
The Dragons, would start the third quarter on a mini 4-0 run as both Lanford and Jones made baskets. After a three by the Wolfpack, the Dragons went on a 5-0 run as Nathan Wallace hit the first of his 3 three pointers and Parker Davis made a bucket to make it 41-28. The Wolfpack ended the run with a layup to make it 41-30. From there, the Dragons would go on a 13-0 run as Lanford made two three pointers, Parker Davis with 4 points including a big dunk, and Wallace with his second three to make it 54-30.
That run ended after a layup by the Wolfpack. but the Dragons, were not done scoring in the third. A three pointer by Wallace started an 8-0 run as Lanford scored the other 5 points. Purdy, got the final points of the third quarter as the Dragons led the Wolfpack 64-35 going to the fourth.
The fourth quarter saw the Wolfpack outscore the Dragons 13-6 as Dodge Davis, Parker Davis, and Purdy made baskets for the Dragons in the frame. Final score in this one, the Dragons 70 and the Wolfpack 48.
Scoring for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 21 points
Parker Davis: 12 points
Montego Morgan: 10 points
Nathan Wallace: 9 points
Hayden Jones: 8 points
McCord Purdy: 6 points
Dodge Davis: 4 points
With the win, the Dragons now move to 4-4 on the season. The Dragons, will be back in 7-AAA action this week as they will host the Dawson Tigers on Tuesday, December 12th. Tip time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Dragons get over .500 after defeating Rebels
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 29, 2023
Jasper, Ga — After a tough game against the Creekview Grizzlies last week, the Pickens Dragons came into their game against the Fannin Rebels on Tuesday, November 28th looking to get back over .500. The Rebels, were looking to get their season started off on the right foot with a road victory. The Dragons, were able to pull away in the second half to secure a 75-45 victory.
The first quarter started off as a turnover fest for both teams early on. Dodge Davis split a pair of free throws to give the Dragons a 1 point lead. The Rebels, took their first lead after a layup by Cole Gribble. After the two teams traded buckets, the Dragons would go on a small 4-0 run as McCord Purdy hit a three and Caleb Lanford made a basket to make it 15-11 Pickens. Ben Bloch, hit two free throws to cut the lead to two.
Just before the buzzer went off to end the first quarter, Purdy got off a corner jumper and got the kind home bounce to make it 17-13 Dragons going to the second.
Parker Davis, got the scoring started in the second quarter as his bucket made it 19-13. The Rebels would cut into the lead after Jordan Richardson split a pair of free throws and Gribble made a layup to make it 19-16. A 4-0 run by Parker Davis stretched the lead out to 23-16. Richardson, would hit a three to end the mini run and cut the lead to four. The Dragons, would then go on a 10-0 run as Dodge Davis, Hayden Jones, and Purdy all contributed to the run.
The Rebels, got another three from Richardson out of a time out and Bloch split a pair of free throws to make it 33-23. Jones would get the final bucket of the first half as the Dragons went into the break up 35-23.
To start the second half, Kolton Kaylor hit a three to cut the lead to nine. After both teams traded baskets, Purdy went on a 5-0 run to make it 42-28. Later on in the third, Lanford matched Purdy with a 5-0 run of his own. After Bloch ended the run with a three, Purdy again beat the buzzer as he nailed a three to make it 51-33 Dragons going to the fourth.
Dodge Davis got the scoring going for the Dragons in the fourth with a pair of free throws. After a bucket by Bloch, Nathan Wallace got his first points with a three to make it 56-35. Purdy and Lanford, hit back to back three pointers to make it 62-37. After Dodge and Parker Davis traded baskets, Jamin Martin got his name in the score book with a layup to make it 72-41. The Rebels, ended the Dragons run as Keaton Watkins and Matthew Ponton both made a pair of free throws to make it 72-45.
Montego Morgan closed out the scoring for the night as he hit a three to also get his name in the score book as the Dragons moved to 3-2 on the season winning 75-45.
Scoring for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 26 points
Caleb Lanford: 12 points
Dodge Davis: 12 points
Parker Davis: 10 points
Hayden Jones: 7 points
Montego Morgan: 3 points
Nathan Wallace: 3 points
Jamin Martin: 2 points
The Dragons, will be back in action on Tuesday, December 5th as they head up to Ellijay to take on the Gilmer Bobcats to begin 7-AAA play. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons come up short against Grizzlies
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 22, 2023
Jasper, Ga — After a nice 50-46 win over Sonoraville on Monday, the Pickens Dragons were back on the court to take on the Creekview Grizzlies on Tuesday, November 21st. The Dragons, came into the game at 2-1. The Grizzlies, came into the game 1-3. The game was close throughout, and it would be the away team coming away with the win, 63-58.
The first quarter started off fast as both teams came out ready to score points. Caleb Lanford, gave the Dragons their first lead of the game after a three pointer put them up 13-12. A 5-0 run by the Grizzlies gave them a 17-13 advantage. As the first quarter came to a close, McCord Purdy put up a three point attempt just before the buzzer sounded and got it to go to make it 17-16 going to the second quarter.
The Grizzlies started the second quarter on a 4-0 run to stretch their lead 21-16. After a three by Lanford, Creekview would go on a 6-0 run to make it 27-19. Dodge Davis, cut that lead down to 5 after a three to make it 27-22. The Grizzlies, would then hit a pair of free throws to make it a 7 point game. The Dragons, went on 8-0 run helped by three pointers from Purdy and Nathan Wallace. Wallace capped off the run with a steal and layup to give the Dragons a 30-29 lead.
The Grizzlies, used a 5-0 run to retake a 34-30 lead. Purdy, nailed another three to cut the lead down to one. Just as the half was about to end, the Grizzlies hit a three to make it 37-33 going to the break.
The Dragons started the third quarter out hot as Lanford, Purdy, and Wallace combined for a 7-0 run to give Pickens the 40-37 lead. The Grizzlies, would answer with a 5-0 run to retake the lead by 2. Montego Morgan split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 1. Both teams traded three pointers to end the quarter and as they headed to the fourth, the Grizzlies led the Dragons, 45-44.
Creekview opened up the fourth with a three to stretch their lead to 4. Morgan, was at the right place at the right time as Purdy slipped on his way to the basket and Morgan was there to grab it and lay it in. a 5-0 run by the Grizzlies made it 53-46. Lanford would cut into the lead with a bucket to make it 53-48. Later on in the quarter, Lanford would hit a three to cut the Grizzlies lead down to 59-55.
Lanford would hit another three with about 9 seconds remaining, but the Grizzlies would hold on to get the win, 63-58.
All-Tournament Team:
Caleb Lanford
McCord Purdy
The Dragons, will get the rest of the week off as they will be back on the court on Tuesday, November 28th when they take on the Fannin Rebels. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons defeat Phoenix to move to 2-1
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 21, 2023
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons came into the 2023-24 basketball with some familiar faces, some fresh faces, and under a new direction. Head coach Bob Martin is now the captain running the ship at PHS. The Dragons started off the season with a big 53-30 win over LFO on the road on Saturday, November 11th. The following Saturday saw the Dragons drop a tough one to Lassiter on the first day of the Pickens Thanksgiving Tournament 60-53 in overtime.
On Monday, November 20th, the Dragons were back on the court taking on the Sonoraville Phoenix for the second day of the Pickens Thanksgiving Tournament. In a tightly contested game, the Dragons were able to come out on top, 50-46.
In the first quarter, the Phoenix got on the board first for an early 2-0 lead. Dodge Davis tied things up for the Dragons with his first bucket of the night. The Dragons, took their first lead of the night as Dodge Davis and Caleb Landford hit back to back three pointers to make it 8-5. The Phoenix, then went on a 5-0 run to retake the lead, 10-8. Pickens, cut the lead to 1 after Dodge Davis split a pair of free throws to make it 10-9.
After both teams traded three point makes, Nathan Wallace picked the ball off and scored to make it 16-14 Phoenix going to the second quarter.
After four consecutive fouls were called to begin the second quarter, three of them on Sonoraville, Parker Davis got the scoring going with a free throw. Dodge Davis, continued his hot start and gave the Dragons the lead back with a bucket. Wallace, added to the lead with a three to make it 20-16 Pickens. Wallace, would extend the lead out to 7 as he was hit in the act of shooting a three and made all of them. Montego Morgan got into the scorebook as he hit a nice jumper after using a nifty move to get open.
After both teams traded a couple of baskets, the Phoenix went on a 4-0 run to close out the first half. Going into the break, the Dragons led, 29-24.
The third quarter began with Lanford going on a personal 5-0 run to make it 34-24. A 5-0 run by the Phoenix cut the lead down to 34-29. After a bucket by Lanford, the rest of the quarter turned into fouls and free throws. As the teams headed to the fourth, the Dragons led it, 37-33.
The Phoenix, started the fourth quarter scoring early as a 5-0 run gave them the lead for the first time since the first half. Hayden Jones would split a pair of free throws to tie the game up at 38. Jones would then give the Dragons the lead with a basket to make it 40-38. After a three was hit by Sonoraville to give them the 1 point lead, Parker Davis stepped to the line and made both to once again, put the Dragons ahead.
The lead kept changing hands every few seconds it seemed as a floater by the Phoenix gave them a 1 point advantage. Huge back to back three pointers from Parker Davis and McCord Purdy gave the Dragons a 48-43 lead. A three pointer by the Phoenix cut the lead down to just two with well under a minute to go. Purdy, headed to the line looking to seal for the Dragons and the Sophomore did just that. Dragons hold on and take this one, 50-46.
Scoring for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 13 points
Dodge Davis: 9 points
Nathan Wallace: 8 points
McCord Purdy: 7 points
Parker Davis: 6 points
Hayden Jones: 5 points
Montego Morgan: 2 points
The Dragons, will be back in action on Tuesday, November 21st to close out the Pickens Thanksgiving Tournament as they play host to the Creekview Grizzlies. Tip off set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons still in play for #3 seed in next week’s region tournament
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 10, 2023
Jasper, Ga — After a big win over White County on Friday, February 3rd, the Pickens Dragons found themselves in a tie for 2nd in the 7-AAA region standings. On Tuesday, February 7th the Dragons welcomed the #9 team in 3A, the Wesleyan Wolves for a big game in 7-AAA. The Wolves, who came in as the top team in the region, defeated the Dragons earlier in the season and the Dragons were looking to earn the in season split. After a back and forth first half, Wesleyan took over in the second half to pick up a 62-48 win.
The Dragons started the game off hot with two straight three pointers from Jaden Stewart and Caleb Lanford to go up 6-0 early. James McGriff, ended the run with a bucket to make it 6-2. Kadyn Hampton, then answered that with a basket to make it 8-2. McGriff, cut the Pickens lead in half with another make as it was now 8-4. Lanford, made his second three pointer of the quarter to stretch the lead out to 11-4.
Another McGriff basket made it 11-6. Josh Kavel, then added a pair of free throws to cut the Dragons lead down to 11-8. After a tough turnaround hook shot that Isaiah Williams banked in, Wesleyan went on a 6-0 run as Kavel, Thomas Chipman, and Brayden Tidwell put the Wolves on top for the first time at 14-13. Lanford, gave Pickens the lead back with a pair of free throws to close out the first quarter. Going to the second quarter, the Dragons led, 15-14.
The second quarter began with Henry Massie making a three pointer to give the Wolves a 17-14 lead. Camden Dunn, then tied the game with a basket. Massie, hit another three to give Wesleyan its biggest lead of the game up until this point at 20-17. The Dragons then went on a 4-0 run as Lanford and Nathan Wallace both got shots to drop and retake the lead, 21-20. McGriff, converted an and-1 play to give the Wolves a 23-21 lead.
Caleb Keith, made a bucket to tie things back up at 23 a piece. Kavel, made his first three pointer of the game to give Wesleyan a 26-23 lead. Dunn, then made back to back trips to the free throw line where he was able to tie the game back up at 26. Kavel, got into the lane and made the layup just before the second quarter buzzer to give the Wolves a 28-26 lead going into the break.
The third quarter, was not a kind one to the Dragons as Wesleyan took advantage. The Wolves started off the second half with a bucket from McGriff to make it 30-26. After a pair of free throws from Stewart, McGriff hit a three pointer to make it 33-28. Dunn, would split a pair of free throws to make it 33-29. Chipman, stretched the Wesleyan lead out to 35-29 with a bucket. Lanford, got the first field goal of the quarter for the Dragons as he made it 35-31.
The Wolves, closed the third quarter on an 11-0 run to open up their biggest lead of the game as they went to the fourth, 46-31.
McGriff, made a pair of free throws to begin the fourth quarter to give Wesleyan a 48-31 lead. Lanford, scored the forst points of the quarter for the Dragons to make it 48-33. Stewart, then hit a three pointer to cut it to 48-36. After the two teams went back and forth trading buckets, the Wolves led, 57-38. Keith, made a three pointer to make it 57-41. After a basket by Chipman, Keith hit another three and Hampton made a layup to make it 59-46.
Chipman made one free throw and Walker Huckaby made both free throws on back to back trips to make it 62-46. Hampton, got the final points of the game with a basket as Wesleyan came away with the 62-48 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Caleb Lanford: 14 points
Camden Dunn: 8 points
Caleb Keith: 8 points
Jaden Stewart: 8 points
Kadyn Hampton: 6 points
Nathan Wallace: 2 points
Isaiah Williams: 2 points
The Dragons, will be on the road on Friday, February 10th as they take on the West Hall Spartans in the final game of the regular season. It’s a big game for many reasons. One being that a win for the Dragons will make them the #3 seed in next week’s 7-AAA region tournament. The Dragons, could fall to the #5 spot with a loss so a lot is riding on this last regular season game. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons move into a tie for 2nd with win over White County
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 4, 2023
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, were playing some of their best ball heading into their game against the White County Warriors on Friday, February 3rd as they found themselves winners of three of their last four games looking to make it four out of their last five. Back on January 10th, these two met at White County, with the Warriors escaping with a 53-52 win after a 19-0 run by the Dragons to come back. With a win and some help, the Dragons could find themselves tied for 2nd in 7-AAA. And that’s exactly what happened as they picked up a 71-53 win.
The Dragons, got off to a hot start to begin the ball game as they went on a 15-0 run. Pickens, got points from Caleb Lanford, Caleb Keith, Kadyn Hampton, and 3 three pointers from Jaden Stewart during the run. After a bucket by the Warriors ended the long scoring run by the Dragons, McCord Purdy hit his first three pointer of the ball game to make it 18-2. Dawson Bailey, got his first points of the game with a three to make it 18-5 Dragons going to the second.
Camden Dunn got the scoring started in the second quarter as he split a pair of free throws to make it 19-5. David Boman, cut the Pickens lead down to 11 with a three to make it 19-8. The Dragons, then went on a 5-0 run as again Dunn split a pair of free throws, Isaiah Williams got a layup to go, and Stewart continued his early scoring ways with a bucket to make it 24-8. A basket by Braxton Anderson cut the Pickens lead down to 24-10. Dunn, then made a layup and got fouled in the process. Dunn completed the and-1 and made it 27-10.
The Warriors, then went on a 5-0 run as Bailey completed an and-1 play of his own and Tripp Nix got his first points of the game with a bucket to make it 27-15. A basket by Nathan Wallace put an end to that White County run to make it 29-15 Dragons. The Warriors, then went on a big run of their own as they would score 10 straight points to cut the Pickens lead all the way down to 29-25. Parker Davis, ended the run as he made a layup to stretch the lead to 31-25. That would be your score as the game hit halftime.
After the buzzer sounded to end the first half, Pickens was assessed a technical foul. The third quarter began with White County shooting technical free throws, and getting possession. That ended up being a four point swing as the Warriors cut it to 31-29. Dunn, stretched it back out to four with a layup making it 33-29. A three pointer from Zach McCoy made it a one point game at 33-32. The Dragons, then went on a 14-0 run as they got points from Dunn, Williams, and Kadyn Hampton to make it 47-32.
A bucket by the Warriors would put an end to the run making it 47-34. McCord Purdy, hit a three to make it a 16-point lead at 50-34. After Anderson completed an and-1 play, Purdy hit another three to make it 53-37. Anderson, cut it to 53-39 with a layup. Dunn, who had made a living getting into the paint and getting points that way, hit a three to make it 56-39. Purdy, closed a productive quarter for him and the Dragons with a tough basket to make it 58-39 going to the fourth.
Purdy, split a pair of free throws to begin the fourth quarter to make it 59-39. Nix, hit both of his free throw shots to cut it down to 18, 59-41. After a bucket by Caleb Keith, Dawson Oliver went on a personal 4-0 run to make it 61-45 Dragons. Stewart and Anderson would then trade buckets to make it 63-47. Anderson, was then fouled by Stewart and he would make one of the free throws to make it 63-48. Pickens, then went on a 6-0 run getting baskets from Dunn and Stewart, and a pair of free throws from Lanford to make it 69-48.
White County, got a bucket and a free throw in a quick 3-0 run to make it 69-51. Wallace, saw an open lane and took advantage for the layup to make it 71-51. Anderson, got a late layup for the Warriors, but the DRagons came away with the win, 71-53.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Camden Dunn: 17 points
Jaden Stewart: 15 points
McCord Purdy: 12 points
Kadyn Hampton: 7 points
Isaiah Williams: 6 points
Caleb Keith: 4 points
Caleb Lanford: 4 points
Nathan Wallace: 4 points
Parker Davis: 2 points
The Dragons, will be back at it on Tuesday, February 7th as they welcome 3A #9 Wesleyan Wolves to the Dragons Den. The Wolves, beat the Dragons at their place earlier in the season and Pickens will look to split the regular season series. Tip off time is set for 7:30.
Dragons hold off Savannah Christian to pick up win
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 30, 2022
Jasper, Ga — On Thursday, December 29th, the Pickens Dragons took on the Savannah Christian Raiders on day two of the Pickens Holiday Tournament. On Wednesday, the Raiders were defeated by the Sonoraville Phoenix, while the Dragons held on to defeat the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes. In earlier action on Thursday, Lassiter defeated Sonoraville, and Cartersville defeated the Gilmer Bobcats. Much like Wednesday night, Pickens held off a late rally by the Raiders to pick up a 52-46 win.
After a slow start to begin the game for both teams, Caleb Lanford got the scoring started as he put the Dragons up with a three pointer. That started what ended up being an 11-0 run as McCord Purdy hit a three and a layup, and Lanford hit another three to make it 11-0. Jamari McIvory got the Raiders on the board with a bucket to make it 11-2. James Tilley, then went on a 5-0 self run with a bucket and a three pointer to make it 16-2. Blake Hall, ended that run with a three pointer to make it 16-5. After another three by Tilley, Savannah Christian, ended the first quarter with a 4-0 run as Logan Lee and Hall made two baskets to make it 19-9 Pickens going to the second.
McCord Purdy looking to pass the ball
To begin the second quarter, Seth Cronic added to the Dragons lead with a layup to make it 21-9. The Raiders, went on another 4-0 run as Braden Bindenagel and Hall both made buckets to cut the Pickens lead down to 21-13. The Dragons, countered that as Tilley went on a 4-0 run to stretch the lead out to 25-13. Much like the first quarter, Savannah Christian ended the second quarter on a run as their 8-0 run to close the first half cut the Dragons lead down to 25-21.
Dragons looking to defend the Raiders
Lanford, got things going in the second half with a three pointer to extend the Pickens lead out to 28-21. After the Raiders cut the lead down to three with a bucket and two free throws, Purdy pushed the lead up to six with a three pointer. Dalton Bunch, cut it back to four with a bucket, Purdy hit another three to make it 34-27. The Dragons would hit another three to stretch the lead out to 37-27. Savannah Christian, would not go away as they went on a 7-0 run to cut the Pickens lead down back to 37-34. Nathan Wallace, hit a big corner three to close out the quarter and give the Dragons a 40-34 lead going to the fourth.
Dragons with the ball early in the third
The Raiders, started the scoring in the fourth quarter with a bucket by McIvory to make it 40-36. Dodge Davis and Caleb Keith would combine to make three free throws to make it 43-36. Wallace, then split a pair of free throws to make it 44-36. After another bucket by McIvory, Lanford went on a 4-0 run to make it 48-38 Pickens. Much like they’ve done throughout the entire game, the Raiders would mount a comeback. Savannah Christian, went on an 8-0 run to cut the Dragons lead down to 48-46. From then on it would become a free throw game as Keith made a pair, and then Lanford and Keith split a pair to give Pickens the 52-46 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
James Tilley: 15 points
Caleb Lanford: 14 points
McCord Purdy: 11 points
Caleb Keith: 5 points
Nathan Wallace: 4 points
Seth Cronic: 2 points
Dodge Davis: 1 point
The Dragons, will be back in action again for the final time in 2022 as they take on the Lassiter Trojans on Friday, December 30th. Both teams have won their first two games of this round robin tournament and will look to cap off 2022 with a win. Tip off is set for 7 pm.
Dragons begin 2022-23 season with win over Fannin
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 21, 2022
Ellijay, Ga — After the Nettes picked up their second win on the early season, the Pickens Dragons looked to open their season with a win of their own as they took on the Fannin Rebels on the first day of the annual Thanksgiving Tournament on Saturday, November 19th. The Dragons, did not have a scrimmage game while the Rebels did. The Rebels, won their scrimmage game earlier in the week after a nice come back. After a big shooting night for the Dragons, who were led by Caleb Lanford, who had 33, Pickens came away with an 84-53 victory.
The Dragons got on the board early with a corner three by Lanford to make it 3-0. The Rebels beat the press shown by Pickens and Luke Davenport hit a mid range jumper to make it 3-2. Nice passing by the Dragons led to an open three point attempt by Lanford and he connected to make it 6-2. The three pointers were flying early and often for Pickens in the first quarter as James Tilley made his first attempt to make it 9-2 Dragons. After a foul on the floor by Pickens, Fannin ran an inbounds play to perfection as Ben Bloch was cutting wide open underneath the basket for the layup. That made it 9-4. The Rebels, then went 1-2 from the line to cut the lead to 9-5.
Lanford, then hit his third three in the first quarter to push the lead to 12-5. After beating the press again, Jordan Richardson drove into the lane and connected on a floater to make it 12-7. Bloch, went to the line for three shots after being fouled on a three point attempt. Bloch would go 2-3 to cut the Dragons lead down to 12-9. On their next possession, Lanford used a good pump fake move to set up an open mid range shot. Lanford made that bucket to make it 14-9. Lucas Hanson would get fouled and make a pair of free throws to cut the Pickens lead to 14-11.
On the next Dragons possession, there went that man again as Lanford hit his fourth three of the quarter. Fresh off the football field, Isaiah Williams picked up a block on the defensive end, then grabbed an offensive rebound on the other end leading to a foul. Williams would go 1-2 from the line to make it 18-11. After the Rebels beat the press, Cole Gribble got a layup to go to make it 18-13. After a steal by Mccord Purdy, Purdy found that man again and Lanford hit his fifth three of the quarter to make it 21-13. On the next Pickens possession, Camden Dunn made a great pass to a cutting Jaden Stewart to make it 23-13. Stewart then got an offensive rebound and made the put back to give the Dragons a 25-13 lead after one.
After Pickens forced a turnover to begin the second quarter, Lanford knocked down his sixth three pointer of the first half to make it 28-13. Stewart then stole the ball at mid-court and took it the distance for the layup to make it 30-13. Gribble, got the Rebels on the board with a mid-range shot to make it 30-15. Richardson, then connected on another floater to make it 30-17. Fannin then got a steal and Bryson Wright finished it off with a layup to make it 30-19. The run for the Rebels continued as Bloch drove into the lane for the layup to cut the Dragons lead down to 30-21. A turnover by Pickens led to another layup by Bloch to make it 30-23.
The Dragons, finally ended the 10-0 run by Fannin after Stewart made a great lob pass to Williams, who made the layup to make it 32-23. Bloch, finding himself in trouble under the basket, passed it out to Wright who connected on the three to make it 32-26. Nathan Wallace, did a great job of following his shot as he gathered his own rebound and made the layup to make it 34-26. Bloch, then went 1-2 from the line to make it 34-27. Dunn, made a nice move on the baseline and finished with a reverse layup to make it 36-27. Lanford, then drove then lane and got fouled. He would go 1-2 from the line to make it 37-27. Bloch, using his quickness, got to the lane for two to make it 37-29.
Hanson, used a pump fake to drive the baseline for a layup to make it 37-31. Wallace, finished the bucket through contact and made the and-1 to stretch the Dragon lead out to 40-31. After a turnover, Dunn found Lanford cutting to the basket and he made the hook shot. Lanford got fouled on the shot and he made the and-1 to make it 43-31. At the half, Pickens led Fannin by a score of 43-31.
Lanford, kept his hot shooting from the first half going into the second half as he opened the third quarter with his seventh three pointer of the game to make it 46-31. After a turnover by the Rebels, the Dragons took advantage as Dunn found Seth Cronic under the basket for his first points of the ball game to make it 48-31. Fannin, was able to end the mini run with a floater by Bloch to make it 48-33. Dunn, had a nice series of plays as he had a block on defense, drove down the court and got fouled. Dunn would go 1-2 from the line to make it 49-33. Wright, did a nice job of following his shot as he missed the reverse layup, got the rebound, then made the layup to make it 49-35.
Bloch, fought for and got a pair of offensive rebounds, and then got fouled. He went 1-2 from the line to make it 49-36. Bloch again made some nice moves to make the layup and cut the Pickens lead down to 49-38. Wright then drove into the lane and made the layup against contact. He completed the and-1 to make it 49-41. The Dragons, needing a bucket, got one as Tilley hit his second three of the game to make it 52-41. A steal by Pickens led to a put back bucket by Dunn to make it 54-41. On the other end, Gribble got a bucket to make it 54-43.
Late in the shot clock, Dunn drove into the lane, made the layup, and got fouled. Dunn would miss the free throw, but hustled down the court to gather the rebound and threw the lead pass to Tilley, who finished the play with the layup. Wright, made another nice drive to the basket and finished the layup to make it 58-45. Just before the third quarter buzzer, Tilley made a tough layup to make it 60-45 Dragons going to the fourth.
To start the fourth, Lanford made a tough turnaround jumper to make it 62-45. A steal by Lanford led to another three by Tilley. His third of the game made it 65-45 Pickens. A great inbounds play by the Dragons led Stewart to finding Lanford under the basket to make it 67-45. Another steal by the Dragons led to a fourth three pointer by Tilley to make it 70-45. Bloch, ended the Pickens 10-0 run to begin the fourth as he drove in for the layup to make it 70-47. Lanford did a good job of getting the rebound off of Stewart’s miss and got the put back to make it 72-47.
A nice look by Stewart led to a bucket by Dunn. Dunn completed the and-1 and that made it 75-47. After a steal by Williams, he found Lanford on the outlet pass, who then found Purdy for the three to make it 78-47. Parker Davis, had a nice pump fake move that led to a floater for the Sophomore to make it 80-47. A nice pass led to a nice inside basket from Isaiah Angel to make it 80-49. Parker Davis, again made some nice moves on his way to the basket as he made his second bucket to make it 82-49. After the Rebels went 1-2 from the line, they collected the rebound and Hanson made a three to make it 82-53.
Just before the end of the game, Dodge Davis, grabbed his own rebound and made the put back to give us a final score of 84-53 in favor of the Dragons.
On Monday, these two teams will be back in Ellijay for the second day of the Thanksgiving Tournament. Pickens, will take on the Copper Basin Cougars at 4:30, and Fannin will take on the hosting Gilmer Bobcats at 7:30.