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 open Holiday Tournament with win over Cartersville
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 29, 2022
Jasper, Ga — On Wednesday, December 28th, the Pickens Dragons were back on their home court as they took on the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes in Holiday Tournament action. The Dragons, were looking to bounce back after a of tough losses to North Murray and Southeast Whitfield last week. The Purple Hurricanes, were also looking to get back in the win column after being defeated by North Paulding on December 17th. In a game that had a lot of action, the Dragons were able to hold off a late rally and pick up the win, 74-68.
To begin the first quarter, Cartersville got on the board first with a three pointer by Parnel Gamble. Following that make, Pickens would go on an 8-0 run getting buckets from Jaden Stewart, Caleb Lanford, and James Tilley. The Purple Hurricanes ended the run with a basket to make it 8-5. The Dragons, responded with another 8-0 run getting buckets from Camden Dunn, Lanford, and Caleb Keith to make it 16-5. Cartersville went on a mini 4-0 run getting baskets from Romo Pace and Ced McClinic to make it 16-9. Stewart, made his first three of the game to make it 19-9 Dragons going to the second.
Dragons running a play on offense
The second quarter began with Pace completing a three point play the old fashioned way to cut the Pickens lead down to 19-12. Keith, made his second field goal of the game to push it out to 21-12. After Gamble split a pair of free throws, Keith, hit a three pointer to make it 24-13. The Caleb connection was real in the second quarter as Caleb Lanford hit a three as well to make it 27-13. Monte Tolbert, ended the 6-0 run by splitting a pair of free throws to make it 27-14. Keith, then stepped to the line and made both of his free throws to make it 29-14. The two teams then traded buckets as Kaden Baldwin would make one, then Isaiah Williams got on the board for Pickens, and then Jamauri Brice would score to make it 31-18.
Brice, then split a pair of free throws to cut it to 31-19. Dragons Freshman McCord Purdy, got the crowd buzzing as he caught his defender slipping and then hit a three pointer to make it 34-19. After a bucket by Baldwin to cut it to 34-21, Lanford answered back with a basket to make it 36-21. Coming out of a Cartersville timeout, Purdy hit his second three of the game to make it 39-21. Brice, came back with a three of his own to make it 39-24. Brice, then made both of his free throw attempts to cut it down to 39-26. Tilley and Purdy would split their free throw attempts to end the first half with the Dragons leading, 41-26.
Pickens defending Cartersville
The second half started with the Purple Hurricanes going on a 5-0 run as they got three free throws from Jaylen Scott, and a bucket from Pace to cut it to 41-31. The two teams then traded three point makes as Lanford made one for Pickens, and Baldwin made one for Cartersville to make it 44-34. Pace, made it a 6-0 run for the Purple Hurricanes as he connected on a three pointer to make it 44-37. Stewart, came right back with a three pointer of his own and he and Pace had a little playful banter back and forth as Pace then tried to answer that three, but wasn’t able to. He was however able to get a layup to go to make it 47-39. The Dragons then went on a 4-0 run as they got buckets from Dodge Davis and Stewart to make it 51-39. McClinic, split free throws to make it 51-40.
The Sophomore, Davis, who had to step up and play a big role with two of the Dragons big guys in foul trouble, went to the free throw line and made both attempts to make it 53-40. Pace, then went on a 5-0 run on his own to cut the Pickens lead down to 53-45. Davis, got another bucket to give him six points in the quarter and give the Dragons a 55-45 lead going to the fourth.
Dragons with the ball under their basket
The fourth quarter began with both teams trading baskets to make it 59-50 Pickens. Brice, cut the Dragons lead down to 59-52 with a bucket. Purdy, got those two points back as he made a pair of free throws and stretched the lead back out to nine. The two teams again went back and forth scoring bucket after bucket. Pickens, maintained its lead as Tilley went to the line and made one free throw to make it 66-59. Later on in the quarter, Stewart, made a pair of free throws to make it 72-65. A three pointer by Gamble cut the lead to 72-68. The closest the game had been since the first quarter when it was 8-5. After a late foul by Cartersville, Keith hit two free throws to seal it as the Dragons come away with the 74-68 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Jaden Stewart: 18 points
Caleb Lanford: 17 points
Caleb Keith: 11 points
McCord Purdy: 9 points
Dodge Davis: 8 points
Camden Dunn: 6 points
Isaiah Williams: 2 points
The Dragons, will be in action again on Thursday, December 29th for the second day of their Holiday Tournament as they take on the Savannah Christian Raiders. Tip off is set for 7 pm.
Short-handed Dragons fall to Lassiter
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 29, 2021
Jasper, Ga — It was the first day of the Pickens Holiday Tournament as Southeast Whitfield took on Sonoraville, Creekview took on Gilmer, and the host team, the Pickens Dragons, took on Lassiter. After a nice showing last week at a tournament at North Murray, which saw the Dragons go 2-1, the Dragons came into this tournament with some confidence and looked to close out the 2021 portion of their schedule. Pickens, playing short-handed, were unable to complete multiple comeback attempts as the Lassiter Trojans picked up the win, 64-53.
In the first quarter, Lassiter got things going with an early bucket. After the Dragons got a bucket from Caleb Keith to tie it up, the Trojans went on a 4-0 run to make it 6-2. The two teams then traded buckets to make it 10-6 Lassiter. Another Trojan 4-0 run made it 14-6. After a Collin Kellogg bucket cut it to 14-8, Lassiter once again countered with a 4-0 run to make it 18-8. Two free throws by Luke Rogers would make it 18-10 Trojans, going to the second quarter.
Dragons in-bounding the ball
To start the second quarter, Pickens would go on a 5-0 run as they got a bucket from Jaden Stewart, and a three pointer from James Tilly to cut the Lassiter lead to 18-15. The Trojans, would then make two free throws and get a bucket to make it 22-15. An Isaiah Williams bucket then cut it to 22-17. After a pair of Trojan free throws, Kellogg connected with a bucket to make it 24-19. Rogers then made another pair of free throws to make it 24-21. After a bit of back and forth between the two teams, the Dragons closed the half on a 4-0 run as Stewart and Kadyn Hampton cut the Trojan lead down to 28-27 going to the break.
Dragons defending Lassiter
In the third quarter, the Trojans got out to a 6-0 run to make it 34-27. A Rogers bucket stopped the run and cut the lead to 34-29. After both teams again traded buckets, Lassiter built their lead up to 44-33 late in the third. Pickens got back to back three pointers from Stewart and Nathan Wallace to make it 44-39 Trojans going to the fourth.
Dragons on offense in the third
Pickens kept the run from the end of the third going to start the fourth quarter as Rogers and Williams both made buckets to make it 44-43. After a 4-0 Trojan run, Williams made another bucket to make it 48-45. After a quick back and forth, Stewart hit a three pointer to make it 53-50. From there, Lassiter went on an 11-0 run aided by 7 made free throws to make it 64-50. Stewart would make one more three pointer, but the Trojans would get the win, 64-53.
Leading Scorers For Pickens:
Jaden Stewart: 17 points
Luke Rogers: 12 points
Collin Kellogg: 8 points
Isaiah Williams: 6 points
Kadyn Hampton: 4 points
James Tilley: 3 points
Nathan Wallace: 3 points
The Dragons, will be back at it this afternoon as they take on the Sonoraville Phoenix for the second day of the Pickens Holiday Tournament. Tip off is set for 6 pm.