Nettes move to 3-0 after defeating Sonoraville
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 21, 2023
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragonettes, came into the season ranked 5th in the 3A rankings. The Nettes, opened the season by defeating Rabun Gap-Nachoocee 54-47 on Saturday, November 11th. A week later, the Nettes, would host the Denmark Lady Danes on the first day of the Pickens Holiday Tournament. Pickens, would come away with a 61-25 win.
On Monday, November 20th, the Nettes would host the Sonoraville Lady Phoenix. It was a long game and there were a lot of fouls called on both sides. In the end, the Nettes, moved to 3-0 with a 74-61 win.
In the first quarter, the Nettes, got the scoring started as Caroline Mullins found Ellie Hollis underneath for a layup. The Lady Phoenix, would then tie it up with a bucket of their own. Ellison Steinhauer, would give the Nettes the lead back with a three. Steinhauer, would be fouled on the shot and she would hit the free throw to make it 6-2. After a layup by the Lady Phoenix, Mullins answered with a three to make it 9-4.
Steinhauer, completed her second 4-point play of the quarter as she made the three as she was fouled and hit the free throw to make it 13-6. Older sister Emery Steinhauer, would add to the lead as she split a pair of free throws. A three pointer from the Lady Phoenix cut the lead down to 5, then Ellison Streinhauer and Caroline Mullins answered with a 5-0 combined run to make it 21-11. Both teams scored 5 points to end the first, a the Nettes led things going to the second quarter, 26-16.
Bella Hopkins got things going in the second quarter by making a pair of free throws to make it 28-16. After a three by the Lady Phoenix, Reagan Ludington answered with a three of her own to stretch the lead to double digits. The Lady Phoenix, would get the lead down to 8 as the two teams traded baskets and fouls for the majority of the quarter. The Nettes, closed on a 4-0 run to make it 40-28 going into the half.
To start the second half, the Lady Phoenix would make a layup and hit a free throw to cut it to 40-31. After a couple of buckets were exchanged, the Nettes held a 44-34 lead. Later on in the quarter, a 5-0 run from Sonoraville cut the lead to 7. The Nettes, fired back with a 5-0 themselves and it was back to being a 12 point game. Heading to the fourth, the Nettes led it, 52-41.
The fourth quarter, was a tightly contested one, but the belonged to Caroline Mullins. She poured in 13 of her 28 points in the fourth to help propel the Nettes past the Lady Phoenix 74-61.
Stats for the Nettes:
Caroline Mullins: 28 points
Ellison Steinhauer: 23 points
Ellie Hollis: 11 points
Bella Hopkins: 5 points
Reagan Ludington: 3 points
Emery Stienhauer: 1 point
The Nettes will be back on the court on Tuesday, November 21st for the final day of the Pickens Thanksgiving Tournament. They will be taking on the #8 ranked team in 6A, the Creekview Lady Grizzlies. Tip off is set for 6 pm.
Nettes move to 7-0 with non-region win over Sonoraville
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 10, 2022
Jasper, Ga — After coming away with a win against their biggest rial on Tuesday to begin 7-AAA play, the Pickens Dragonettes welcomed the Sonoraville Lady Phoenix to the Dragons Den on Friday, December 9th for what was set up as a really good non-region contest. Both teams, came into the game with identical 6-0 records. Pickens, led throughout the game and came away with a hard fought 51-41 win.
The Nettes got the scoring going in the first quarter as Caroline Mullins hit a mid-range jumper to make it 2-0. Sonoraville responded as Diana Smith was able to grab a couple of offensive rebounds and make back to back baskets to give the Lady Phoenix their first lead of the game at 4-2. After a foul by each team, Mullins hit a pair of free throws to tie things up at 4. Bella Hopkins, turned defense into offense as she picked up the steal, then drove down the court for the layup to make it 6-4 Pickens.
Madison Powell added to the lead with a corner three to make it 9-4. The Lady Phoenix, then went on a 9-0 run sparked by Erin Garland, who scored 6 of the 9 points during the run. Hopkins ended the run with a mid-range shot to make it 13-11 Sonoraville. Just before the end of the quarter, Ellison Steinhauer was fouled on a three point attempt. The freshman calmly knocked down all three free throws to give the Nettes a 14-13 lead going to the second.

Nettes on offense early on
Steinhauer, began the second quarter with a three pointer to make it 17-13 Pickens. After Ella kate Walraven answered with a three of her own, Steinhauer, drove in the paint a few steps and hit a mid-range bucket to make it 19-16. Hopkins then added to the lead as she split a pair of free throws to make it 20-16. The Lady Phoenix, responded with a 6-0 run getting buckets from Smith, Garland, and Camden Steely to make it 22-20 Sonoraville. The Nettes countered with a 6-0 run of their own as Emma Gleason, Brylee Deering, and Steinhauer combined to give Pickens a 26-22 lead at the break.

Nettes working on defense
Sonoraville got on the board first to start the second half as Brynley Walraven made a bucket to make it a two point game. The Nettes then went on a 5-0 run as Mullins made a shot just inside the free throw line and Streinhauer hit a three to make it 31-24. After a couple of fouls by both teams, Brynley Walraven hit a three to make it 31-27. From then on it was all Pickens as the Nettes went on a 9-0 run to close out the third quarter. Mullins, scored 7 of the 9 points during the run with Gleason making a layup in-between. Going to the fourth, it was 40-27 Nettes.

Nettes working the ball in the third
Garland and Ella kate Walraven got things going for the Lady Phoenix in the fourth with a combined 5-0 run to make it 40-32 Nettes. Mullins and Ella kate Walraven then traded buckets and the score was now 44-34. Taylor West then split a pair of free throws making it 44-35 Pickens. Gleason, went on a 4-0 run by herself to make it 48-35. After Kayleigh Kelley hit a pair of free throws, Hopkins hit a three to make it 51-37. Kelley, would get the final four points of the night for Sonoraville as she again made a pair of free throws and then made a layup. The Nettes, come away with the 51-41 win.
Leading scorers for the Nettes:
Caroline Mullins: 17 points
Ellison Steinhauer: 13 points
Emma Gleason: 8 points
Bella Hopkins: 8 points
Madison Powell: 3 points
Brylee Deering: 2 points
The Nettes, will be on the road on Saturday, December 10th as they take on a familiar foe in the Northwest Whitfield Lady Bruins. They gone back in forth the last couple of years as region opponents. Now, it’s a non-region game. Tip off is set for 3 pm in Tunnel Hill.
Coach Thomas records 200th win as Nettes defeat Lady Cats
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 7, 2022
Jasper, Ga — On Tuesday, December 6th, 7-AAA region play began. The 515 rivalry made its way to the court. Back on November 22nd, the Nettes and Lady Cats faced each other in the ETC Tip-Off Tournament. On that night, the Nettes came away with a 67-39 victory. This go around, would be a little bit more important as it was a region game. While the Nettes may not have had the best of shooting nights, they were able to come away with a 50-29 win over the Lady Cats.
Emmie Moore got the scoring started for the Nettes in the first quarter as she hit a 3 pointer to make it 3-0. Caroline Mullins, Brylee Deering, Ellison Steinhauer, and Emery Bryant all scored for the Nettes in the first quarter. The Defense for Pickens came up big early on as they held the Lady Cats scoreless in the opening quarter to give the Nettes an 11-0 lead going to the second.

Nettes on offense early in the first quarter
The Lady Cats got on the board first in the second quarter thanks to a three pointer by Charley Poteet. The Nettes, countered with an 8-0 run that included a three pointer by Bella Hopkins, and a 5-0 self run by Steinhauer to make it 19-3 Pickens. Lucy Ray put an end to the Nettes run with a bucket to make it 19-5. Moore got her second three pointer of the game to make it 22-5. Madison Bradshaw answered with a bucket to make it 22-7. Deering got her second field goal of the game as she hit a three to make it 25-7. Amayah Jones got her first bucket of the game to make it 25-9. After battling foul trouble for most of the first half picking up two quick ones in the first quarter, Mullins split a pair of free throws to make it 26-9. Hopkins connected on her second three pointer to make it 29-9 Nettes at the break.

Lady Cats with the basketball
To begin the second half, Steinhauer went on another personal 5-0 run as she hit a three pointer and a pair of free throws to make it 34-9 Nettes. After a bucket by Jones that ended the run, Mullins went on a 5-0 run of her own as she made two shots and a free throw to make it 39-11. Ray and Steinhauer would then trade buckets as Pickens led, 41-15. Aliza Chastain ended the third quarter with a make for the Lady Cats as Pickens led 41-17 going to the fourth quarter.

Nettes running a play in the third quarter
Chastain, who ended the third quarter with a bucket, began the fourth quarter with a bucket as well to make it 41-19. Mullins, then got a bucket and the foul. Mullins completed the three point play and made it 44-19. Jones then went on a personal 4-0 run to make it 44-23. Steinhauer ended the run with a three pointer. Sophia Riblet responded with a bucket to make it 47-25. After a bucket by Steinhauer and a free throw by Deering, the Nettes led 50-25. The Lady Cats got on a 4-0 run to close the game. Pickens, picks up the win, 50-29.
Lady Cats Leading Scorers:
Amayah Jones: 8 points
Lucy Ray: 8 points
Aliza Chastain: 4 points
Charley Pateet: 3 points
Nettes Leading Scorers:
Ellison Steinhauer: 19 points
Caroline Mullins: 11 points
Brylee Deering: 6 points
Bella Hopkins: 6 points
Emmie Moore: 6 points
Emery Bryant: 2 points
7-AAA Girls Region Standings:
Pickens: 6-0 (1-0)
Wesleyan: 5-0 (1-0)
Dawson: 4-2 (1-0)
White County: 7-1 (0-0)
Lumpkin County: 5-1 (0-1)
West Hall: 2-6 (0-1)
Gilmer: 1-6 (0-1)
With the win, head coach Brandon Thomas picks up win number 200 of his career. Coach Thomas and the Nettes will be back on their home floor on Friday as they host an undefeated Sonoraville Lady Phoenix team. Both clubs will come into the game with similar 6-0 records. Tip off is set for 7 pm.