Pickens County Comes Back To Win over Greensboro.

The Pickens County Tornadoes defeated the Greensboro Red Raiders 49-46 after coming back from a 14-point deficit. Guard Frankie Washington Jr. led the Tornados in scoring with 17 points. With 10 seconds left in the game, senior Jeremiah Emory made the winning shot. Both Kevion Travis, a guard, and Tristan Travis, a forward, finished with 13 points to lead the Red Raiders.

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Both teams came out strong after the game's delayed start. Both teams had good shooting opportunities, but the Raiders controlled the boards early on in the contest. Pickens County's standout guard Kemaurion Plott was responsible for their offense, however, he was forced to leave the game early due to an ankle injury. Greensboro benefitted from the injury to the Tornados' key player by making easy shots, forcing the Tornados to make tough shots, and outrebounding the opposition.

Greensboro forced many turnovers in the third quarter and led by as many as 14 points at the halfway point. Pickens Co. never gave up as they found their groove by attacking the paint and converting shots around the basket in the fourth quarter. The Tornados were able to stay in the game in the fourth quarter because Greensboro was giving the ball over too frequently and making mental errors.

At 1:46 in the fourth, Pickens Co. knotted the score. Guard Davis Lockett of Pickens County drove down the lane and passed it to an open Emory, whose game-winning two-pointer was his only field goal. The Tornados scored their free throws to win the game following a defensive stop.

“My team they fight,” said Pickens County head coachc  Marcus Barnes on his team’s victory. “We are 3-9 but we are coming together at the right time, 2-1 in the region. Tonight, for us to stick together without one of our best players going down was a big positive tonight.”

With Plott absent due to injury, Barnes looked on Washington and his squad to step up, and he was pleased with what his team accomplished.

“We lost Kemaurion in the first quarter and Frankie [Washington Jr.] and [Davis] Lockett had to step up,” Barnes said. “In the second half, he (Washington Jr.) was able to penetrate, create, and get open shots that he was missing in the first half. That was a plus for him.”

Barnes explained his choice to keep Plott out of the game for the remainder of it, saying, "He had to get healthy because we play South Lamar for first place in the area. So that was one of the main reasons why.”

"I call him Mr. Intangibles," Barnes said of Jeremiah Emory's game-winning score. “He does everything little thing that you are supposed to do. He can box out, defend, communicate, and make a few shots. He is our Dennis Rodman.”

Pickens County defeated South Lamar 60-47 on Saturday and is now atop the area standings. The Tornadoes will play the Choctaws of Bibb County on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Greensboro will travel to Selma on Monday, Jan. 23, to face Southside High School at 7:30 p.m.