It was a good run, but the Pickens Blue Flame unfortunately witnessed the end of their 11-game winning streak on Saturday. They fell 57-48 to J.L. Mann. Pickens lost against J.L. Mann in their previous head to head back in November of 2018, too, but the margin this time around was much wider than the 48-43 score last time.
Pickens' loss came despite strong showings from Maggie Chambers and Ava Owens. Chambers scored 22 points along with six rebounds, while Owens scored 13 points along with six rebounds and three steals. The match was Chambers' 12th in a row with at least ten points. Sadie Claire mckinney was another key contributor, scoring six points.
J.L. Mann's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jade Hailstock, who scored 18 points along with nine rebounds. That's the first time this season that Hailstock pulled down eight or more rebounds. Another player making a difference was Imari Richardson, who dropped a double-double on ten points and ten rebounds.
Pickens' loss dropped their record down to 11-1. As for J.L. Mann, they are on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests, which provided a nice bump to their 9-2 record this season.
Pickens and St. Joseph's Catholic will face off at 6:00 p.m. on January 3, 2024 without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. J.L. Mann will have some time to savor their win since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Boiling Springs at 6:00 p.m. on January 3, 2024. Boiling Springs is coming into the matchup on a three-game losing streak.
