The Pickens Blue Flame were the 69-61 winner over the Berea Bulldogs when they last played one another back in January of 2023, but their luck changed this time around. Pickens lost to Berea on the road by a decisive 66-48 margin on Friday. Pickens has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Pickens' defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Gavin Mock, who scored 18 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Eli Doty, who scored 13 points along with five rebounds.
Pickens struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only two offensive rebounds. That's the fewest offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Pickens' loss was their ninth straight on the road dating back to last season, which bumped their record down to 4-12. As for Berea, their win bumped their record up to 6-8.
Pickens will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against Greenwood at 7:30 p.m. Greenwood presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Pickens in South Carolina (Greenwood is ranked 39th, while Pickens is ranked 262nd). As for Berea, they will head out on the road to take on Westside at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Westside is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
