Caroline Lucas
Courtesy photo
PICKENS — The Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame picked up two wins last week to head into the Christmas break with a 5-4 overall record.
“This team is so much fun to watch grow together,” said Rikki Owens, Lady Blue Flame basketball coach. “They are getting better with court awareness, game situations and the chemistry among each other. Despite adversity, they have the best attitudes, and we are starting to get on the radar for hard competition. These girls are a force to be reckoned with for sure.”
In a Dec. 13 home game, the Lady Blue Flame defeated the Lady Mustangs of Palmetto High School of Williamston 52-36. Eighth-grade guard Ava Owens led the Lady Blue Flame with 14 points, 12 steals, nine rebounds and seven assists. Senior forward Caroline Lucas scored 12 points and blocked three shots, and sophomore forward Jayden Harden had eight points.
The Lady Blue Flame fell 48-43 to the West-Oak Lady Warriors in a game played Dec. 14 in Oconee County. During the West-Oak contest, freshman center Sadie McKinney led all Lady Blue Flame scorers with nine points, followed by Owens, Lucas and senior forward Kat Sanchez Gamboa, each with seven points.
In the Dec. 16 away contest played against cross-county rival Liberty Lady Red Devils, the Lady Blue Flame won 54-24. Harden scored a career-high 17 points. Owens added eight points, nine rebounds, seven steals and was perfect from the free-thrown line. Senior guard Hannah Roper scored eight points and was also perfect from the free-throw line. Lucas scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds.
The next regular season-game will be Jan. 4 against Eagle Ridge High School (Oconee County), to be played in the friendly confines of Coach Peggy Harden Anthony Gymnasium. The Eagle Ridge contest will be followed by an away match Jan. 7 at Palmetto High in Williamston. Both contests are non-region.