Undefeated Pickens boys winning the ‘fun’ way, launching 24 3-pointers per game

Pickens (25-0) is ranked No. 2 in Class 3A behind Cedar Grove (22-3) heading into the Region 6 tournament, which begins Wednesday. As the tournament’s host school and No. 1 seed, Pickens is in a good position to win its first region title since 2000.

Pickens, a North Georgia school with little boys basketball tradition, hopes to build off last season, Martin’s first at Pickens, when the Dragons won their first state playoff game since that same 2000 season. They’d been 0-7 in the state tournament since then.

Martin, an Indiana native, came to Pickens from King’s Ridge Christian, the Alpharetta private school that he led to the Class A Division I boys championship in 2023.

To make the game fun at Pickens, Martin lets players shoot their way into what he calls green-light status, which is achieved by consistently making 7 of 10 3-pointers in a practice setting.

Other drills include the one-minute challenge, where players try to make as many 3’s as possible in that span. Most of practice time is scrimmaging, with the first to nine points winning, and a 25-second shot clock.

“I define the fun,” Martin said. “It’s about working hard and attaining goals, and we talk openly about having energy at practice. There’s a diamond ‘P’ on our floor, and after every segment we race to the ‘P’ and chant, ‘We are Pickens.’ If you don’t like to run, jump and shoot, then you don’t like ball.”

The Dragons’ top leading scorers are 6-foot-7-inch twins, senior guard-forward Dodge Davis (18.7 points) and wing Parker Davis (13.7). Senior wing Brock Barton (11.1 points) is 6-5. Junior McCord Purdy runs point, averaging 9.7 points and 6.2 assists. Senior guard Caleb Lanford (12.6 points) rounds out the starting five.

Pickens has made 225 of 605 shots behind the 3-point line, led by Barton (46 of 89, 52%), Dodge Davis (47 of 102, 46%), McCord (35 of 85, 41%), Lanford (58 of 150, 39%) and sophomore Jamin Martin (22 of 67, 33%). McCord also is champion of 3’s made in a minute, with 30.

Credit: Courtesy of Robert Martin

Credit: Courtesy of Robert Martin

“We want at least 21 in a minute,” Parker Davis said. “All of the drills are fun, and everyone is into it, and everyone wants the highest possible numbers. Even if you’re not the best shooter, we just keep shooting because everyone is working to get better, and everyone is seeing their numbers go up.”

The Dragons adapted quickly to Martin’s system last season and posted their first winning record in two years on the way to a playoff win. They came within two points of the quarterfinals, losing 64-62 to Hart County. Martin feels that was only the beginning.

“When I walked into the locker room, the players were sad the season was over, but I could see the determination in their eyes,” Martin said. “It was, ‘We can get this done.’ We were that close, and we’re just getting started. That was the feeling in the room.”

That feeling has not worn off. The Dragons haven’t lost since that game. That includes three wins over ranked teams from 3A-A private in No. 9 Mount Bethel, and No. 5 Greater Atlanta Christian twice as part of their region schedule.

Their strength of schedule, according to MaxPreps, is at least half and in most cases more than half, the number of the other ranked teams in 3A. However, their game against Walton, ranked No. 5 in 6A, was postponed and although Pickens tried to reschedule, they couldn’t make their schedules work. In Walton’s place, the Dragons picked up North Gwinnett and beat them 75-46 on Feb. 1.

Going the entire regular season without a loss has the attention of the state. The community is taking in the moment for a program that’s been only as far as the semifinals, in 1959.

“There’s a level of excitement and definitely an uptick in support,” Dragons athletic director Brandon Thomas said. “Historically, it’s been the girls team that’s had more success, and they’re having a good year again with a 22-2 record. Everyone is excited about what can happen in the postseason.”

Dodge Davis said the undefeated record is not a distraction.

“We just take it game by game,” he said. “That’s something coach Martin really pushes. The best team is the team we play that day. We don’t focus on the record. We stay humble and don’t gas ourselves up, and we push to be the best we can.”

It’s likely the Dragons will play Greater Atlanta Christian (19-6) a third time in the Region 6 championship. They beat the Spartans 87-60 on Jan. 9 and 76-50 on Jan. 28.

“We don’t have their number,” Martin said. “We got ahead early in the home game and then they played us even for three quarters. At their place we were up eight at the half, then things just started flowing. But they’re a dangerous team and we’ll have to be on top of our game.”

The aim is to keep winning until they’re the last team standing.

“Last year was a really hard loss because we felt we could have won that game,” Dodge Davis said. “There was an intense motivation to get back to work, and two days later we were in the gym. We don’t want to fall short this year.”