Trailing by double digits for most of the game, the DeKalb County Tigers almost gave Coach John Sanders a historic come from behind win to begin his era in Smithville. However, the hole dug early in the game proved to be too deep as the Tigers fell on opening night to Pickett County, 52-49.

It appeared a blowout may be on the horizon the first as a tenacious Panther press never allowed the Tigers to get into an offensive flow in the opening frame, the home team managing just nine first quarter points, six of those coming from Hayden Thomas who had nine on the night.

In a 17-9 hole after one, the Tigers still couldn’t find their bearings in the second, the Pickett press not allowing their shooters to get going, leading to only six DeKalb points in the second. The result was a 26-15 half-time deficit, the Tigers’ only redeeming point being a strong defensive period that held the visitors to nine in the second.

The Tigers finally got going in the third behind Dallas Cook who had six of his game high 12. He was joined in the offensive surge by Dakota White who had four of his game total six and Braydon Howard who had four of his game total nine in the third stanza, cutting the lead to a mere two points going into the fourth.

Down 36-34, the Tigers were actually able to draw even thanks to a hot quarter by Nathan Atkins who scored seven in the final frame, he and Cook leading all scorers on the night. Unfortunately for the Tigers and the home crowd who had gotten loud as they watched the improbable DeKalb come back, the Panthers had one last run left in them thanks to seven from Zack Amonott and four from Parker Gore in the waning moments of the game. It was just enough to hold on to the three point win, denying the Tigers vengeance for their 63-44 loss to Pickett last season.

Cook and Atkins led the Tigers with 12 joined by Haydon Thomas with nine, Dakota White and Braydon Howard, both with six, and John Carlton and Evan Jones, both with two.