Pike Central Battles Through Physical Contest, Falls 65–50 to Gatlinburg-Pittman

1st Quarter: Gatlinburg-Pittman 18, Pike Central 15
2nd Quarter: Gatlinburg-Pittman 12, Pike Central 5
3rd Quarter: Gatlinburg-Pittman 20, Pike Central 17
4th Quarter: Gatlinburg-Pittman 15, Pike Central 13

The Pike Central Hawks spent the week following Christmas competing in the Smokey Mountain Christmas Tournament in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Pike Central opened tournament play against Gatlinburg-Pittman in a physical, fast-paced matchup.

The Hawks came out strong in the first quarter, keeping the game close behind the scoring of Owen Bowman, who poured in six of Pike Central’s 15 first-quarter points. Despite the early offensive push, the Hawks trailed 18–15 at the end of the opening period.

Pike Central struggled to find a rhythm offensively in the second quarter as Gatlinburg-Pittman turned up defensive pressure. The Hawks were limited to just five points in the period, while Pittman added 12, extending its lead to 30–18 at halftime.

In the second half, Pike Central showed resilience and continued to compete on both ends of the floor. The Hawks stayed within striking distance and matched Pittman’s physical play but were unable to close the gap. Despite several strong stretches, the deficit proved too much to overcome as Pike Central ultimately fell 65–50.

Bowman led the Hawks offensively with a team-high 15 points and also contributed 17 rebounds in the loss. The effort was enough to win him the Surplus Products Player of the Game honors. Pike Central displayed balanced effort throughout the lineup, battled on the boards, and competed defensively, but turnovers and scoring droughts at key moments swung momentum in Pittman’s favor.