Sports Extra: CHS pulls away late for playoff win over Tigers
Clinton senior Wil Stewart (12) scored 8 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as the Red Devils downed Southside Friday night to advance to the Class 3A Upper State semifinals. (File photo by John Clayton)
The Clinton High School boys basketball team advanced to the Class 3A Upper State semifinals Friday night with a 64-56 victory over visiting Southside.
The Red Devils will host Travelers Rest Monday night in the semifinals. The Region 3-3A champion Devildogs defeated Powdersville Friday night to advance.
Tushawn Richardson led the Red Devils with 19 points and Wil Stewart scored 8 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as Clinton pulled away over the final three minutes of the game.
Richardson hit a short jumper with 3:08 to play to put the Red Devils up 49-48, and they led the rest of the way, ending the game with a 16-8 run.
The Tigers (15-11) led by as many as 10 points early in the second quarter, taking a 23-13 lead before Clinton stormed back to tie the game at 23-23 with 2:05 left in the first half.
A’Javeon Young’s three-point play to open the third quarter put Southside ahead 30-25, but the Red Devils answered with a 10-2 run to end the quarter, taking a 38-32 lead into the fourth.
Southside combo guard George Crossman, who has scholarship offers from Charleston Southern, William Peace, and Brevard among others, hit four of his eight 3-pointers on the night over the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to give Southside a 45-40 lead.
Crossman finished with a game-high 26 points.
But the Red Devils found themselves in the bonus with 4:18 left in the game and hit 9 of 14 free-throw attempts in the high-scoring final period as they fought back to take the lead for good. The two teams combined for 50 points in the fourth quarter.
Game Notes: Senior Tylon Scurry missed Friday night’s playoff game due to a concussion he suffered in Wednesday night’s win over Broome. His status for Monday’s game against Travelers Rest is unknown. . . . Scurry’s absence opened the door for sophomore Devin Swindler, who was called up from JV to varsity after the holiday break. Swindler scored 10 points off the bench and was the only Red Devil beyond the starting five to see minutes against Southside as head coach Eddie Romines shortened his rotation.
Red Devils eliminated in opening round
The Clinton girls basketball team was ousted in the opening round of the Class 3A state playoffs Thursday night at Travelers Rest, losing to the Devil Dogs 51-33.
The Red Devils (17-5) got off to a slow start and never completely recovered. They were held to just 2 points in the first quarter. A fourth-quarter rally fell short as Travelers Rest recovered and pulled away after Clinton cut the Devildog lead to 6 points. The Devil Dogs (13-11) led 35-17 after three quarters.
Aleana Hardin led three Travelers Rest scorers in double figures with a game-high 18 points.
Mylayja Thompson scored 17 points to lead Clinton, which ended its season with a 13-10 record.
“Proud of this group and the effort they have put in through adversity,” said Clinton head coach John Gardner of his team’s injury-riddled season.
Blue Hose Notes: PC downed late by Hoyas in opener
The Presbyterian College baseball team opened its season Friday in Cary, North Carolina with a neutral-site 4-3 loss to Georgetown. The Hoyas (1-0) touched up PC’s bullpen for four runs over the final two innings, tying the game with a 3-run eighth inning and getting an unearned game-winning run in the ninth. PC took a 3-0 lead with a three-run third behind a two-run double from lead-off hitter Jay Wetherington, who later scored on an RBI single from Dalton Reeves. The two teams meet again Saturday in Cary at the USA Baseball National Training Center. . . . The PC softball team ran its record to 5-0 on the season Friday with a home 6-3 victory over IUPUI. Senior pitcher Jenna Greene (3-0) scattered eight hits and three runs over seven innings of work in the circle for the Blue Hose. Layna Johnson hit a two-run single and later scored as part of a four-run fourth inning for PC. DH Bailey Watkins went 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored, and Kendall Owens collected two hits with a run scored for PC, which hosts Seton Hall Saturday at 2:30 p.m. . . . The PC women’s basketball team tips off against Campbell at 2 p.m. Saturday at Temptleton Center. The Blue Hose men will attempt to end a 14-game Big South Conference losing streak at Campbell Saturday at 2 p.m.
