Dragons outlast Patriots in thrilling road battle
Longtime Clinton High School boys’ basketball Coach Chris Lockard suggested that his team wasn’t in top form Saturday night, but the result was nothing short of dramatic.
The Dragons earned their way to a seventh- consecutive district championship game with a 55-49 victory over Union County in the District 4-AAA Tournament semifinals at Union County High School in Maynardville.
“We didn’t play our best against Union, but a lot of credit goes to them,” Lockard said after the Dragons notched their ninth-straight win.
“Union County did a really good job in the post,” he said. “We were on a roll and we had a long layoff, and Union County did a really good job guarding us. They always play tough on their home floor.”
As the top seed forced to battle on the road, Clinton had to overcome an eight-day layoff caused by inclement weather that pushed first-round games from Wednesday to Friday.
The team, which earned a bye as the No. 1 seed, faced a true test in a game marked by relentless defense and a highly contested tempo.
The battle was evenly matched from the opening tip-off, with the game tied at 10 after the first quarter and knotted at 22 each at halftime.
“I didn’t feel like we took control until the middle of the third,” Lockard said. “That was because we got some big points from Bryson Maddox.”
Maddox finished with 25 points, bolstered by sophomore point guard Camden Nelson’s playmaking.
“Camden was the one who was getting Bryson involved,” Lockard said. “We knew he could be a leader in the back court, because he’s always done it when we’ve needed him to. Now that’s his primary role.
“Camden also had a big game for us,” he said. “He had eight assists and he didn’t turn the ball over. He had a really good first half. He’s such a good teammate.”
Clinton broke the halftime tie with an 11-8 surge in the third, then ignited its offense in the final frame, scoring 22 points in the last eight minutes to seal the win.
Nelson added eight assists, six rebounds and 11 points, while Kaden Ison contributed nine points and nine boards.
The Dragons then set their sights on Tuesday’s district championship game against crosstown rival Anderson County, a matchup marking the third straight year between the foes. The two teams split the regular-season series, with Anderson County handing Clinton its only loss of the campaign.
Clinton, which shared the league’s regular-season crown with the Mavericks after claiming the No. 1 tournament seed via tie-breaker, will host its first-round Region 2-AAA Tournament game Saturday at 7 p.m.
