Clinton shakes off loss, routs Happy Valley 64-43
Clinton High School’s boys basketball team tipped off its 2025-26 campaign late last week with a Hall of Fame doubleheader at Elizabethton High School, earning a split on opening night.
The Dragons opened Thursday, Nov. 20, with a 66-52 loss to David Crockett. Clinton, one of the program’s deepest and most experienced squads in recent years, found itself in early foul trouble and never fully recovered.
“The Crockett game really kind of got away from us,” longtime CHS coach Chris Lockard said. “We got into early foul trouble, and they’re a really good team. This was a wake-up call for us. We didn’t make enough plays.”
Lockard credited the Pioneers for dictating the pace and disrupting Clinton’s rhythm.
“Crockett is really good and they played extremely hard,” he said.
Bryson Maddox scored 18 points in the opener, while Eli Slaven added 15.
Clinton regrouped quickly and responded with a convincing 64-43 victory over Happy Valley in the nightcap. Lockard said he was encouraged by the team’s resolve following the afternoon setback.
“We had a tough game, and then we turned around a couple of hours later,” he said. “I liked the way we bounced back. We got up big and did a good job. We proved we could recover.”
The Dragons built a lead that stretched to 28 points. Jaxson Alcorn powered the win with 23 points and seven rebounds as he controlled the paint. Maddox added 20 in the bounce-back performance.