Clinton slips past Anderson County, 44-42
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Clinton’s Tristian Lundy secures a defensive rebound in traffic during the Dragons’ home matchup with Anderson County. Lundy finished with 13 points in the contest. - Tony Cox
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Clinton’s Jaxson Alcorn drives toward the basket during the Dragons’ rivalry game against Anderson County on Friday, Jan. 9. - Tony Cox
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Anderson County’s Reese Russell pulls down an offensive rebound between Clinton defenders on Friday night. Russell finished with six points. - Tony Cox
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A packed, hot and humid Don W. Lockard Gymnasi- um provided the backdrop for Friday night’s rivalry showdown between Clin- ton and Anderson County. “It was a grind-it-out game and very much a tourna- ment-type game,” Clinton Coach Chris Lockard said. “Anytime we play them, it’s going to be tough. It’s a rivalry game.” Clinton narrowly won the matchup, 44-42. - Tony Cox
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Clinton’s Bryson Maddox drives the ball to the top of the arc during the Dragons’ rivalry matchup against Anderson County on Jan. 9. Maddox scored a game-high 21 points in the first meeting between the two teams during the 2025- 26 season. The Dragons and Mavericks will meet again Feb. 6 at Anderson County High School. - Tony Cox
Anytime the Clinton Dragons and Anderson County Mavericks tangle on the hardwood, the intensity is high.
Friday night was no exception.
Clinton survived a down-to-the-wire finish to notch a 44-42 District 4-AAA victory at Don W. Lockard Gymnasium.
The game wasn’t decided until the final seconds, when Anderson County’s Cam Lawson missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
Dragons veteran Coach Chris Lockard said the game unfolded much as he expected between two teams that have met in the district tournament championship game each of the past three seasons, with Anderson County winning all three. The rivals also shared the district’s regular-season title last year.
“It was a grind-it-out game and very much a tournament-type game,” Lockard said. “Anytime we play them, it’s going to be tough. It’s a rivalry game.
“I think the advantages go out the window in those situations. We’ve had two double-overtime games and a couple of single-overtime games, and I felt like we didn’t panic. We were prepared for that.”
Clinton (13-5, 2-0 District 4-AAA) held control for much of the night, taking a 12-10 lead after one quarter and extending it to 26-21 at halftime. Anderson County (5-10, 1-1) battled back after the break and outscored the Dragons in the second half, but could not complete the comeback.
The Mavericks have dealt with inexperience early in the season but opened district play Tuesday, Jan. 6, with a 60-58 win over Scott, snapping a lengthy losing streak.
Even in defeat, Anderson County Coach Jordan Jeffers praised his young team’s effort.
“There’s a lot of disappointment in our locker room,” Jeffers said. “Nobody wants to lose. We don’t believe in moral victories, but these kids are warriors.
“This wasn’t just a typical Clinton team. This is a very good Chris Lockard-coached team. We had a chance to win at the end, and that’s what we want every night. We got a good look, and I thought it was going in.”
It didn’t, and Clinton celebrated another hard-fought win in the longtime rivalry.
Bryson Maddox led the Dragons with 16 points, while Tristian Lundy added 13. Maddox recently scored 57 points against Harriman.
Lawson paced Anderson County with 12 points, and was the only Maverick in double figures. Landry Sharp scored nine, Colton Lawson had eight, and Reese Russell finished with six.
Clinton entered the game off a 76-48 district-opening win over Union County on Tuesday, Jan. 6, in Maynardville. Maddox scored 21 points in that contest, Lundy added 15, and Jaxson Alcorn finished with 10 in his return to the lineup.
