By MONTE DUTTON

The National Basketball Association, which I discover each year at this time, is fun. My way of watching may be a bit unconventional.

For great stretches of time, I pay little attention because I am writing, editing, laying out and dickering with photos. I can get lost in these activities.

I try to take a break for crucial stretches.

On Monday night, the Knicks beat the 76ers and the Nuggets beat the Lakers on buzzer beaters back to back. LA once led by 20 points in the third quarter of the former game, which was late at night.

It never happened.

I was through with the work, Denver was coming back, and I kept thinking, Okay, if the Lakers get 15 points ahead again, I’m going to bed. Then, Twelve points and I’m hitting the sack. … Eight points, I swear …

The NBA doesn’t seem like the same game during the regular season. Then again, this could be because I rarely watch it.

At this moment, Miami has pulled 10 points ahead of heavily favored Boston. Uh, oh. Here it goes again.

Laurens already had the Region 2-4A and the Laurens County baseball titles in its possession. Wednesday night’s 10-2 victory over visiting Midland Valley gave the Raiders a 20-win season.

And to win 20 games, they scored 10 runs.

Laurens (20-6) was not without its flaws, but nuance was unimportant in a power display. Half the Raiders’ six hits went for extra bases.

Midland Valley (15-11) broke on top with an unearned run in the top of the first inning, and the Mustangs’ starter, Landon Johnson, retired the Raiders in order in the first two innings.

Laurens’ first baserunner was catcher Coleman Coker, who walked to lead off the third innings. Zee Williams courtesy-ran for Coker and scored on Owen Pridgen’s ringing double. Jireh Brown singled. Two more scored on an error on Zay Pulley’s grounder to short. The fourth run scored on yet another error, this one at third base.

Pulley launched a two-run homer to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Each team committed three errors.

Ben Willis shouldered the pitching load, motoring through six innings with 75 pitches (52 were strikes), a walk, a hit batter and six strikeouts.

Johnson (L) threw almost as many pitches in four innings. Threes were wild in his pitching line; three hits, three earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts.

Third baseman Landon Stringer was the only Mustang with two hits. Kam Langley had a double.

Laurens hosts a Class 4A playoff game on Monday.

A barrage of doubles fueled Presbyterian’s attack in an 8-3 victory over Georgia State at Elton Pollock Field on Wednesday.

Center fielder Joel Dragoo fired off a fierce fusillade of his own, belting his 11^th home run, a single and two doubles (his 17^th and 18^th) as the Blue Hose put an end to a four-game a four-game skid.

The Blue Hose never trailed after scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning and led from the third on.

For all those hits, Dragoo drove in only the run from the homer. The shortstop batting above him in the order, Brody Fahr, both scored and drove in three, going 2/4 with a triple.

Right fielder Jay Wetherington also was 2/4 at the plate with a double. First baseman Evan Cuervo also laced a double.

Right fielder JoJo Jackson got the Panthers (21-20) on the board with a two-run homer in the second inning. Jackson, in fact, drove in all three Georgia State runs and went 2/4.

Both teams amply provided reinforcements on the hill. Tristan McGregor (W, 4-3) struck out five while forging on for four innings. Yachiel Saint, Tanner Smith, Kyle Mueller and Sean Hollister followed.

The first man on the mound was also the decision maker for the Panthers. Quin McMammon (L,1-2) went five and gave up four runs, two earned. Four more hurlers also oiled for Georgia State.

Presbyterian (20-21, 10-5) now gets ready for a Big South series of import as USC Upstate (27-14, 12-3), the conference leader, visits Clinton for games on Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (4) and Sunday (2).

Take a look at the box here.

Former Clinton High cheerleading coach Tia McFadden has been named to that position at Furman University.
A native of Florence, McFadden has spent the last year as varsity cheerleading coach at Dorman High School in Roebuck. Prior to that, she was at Clinton, where she created the school’s first competitive cheerleading team in 2020. She began her coaching career in 2017 at Clinton as the junior varsity cheerleading coach before taking over the program.

McFadden was a cheerleader at Lander University in Greenwood.  In her last season, the team placed third in the nation in the Intermediate All Girl Division II finals at the NCA College National Championship. McFadden has worked as a staff instructor for the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) since 2017.
Joshua Hughes of LDHS signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Erskine College in Due West.

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