By MONTE DUTTON

Clinton High knows what it’s up against as it attempts to nail down a state girls’ basketball championship.
At home for the third straight time in the Class 2A playoffs, John Gardner’s Red Devils defeated Region 3 rival Fairfield Central (11-12) for the third straight time, 40-30, and when the scene shifts to Florence Center next Tuesday for the Upstate title game, it’ll be more of the same.
All four of the Upstate finalists were from Region 3, which Clinton (23-5) championed. Eau Claire (17-8) advanced past Mid-Carolina (10-16) and takes on the Red Devils at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the 10,000-seat Pee Dee arena that is hosting the SCHSL semifinals and finals.

During the regular season, Clinton defeated the Shamrocks 36-28 and 34-31. The Devils won their regular-season games against Fairfield Central 40-23 and 39-18.
Bryanna Belton was the scrappiest of a team of Clinton players that epitomized the term, particularly in the second half. The senior scored 14 points, eight of them in the fourth quarter when she buried all four of her free-throw attempts.
“I yelled pretty good at halftime,” said Gardner, “just because we weren’t attacking them on the offensive glass. We weren’t being strong around the rim, and it showed in the first half.”

Things changed. Clinton outrebounded the Griffins, 20-11, in the second half.
“I challenged them, and it was the difference in the game,” Gardner added. “Most games we play, we need to be the tougher team, both mentally and physically, and I didn’t feel like we were in the first half.”
Ry’Daijia Mars and McKenzie Clark each added nine, Kemaria Shelton scored six and Mylayja Thompson chipped in two.

The Shamrocks led 15-13 at halftime but were outscored 12-7 in the third period and 15-8 in the fourth. Clinton dominated the boards, 39-25, and took 13 more shots (48-35). In their eighth consecutive win, the Red Devils only shot .333 (16/48) from the field, but Fairfield Central was even worse, .257 (9/35).
Jazz McMillan scored 18 of the Griffins’ 30 points. Ashlynn Pinkney scored six, and three others settled for two apiece.

Presbyterian walloped Le Moyne, 12-1, in Sunday’s concluding game of the baseball homestand.

Robbie Boykin (1-1) tossed five five shutout innings against the Dolphins, allowing just three hits. Boone Cartee struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth.
Jacob Crystal (0-2), rocked in 1-2/3 innings, took the loss.
The road has been thus far unkind to the Blue Hose, who fell, 4-2, to The Citadel on Tuesday in Charleston.

Eli Lazio doubled his season doubles with two, but PC fell to 4-4 after being unable to preserve a 2-1 lead in the second inning. The Citadel (4-4) scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh and won in spite of being outhit, 7-3. Left fielder T.J. Anderson collected two of the Bulldogs’ hits.
The second PC hurler, J.J. Harrell (0-1), took the loss while allowing two unearned runs. Zane Davis (1-1) turned in 2-2/3 shutout innings before yielding to Anthony Hausner for the save.

Presbyterian returns home this weekend for a four-game series against Eastern Michigan, beginning Friday at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, sophomore right-handed pitcher Jacob Fields was named Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week for a sparkling performance against Le Moyne last Friday.
Fields, from Kennesaw, Ga., is yet to allow a hit or a run in two appearances spanning 4-1/3 innings.
Words can ill express my appreciation for the assistance I’ve been getting from lifelong friends and acquaintances in regard to my recent health struggles. I am deeply touched at the concern of people I’ve known for most of my life.

The coming months will bring more change, and I don’t know yet what shape it will take.
From time to time, I have thought it a shame that people don’t often know what others think of them while they are alive. I’ve had a rough go of it recently, but I know that others respect, appreciate and support me.
Thanks for reading my stories, overlooking my flaws and indulging our differences.
My books, most of them fiction, are available at Amazon and on other bookseller sites. I’ve written two novels about stock-car racing, Lightning in a Bottle, and the sequel, Life Gets Complicated, both about fictional young driver Barrie Jarman.
Thanks for putting up with me.