By MONTE DUTTON

So far, so good. Girls’ basketball at Clinton High School is first in war, first in peace and first in Class 2A, according to the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association.

The Red Devils, led by head coach John Gardner, improved to 9-0 with victories over Belton-Honea Path, 46-34, on Thursday night and Union County, 61-35, on Friday. Clinton has averaged 54.4 points, 20 more than its opponents, in victories over Union (55-32 and 61-35), High Point Academy (62-25), Nation Ford (60-45), Chapman (35-32), BHP (61-21 and 46-34), Emerald (63-3) and Newberry (47-23).

Allenson Cook leads the team with an average of 11.0 points per game, followed by Emma Patterson at 10.8. McKenzie Clark averages 6.0 rebounds, and Mylayja Thompson is handing out an average of 6.1 assists.

The Red Devils take an encore visit to Newberry on Monday and at Laurens on Friday. The Raiders come to Clinton on Monday, Dec. 22.

“We’re still working on consistency,” Gardner said. “Sometimes we look really, really good, and sometimes it’s ‘what are we doing?’ That’s part of the early-season things we try to figure out.

“We’ve played [nine] games, which is more than most teams have played. It’s been hard to get practice time. I’m proud of the way they’re developing and trying to get better every day.”

The Clinton boys (3-3) are off to a slower start, which is hardly unusual given that the Red Devils are still building a roster liberally spiced with players moving over from the 9-4 football team.

The Red Devils, coached by Dontavius Glenn, edged BHP, 56-53, and sailed past Union County, 62-30.

Clinton scored the winning basket against the Bears with three seconds on the clock. Nyterian Smith led Clinton with 18 points, followed by Zy Butler with 16.

Clinton fell short in its quest for a second straight football state title, but a Clintonian didn’t.

Two, in fact.

Andrew Webb led Strom Thurmond of Johnston to the 2A crown with a 26-7 victory over Hampton County. Webb was Clinton’s head coach in 2015-18, compiling a record of 14-28. Scott King coached the Red Devils to a 21-34 record in 2010-14. King has been on Webb’s Thurmond staff for the past two years.

In Clinton High history, the only natives of the town to serve as head coach are Taylor Martin (1941, 2-7-1), “Choce” Burnett (1952, 4-6), Andy Bee Young (1993-2009, 154-61), King and Webb.

Clinton running back Javen Cook and defensive back Chris Boyd played for the North team in the Touchstone Energy Bowl on Saturday in Myrtle Beach, as did Laurens kicker Brock Franklin.

Clinton head coach Corey Fountain was on the coaching staff.

Presbyterian College honors its 10-2 football team on Monday afternoon at 3 in Templeton Center.

Head coach Steve Englehart will speak at the meeting, along with president Anita Gustavson and athletics director Dee Nichols.

Seventh-year PC lacrosse head coach Eric Clakeley has released the program’s upcoming schedule, set for 17 games and beginning on Sunday, Feb. 6.

Clakeley, PC’s head coach since 2020, will send his troops to Coastal Carolina for the season-opener in just under two months. The Blue Hose play nine non-conference bouts before competing against each of the eight Big South clubs.

The Blue Hose will make their home debut on Sunday, Feb. 15 versus Le Moyne. PC will suit up at Bailey Memorial Stadium nine times this spring, including four league meetings on their home turf.

Take a look at the schedule here.

The Blue Hose acrobatics & tumbling program and head coach Kara Christian released its schedule, highlighted by three home meets at Templeton Center.

The schedule opens with the Templeton Takeover on Jan. 30.

The season Blue Hose play a tri-meet at Missouri State on Feb. 13. Augustana is the other team in the tri-meet. The Blue Hose remain on the road at Saint Leo on Feb. 22. 

Take a look at the schedule here.

Tickets for the Air Force Reserve Big South Basketball Championships at Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tenn., are now on sale online atwww.BigSouthSports.com/Tickets. 

Full ticket booklets for both general admission and courtside seating cover all 16 games over nine sessions for the March 4-8, 2026, tournament. Starting Feb. 2, single-session tickets and group sales will begin.

 Courtside booklets can be purchased for $625 (full) or $325 (men’s or women’s) through Feb. 1, and includes a free Championship T-Shirt. Starting Feb. 2, courtside books will cost $650 (full) and $350 (men’s or women’s).

General admission booklets are available for $250, as well as separate men’s and women’s booklets for the respective eight games and five sessions at $150.

 On Feb. 2, single-session tickets and group sales will begin, and feature courtside seats for $75, general admission seats for $35, and local groups of 15-plus for $15.  Tickets for Big South student and students age 17 and under will cost $10 with a valid student ID, while kids 2 and under will be free. Ticket prices include all fees and parking.

 A single-session will be comprised of two games, while the March 8 championship games will be individual sessions.

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