By MONTE DUTTON

Clinton established clear Red Devil superiority in the first round of the Class 2A girls basketball playoff, blasting away at the Liberty version, 49-18, on Tuesday night for its 14th straight victory.

The second and fourth quarters were unkind to the visiting Devils, who scored two points in each.

Clinton (26-1) forced 32 turnovers, committing 17, and pulled swiftly away, leading by seven points after a quarter, 15 at halftime and 26 after three periods.

“One thing we always have to do is play tough,” Clinton head coach John Gardner said. “That’s important. It keeps you in the game even when shots aren’t falling. Getting turnovers, getting steals.

“It was good to get the first one under our belts. Sometimes the first one seems like the hardest one because you’re nervous. We knocked some rust off, and we’ll see how we end up.”

Kemaria Shelton scored nine of her 11 points in the opening half. All nine Clinton players who played scored: Mylayja Thompson (8), Nah’shia Wright (8), Allenson Cook (7), Anirah Hill (7), Emma Patterson (3), McKenzie Clark (2), Kyleigh Van Tassel (2) and Symiah Floyd (1).

Liberty (7-18) got eight points from Madison Henderson and six from Natalie White.

Clinton shot .339 (20/59) from the field and .750 (6/8) at the foul line. Liberty hit .243 (8/33) and .167 (1/6). Liberty won the rebounding battle, 38-31.

“We hadn’t played in a week,” Gardner said. “Out of school Friday and Monday. The schedule has been up and down, all the way back to the snow and ice. We haven’t had a rhythm, which is important this time of year.

“We missed some easy ones around the basket early, but we played good defense and really controlled the game.”

Monday/Tuesday turns to Friday/Saturday in the second round of the Class 2A basketball playoffs.

The Clinton boys (18-8) take on Saluda (16-7) on Friday evening at 6:30. The teams are tied for ninth in the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association state rankings.

The Clinton girls take on Ninety Six (20-3) at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats defeated Eau Claire, 60-34, on Tuesday,

Admission is $8 for both games.

Both games are at the CHS gymnasium.

Three Laurens County basketball players — Quinton Watts of Laurens High in Class 4A boys, Nyterian Smith of Clinton in 2A boys and Mylayja Thompson of Clinton in 2A girls – made the coaches’ all-state teams.

Rookie second baseman Hali Duke is the Big South Conference Freshman of the Week.

Eight games into her career at Presbyterian, Duke owns the second-highest batting average on PC’s roster (.391), which is also the best of any true freshman in the Big South.

Duke hit .429 in 14 plate appearances.

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