CLINTON —
The Clinton High School boys’ basketball team started second-quarter play holding a 9-7 edge against the Assumption Knights from Davenport but couldn’t maintain its start falling behind 29-17 at halftime. Coach Nick Lawrence’s River Kings were outscored 44-25 during second-half action and dropped a 73-42 Mississippi Athletic Conference game to the league-leading Knights.
Assumption ran its unbeaten conference mark to 12-0 while going to 14-3 overall. Clinton dropped to 0-12 in league play, having lost 28 consecutive MAC games, and are 1-16 overall.
“I was happy with way we started tonight, leading going into the second quarter,” Lawrence said. “We were active on defense and patient on offense. As the game progressed, we were in foul trouble and had to go to the bench sooner than I had hoped. (Billy) Daniel (6-5 junior forward) went play after play with excellent effort. After they took the lead we were unable to come back.
“We knew going into the game Assumption always gave their best. In the fourth quarter our guys looked tired. That’s when you suck it up and fight. We gave them multiple second-, third- and fourth-shot opportunities, they were relentless and did a solid job on the boards.”
Assumption Coach Joe Barrer said, “We played pretty well tonight. We were a little bit sluggish on defense which led to fouls early and struggled on rebounding. We were better off in the second half. We got into a rhythm with Daniel, and 6-2 junior guard Nick Schebler played well both on offense and defense helping us build a lead.”
Jalen Jones put the River Kings in front 4-0 with a pair of short jumpers. After Daniel made his only basket of the first period, Jones stuffed in a rebound pushing Clinton ahead 6-2. Derek Fulton had a free throw and added a layup cutting the lead to one, 6-5. Schebler gave the Knights their only first-period lead, 7-6, with two minutes before the end of the quarter. Tyler Thacker made the first of four 3-point field goals from the northwest corner of Yourd Gymnasium for the River Kings’ 9-7 lead.
Peter Finn arched in a 3-pointer for a 10-9 Assumption lead, but Thacker answered in turn with his second 3-pointer. Jones stole the ball and carried it back from the center of the court putting up a layup for a 14-10 River King advantage. That’s when the wheels started falling off the cart with Clinton giving up nine unanswered points as the Knights moved in front, 19-14.
A basket by Finn and a pair by Schebler gave the visitors a 16-14 lead, a lead they held on to the rest of the game. Jones gave Clinton an old-fashioned three-point play with a field goal and free throw to cut the lead to 19-17, but that was as close as the River Kings got.
Daniel collected 28 points for game scoring honors with 13 field goals, several of them left-handed hook shots along the baseline, and a pair of charity tosses. Schebler added 11 points.
Thacker was the only River King in double figures with 16 points.
Sports
Knights roll over River Kings
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