JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
Clinton came into Moweaqua on Thursday night for Central A&M;'s finalregular season game and the Raiders handled the would-be upset like a well-oiled machine, winning 60-41.
The Raiders had three players in double figures led the team with a balanced attack, while only the raider defense only allowed one maroon in double digits. Shootist Carissa Burge had a team-high 12 points, including a trey hat trick and picked Cltinon for five steals. Post, 1000-point star, Shelby Jackson followed with eleven points (1 trey) and a team-high nine rebounds. Sophomore down low presence Janie Howse scored ten points. Clinton was led by Madi Bevins with 14 points.
A&M; lit up things from the arc early and went out to a 6-point lead. Burge made all three of her 3-pointers in thefirst 8:00. Jackson stepped out for a three to open her scoring, then hit a deuce. Backside post Aly Dial added a two for 16 points. Clinton had three twos and a 3-pointer and 1-of-2 foul shooting to fall behind, 16-10.
The Raiders came out in the second frame and repeated the margin from the first. However, A&M; had six players score. Howse had a pair of twos and 1-of-2 free throws. Lyndi Minott had a trey and Taylor Adcock, Jackson, Amanda Collins and Dial made solo twos. Clinton got another trey from Bevins, two twos from Alicia Mitchell and a two from megan Matthews, but had fallen behind by 13 at the break, 32-19.
Clinton trimmed the lead in the third, as the Raiders allowed two more Bevins treys. Broklyn Gregory scored twice and Matthews and Hannah Holt scored for 14 points. A&M; got 13 points from two mores scores down low from Howse, andother trey from Minott and solo twos from Dial, Burge and Allie Heaton. Heading into crunch time, A&M; still led by 12, 45-33.
A&M; got a two from Jackson and a triple from Minott and Clinton had to foul to try and slow the clock. They sent A&M; to the line seven times in the final frame and A&M; made 10-of-14. Jackson and Genny Stringer made 2-of-2, Madison Renfro, Burge, Dial and Howse each made 1-of-2. Clinton also had just two field goals late. However, they only went to the line three times, making 4-of-6, to finish 19 points back at the buzzer.
Central A&M; JV also won, 30-27. The Raider varsity (13-13, 6-5 Okaw) play in the Sullivan 1A Regional on Thursday.
Central A&M; 60, Clinton 41
A&M; 16-16-13-15—60
Clinton 10-1-14-8—41
A&M; stats: Burge 12 (1-2, 3-3 pt FGs, 1/2 FTs), 2 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists; Jackson 11 (3-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 2/4 FTs), 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 5 assists, 1 block; Howse 10 (4 FGs, 2/4 FTs), 3 rebounds, 2 steals; Minott 9 (3-3 pt FGs), 1 rebound, 2 steals, 4 assists; Dial 7 (3 FGs, 1/2 FTs), 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 assist; Heaton 4 (FG, 2/2 FTs), 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 assist; Adcock 2 (FG), 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist; Collins 2 (FG, 0/2 FTs); Stringer 2 (2/2 FTs), 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block; Renfro 1 (1/2 FTs). Team FGs 21 (7-3 pt: Burge 3, Minott 3, Jackson 1). Team FTs 11-of-20.
Clinton stats: Bevins 14 (4-3 pt FGs, 2/4 FTs), Gregory 8 (4 FGs, 0/2 FTs), Mitchell 6 (2 FGs, 2/3 FTs), Holt 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Matthews 4 (2 FGs), Hickman 2 (FG, 0/2 FTs), Miller 2 (FG). Team FGs 16 (4-3 pt; Bevins 4). Team FTs 5-of-13.
