6A Playoffs: Clinton survives second-round scare from Center Hill in 48-45 thriller
CLINTON — A win is a win — especially in the playoffs — but Clinton’s 48-45 second-round win over Center Hill Saturday was much closer than the reigning 6A champions would have liked.
The Arrows (20-4) got by the Mustangs (17-11) after letting a seven-point lead all but disappear in the final two minutes. Allen Hughes hit a free throw to secure the three-point lead, and Center Hill’s Jhamal Ross’s potential game-tying shot caught glass and rim, but no net.
“We kind of got comfortable after we got the lead late,” Clinton coach Leonard Taylor said. “But we’ve got experience being in these kinds of close games, and I really trusted all five guys on the floor to do their job there at the end, and we pulled it out.”
The Arrows will face Southaven next weekend in the third round of the MHSAA 6A Tournament with a trip to the Mississippi Coliseum up for grabs. The Chargers beat Starkville 65-64 at home Saturday.
MORE: Check out the Boys MHSAA 6A Tournament Bracket here
Clinton may not be the team that stormed through the 6A Playoffs on the way to the state title a year ago, but they showed Saturday they’ve still got a little of gas in the tank.
The two teams played to a 10-10 tie in the first quarter before the Arrows started getting separation in the second. Senior Jaylon Davis scored eight of his 12 points in the second quarter and the Clinton defense buckled down to build a 23-17 halftime lead.
The second half was a defensive grind. Clinton started stretching possessions in the third quarter while playing with the lead, baiting Center Hill defenders into guarding them closer on the outside.
Center Hill took advantage of small mistakes early and got a couple of solid defensive stops. Mustangs forward Kaison Saunders scored the first three buckets of the second half and just like that, Center Hill had tied the game at 25-25.
Hughes got it going with a bucket to regain the lead, and Clinton junior Tyler Nichols drilled a three-pointer from the corner to give the Arrows a little cushion. Hughes hit a floater going on the last play of the quarter to give Clinton the 34-28 lead going into the fourth.
Center Hill wasn’t done — trailing 47-39 late, senior Tanner Burcham scored back-to-back buckets, and Malachi Stansfield went coast-to-coast for a layup to cut the Clinton lead to 47-45 with 23 seconds left on the clock.
That’s as close as the Mustangs got.
“We are leaving here with the best feeling we could possibly take home without winning the ball game,” Mustang coach Daniel Forbes said. “We had our opportunities, but I was really proud of how our guys fought until the last buzzer.”
Hughes led the Arrows with 19 points, and Davis scored 12. Mississippi State signee Kimani Hamilton scored seven, but contributed in a big way on the defensive side with several huge second-half blocks.
“This year is definitely a lot different than last year’s playoff run,” Hughes said. “It feels different, for sure. Last year was easy compared to this. The seniors this year who were juniors last year are having to step up.”
