Wade Hampton's Jay Anderson sank a free throw with just over one second remaining in the game to give the Generals a 59-58 win over the Clinton Red Devils in AAA playoff action on Friday night at Clinton High School.

Clinton came into the game against the defending AAA state champions and did not flinch. They went toe to toe with the Generals for the first 31 minutes and controlled the game and scoreboard most of the way.

The Red Devils got several chances down the stretch when Wade Hampton missed the front end of three one and ones. However, the Red Devils could not capitalize when it counted and watched Anderson sink the game winner with 1.1 seconds on the clock.

Clinton scored the first six points of the game and Wade Hampton scored the next eight. The game was tied at eight, then twelve, before Clinton went up 16-12 and held onto a 19-18 edge after one quarter.

Clinton pulled away in the second period behind six points by Keenan Caldwell and five by Jerome Wimphrie. The Red Devils outscored the Generals by a score of 17-9 during the span to take a nine point halftime advantage.

The third quarter was nip and tuck as Wade Hampton cut a point off of the Red Devils lead. The Generals one upped Clinton 16-15 to reduce the Red Devil lead to eight with eight minutes to go.

Wade Hampton started whittling away at the Red Devil lead and went up 58-56 on a Brian Steele three pointer with 1:28 to go in the game. Clinton had several chances to tie the game down the stretch but could not finish, missing two foul shots that could have tied the game.

A turnover sent the Red Devils, who only had two fouls in the half, into foul mode. After five fouls to get Wade Hampton to the foul line, the Generals missed the front end of three one and ones.

Clinton was able to get down the court and get a tap in with 7.5 seconds left in the game to tie the score at 58-58. After a time out, Wade Hampton was able to break away and get the ball inside where the Red Devils fouled with 1.1 second on the clock. Anderson hit the first of his two shots to seal the win for the Generals 59-58.

“They (Wade Hampton) got too many shots tonight and we had too many turnovers late. Free throws beat us tonight,” Coach Todd Frazier summed up his teams play. “They (Clinton) have nothing to hang our heads over. Our seniors gave it their all tonight.”

The loss ended the Red Devils season with a record of 16-10 and 8-0 in region play.

Wade Hampton:18- 9-16-16=59

Clinton High :19-17-15- 7=58

(photo courtesy of Clay Webb)