The Clinton Lady Red Devils reached one of their goals for the year by going one step further than last year and making it to the Upper State finals with an exciting 53-48 win over Seneca on Monday night at CHS.

The Bobcats brought their star, Kianna Holland averaging 32 points in playoff action, but she was not enough to stop the Red Devils by herself.

Gabby Bates got the Red Devils off to a good start as she scored six of the team’s twelve first quarter points. Bates scored four of the squad’s eight second period points. She had half of Clinton’s first half points, as they led the Bobcats 20-19.

Clinton opened the second half on a five point run to stretch the lead to six. Seneca managed to play even the remainder of the third quarter with each team scoring 13 points.

Teka Simpson, who drew the challenge of guarding the Bobcats junior guard for the night, managed to hold her to no baskets and three fouls shots, all in the final thirty seconds of the third quarter. The Red Devils finished the period ahead 38-32.

The fourth quarter saw Clinton stretch their lead to eleven at 43-32 with 5:18 left in the game on a Kiley Frazier three pointer. The Red Devils were still holding a nine point lead with 1:26 left in the game.

Seneca hit a basket and then got a steal off of their full court pressure and saw Zana Earle hit a three to cut the score to 50-46 with 54.6 seconds left in the game.

Seneca hit a basket to cut the Clinton lead to three, 51-48. Then with thirty-five seconds to go, Frazier hit a free throw to extend the Red Devils to a four point advantage.

After the Bobcats missed another shot, they fouled Dazia Rice with fifteen seconds left, who hit one of her two free throws to give Clinton the 53-48 edge. That was the final score of the game.

Seneca’s Holland finished with 21 to lead all scorers. Clara Boggs was the only other Bobcat in double digits with 10 points.  The Red Devils were led by Bates with 13, Simpson and Frazier with 11, and Ellie Tallman added eight.

“Teka (Simpson) did a great job on Holland and kept her out of her game,” an elated Coach Chris Wofford assessed. “These girls bought into the program and now it is paying off, as we are headed to the Bi-Lo Center.”

Clinton will travel to Greenville to the Bi-Lo Center on Saturday for the Upper State title. They will play Wade Hampton, who defeated Blue Ridge 64-53. The girl’s AAA game is scheduled to tip-off at 5:00pm. The game will be carried on WPCC 1410 AM.

Seneca: 12- 7- 13- 16=48

Clinton: 12- 8- 18- 15=53