The Dark Horses’ junior varsity boys and varsity girls both delivered emphatic wins at home, keeping their undefeated seasons alive deep into the final stretch of the regular season. Clinton’s varsity boys nearly joined them, falling just short in a heartbreaking 60-59 double-overtime loss.
The JV boys set the tone early, rolling to a 48-18 win to improve to 16-0, while the Lady Dark Horses followed with a dominant 57-15 victory, pushing their record to 20-0 and triggering a running clock early in the fourth quarter.
Only the varsity boys’ narrow setback kept Clinton from sweeping the night — but the story remained centered on two programs still chasing perfection.
JV boys
For Clinton JV head coach Roland Thompson, the record is impressive — but the urgency hasn’t faded.
“With where we are now, everything matters,” Thompson explained. “Every possession, every loose ball, everything matters more than anything tonight because if anything would mess up our goal by the end of the season, it would be nights like this.”
Despite injuries and lineup adjustments throughout the year, Thompson said his team’s ability to adapt has been critical to staying unbeaten.
“We still been able to finish the job, but we always had to adjust,” he noted. “Even last night, one of our starters wasn’t able to start. That’s just part of it.”
What concerns Thompson most, however, has little to do with X’s and O’s.
“It’s not injuries now — it’s behavior,” he said. “Things they can control. What you do off the court is very important. Character, maturity — that’s what keeps us from having to adjust.”
Thompson emphasized that message again Monday morning, reminding his players that preparation doesn’t stop at the gym door.
“If they do their job for eight hours at school, we get to finish our job that evening,” he said.
Beyond the wins, Thompson views this season as a cultural foundation for Clinton basketball.
“We want them to embrace winning,” he said. “This is the culture you want to take forward with you — we don’t lose. Same thing we do on the court, we expect them to do in life.”
Varsity girls
The Lady Dark Horses’ dominance continued with another lopsided result, but head coach Chris Owens remains intent on keeping his team grounded as the finish line approaches.
“Yes, it’s sitting in,” Owens admitted. “But we still take it one game at a time. With two games left, the focus has to stay there.”
Monday’s win came on the eve of senior night — a moment Owens wants his team to fully appreciate, while still staying locked in.
“This is a special night for our seniors and their families,” he said. “But we take care of business first.”
Owens made sure to give his veteran leaders their due, pointing to a senior class that has shaped the program from the ground up.
“They’ve been part of our program since seventh grade,” Owens said. “Ciara Stewart, Janiya Mosey, Jayla Pickett — they’re three-year starters. Then Daniyah Coxum, Kimberly Evans, Takayla Cowen, and our team manager Gianna Smith — all of them accepted their roles. That’s why we’re 20-0.”
Their influence, he added, extends beyond the scoreboard.
“They set the example on and off the court,” Owens explained. “We preach academics. They’re student-athletes first, and the younger girls see that every day.”
As for what an undefeated season would mean?
“It would mean a lot — to the program, to our coaches, and to these young ladies,” Owens said. “Even my state championship team went 30-2. To do this would represent doing things the right way.”
While the varsity boys’ double-overtime loss denied Clinton a full sweep, the broader picture remained clear.
Two Clinton programs are still standing unbeaten.
Two groups remain locked in on the details.
And as the regular season winds down, the Dark Horses’ pursuit of perfection continues — not fueled by hype, but by discipline, culture, and purpose.