Clinton Slips Past Pioneers

SPARTANBURG, SC- SMC jumped out to a 10-1 lead in its first five minutes Wednesday night against Clinton Junior College but failed to maintain momentum down the stretch and lost 65-62.

The Pioneers, playing without CJ Gleaton (Pendleton HS) and DJ Brown ( Wren HS), due to injuries, turned to the bench and received strong starts from Michael Lowe (Greenwood HS) and Desmond Haygood (Lake City HS) who scored 13 of the Pioneers first 19 points. 

The Pioneers went to locker room with a 31-21 lead at halftime.

Clinton opened up the first half on fire and quickly closed the the gap, 31-29 at the 18- minute mark.  The Pioneers responded and kept the lead until 4:00 left in the game when Clinton took its first lead of the game, 58-56.

The Pioneers never regained the lead and DJ Glover (Calhoun County HS) missed a last-second shot to send the game in to overtime.

Tim Budd (Fort Dorchester HS) led the Pioneers in scoring with 14 points and Jonathan Jones (Timmonsville HS) chipped in 13.

The Pioneers (13-6, 1-3) host Erskine College JV Thursday at 7 pm in Bridges Arena.

Spartanburg Methodist College has 14 intercollegiate teams that compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which includes colleges in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The College is in its 100th academic year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.
 
For more information please contact athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.