The Bulldogs added two more losses to its record this past week, bringing the total record to 14-12 on the year at the end of regular season play.

Clinton County traveled to South Warren on Tuesday night and lost by a final of 60-53. Thursday night, Barren County came into The Castle for the final home game of the regular season.

The Dawgs held on close in the first half against the number two ranked team in the 4th Region, but came out in the second half and struggled from the floor. Clinton County lost the contest 64-48.

Clinton County – 48

Barren County – 64

During the beginning of Thursday night’s game against Barren County, the Dawgs came out ready for battle, scoring the first two points of the game from the foul line

Clinton County Head Coach Todd Messer picked up a technical foul early in the game which led to Barren County tying the score at 2-2 after the two free throws.

Barren County then went up by two points at the 5:40 mark, but Colin Langford tied the score on a field goal at 5:25.

Both teams went back and forth for the remainder of the quarter and when the first eight minutes of play was in the books, Barren County held on to a one point lead, 16-15.

The second quarter is when Clinton County begin to shine as Michael Collins hit back-to-back three pointers to put the Dawgs up by five, 21-16.

Langford hit two shots from the foul line for a 23-16 lead, but Barren County started chipping away and eventually tied the score at 23 with 3:25 on the clock.

Jackson Harlan came off the bench and added a spark to the Dawgs’, scoring seven first half points, two of which came at the 3:20 mark to give Clinton County a two point edge, 25-23.

Barren County tied the game at 25, but a three pointer by Harlan put Clinton County up three with just under two minutes remaining in the half, 28-25.

The Trojans cut the lead to one on two made foul shots, but Harlan extended the Dawgs’ lead to three on a field goal from the free throw line, 30-27.

Barren County was hard to keep off the foul line as the Trojans hit one more from the stripe to cut the lead to two points in the closing seconds.

As time was running out, Clinton County’s Brett Gibson hit a three pointer at the buzzer to send the Dawgs into the locker room with a five point lead, 33-28.

The second half was a much different story for the Bulldogs as Barren County came out fast and hard.

The Trojans started the third quarter on a tear with a 6-0 run to take a one point lead, 34-33. Gibson hit a three pointer at the 5:30 mark, but Barren County answered with four straight points for a 40-36 lead over the Dawgs.

At the 1:27 mark, Gibson hit another three pointer to cut the lead to one point, 40-39, but then the Trojans went on a 7-0 run to finish the quarter with an eight point lead, 47-39.

Barren County started the fourth quarter with another basket for a 10 point lead, but another three pointer by Collins, his fifth of the game, cut the lead to nine at the 7:15 mark, 51-42.

Another run by Barren County pretty much ended the game for the Dawgs as the Trojans put together an 8-0 run for a 59-42 lead.

Both teams finished the quarter, from the four minute mark on, with six points to bring the final score to 64-48, and the Dawgs’ 12th loss of the season.

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Collins 15

Langford 11

Harlan 10

Gibson 9

Summers 2

Smith 1

Clinton County – 53

South Warren – 60

The Bulldogs traveled to Bowling Green Tuesday night to take on the Spartans of South Warren.

Clinton County came out of the gate on fire and finished the quarter with a 21-10 lead. Twelve of Clinton County’s 21 first quarter points came from Gibson who hit four three pointers during the eight minute period.

Clinton County’s offense started to slow down somewhat in the second quarter, but the Dawgs held on to some of the lead they picked up in the first quarter.

During the final minutes of the second quarter, South Warren put together a 10-1 run to finish the half and cut the Dawgs’ lead to five points at halftime, 33-28.

The Dawgs continued to hold South Warren off in the third quarter, reaching a 10 point lead early in the period, but allowing South Warren to claw back into the game towards the end of the period, 46-41.

During the fourth quarter, South Warren opened the period with a three pointer to cut the lead to two points. Gibson hit a field goal to extend the lead to four, 48-44.

The Spartans started chipping away at the Bulldogs’ lead and at the 3:42 mark, South Warren took its first lead of the game, 52-51. South Warren hit another free throw to extend the lead to two points, but one of two from the line for Gibson cut the Spartans lead to one, 53-52.

Clinton County would finish the game by scoring only one more point where as South Warren put up seven to bring the game to the final score of, 60-53.

“I’m not happy with the loss, but I’m proud of my kids,” Messer said after the game “They kept coming to work everyday and they didn’t quit. They (South Warren) are one of the top five teams in the region.”

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Gibson 27

Smith 9

Harlan 8

Summers 6

Langford 3

Clinton County traveled to Russell County this week to start post season play. The Dawgs played Cumberland County on Tuesday night in the opening round of the 16th District Tournament (too late for press deadline).

The championship game of the district will be held on Friday night at Russell County.