Still working on a learning curve, the young Clinton County Lady Bulldogs made back to back trips to neighboring Russell County High School last Friday and Saturday to play in the Banker’s Tip-Off Classic.

Clinton County lost both games in the Classic, giving up a 66-41 decision on Friday at the hands of a 12th Region opponent, the Lady Lions of Garrard County, followed by a 55-41 loss on Saturday to the 13th Region’s Knox Central Lady Panthers.

The two weekend losses sent Clinton County into its second week of this still young 2011-12 season with a 0-3 record.

Clinton County 41

Garrard County 66

In Friday’s contest, the Lady Bulldogs fell behind early and were simply out run and out-gunned throughout the night.

Clinton County leaned hard on the offensive talents of senior Breonia Thurman, who at one point early in the second half, had 18 of the Lady Bulldogs’ 24 points.

Thurman finished the night with 21 points while Alex Beard added a double-digit 10 point effort.

After trailing 29-14 at the close of the opening quarter, Clinton County found itself facing a 27-14 deficit at halftime.

The Lady Lions opened the third quarter of play with a 9-4 run, but Clinton County put together an admirable offensive attack of its own with a 14 point effort in the quarter to trail Garrard by 16 going into the final period, 44-28.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the fourth quarter with a couple of short runs, but found each one being countered by the Lady Lions and Clinton County finished the contest 25 points down, 66-41.

Individual scoring for the Lady Bulldogs was:

Thurman 21

Beard 10

Stalcup 4

M. Campbell 2

Elmore 2

Polston 2

Clinton County 41

Knox Central 55

In its second appearance of last weekend’s Russell County Banker’s Tip-off Classic, the Clinton County Lady Bulldogs put together a similar offensive effort in comparison to the night before, while at the same time managing to hold it’s opponent to 11 fewer points.

When the afternoon game had ended at Russell County, the Lady Bulldogs had still given up the loss to the Lady Panthers of Knox County Central, but by a much closer margin of 14 points, 55-41.

The Lady Bulldogs were facing a hard-running and much taller Lady Panther team, and as the game first got underway, it was Knox Central that jumped out to control an early lead.

Clinton County found themselves trailing 11-2 after only three minutes of action Saturday afternoon.

Coach Darrell Thompson went to his bench early, making several changes in that first quarter in an attempt to find a combination that worked the best against the Lady Panther attack.

A closing basket by guard Ansley Stalcup ended the Lady Dawgs first quarter scoring effort as Clinton County trailed 20-10.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the first half on a 9-12 performance to take a 13 point deficit to the halftime break, 32-19.

Clinton County continued to fall behind during the third quarter, trailing by 19 going into the fourth period of play, 44-25.

Clinton County’s fourth quarter performance was the only one that saw the Lady Dawgs out score Knox Central, with a 16-11 effort that closed the final gap to just 14 points, 55-41.

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Beard 14

Thurman 12

McWhorter 5

Stalcup 4

Langford 3

J. Boils 2

Elmore 1

Clinton County was back in action Tuesday night as the Lady Dawgs traveled to Monroe County. Clinton County will also travel to Metcalfe County on Friday and host Greenwood on Saturday with a junior varsity tip off at 3:30.

Cori Langford, left, and Veronica Lowhorn scrambled for a loose ball during Clinton County’s game against Knox Central on Saturday at the Banker’s Tip-Off Classic in Russell County.

Macy Campbell went up for a jumper Saturday against Knox Central. Clinton County lost the game, 55-41.