CHS on WBIR - Clinton High School’s Sarah Burton breaks Lady Dragons all-time scoring record

Posted Date: 12/10/2021

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Clinton High School guard Sarah Burton dreamed of being a Lady Dragon one day.

At a young age, she would sit with her parents in the bleachers of Don Lockard gymnasium and visualize herself in the orange and black.

“I always knew I’d be out there one day,” Burton said.

Burton is now a senior on Clinton’s team.

“I get an attack mindset,” Burton said. “I’m just really zoned in when I get on the court.”

And that attack mindset led Burton to scoring 28 points against Clay County on Tuesday night. Those 28 points put the 4-year letter winner at 1,681 career points, breaking the Clinton girls’ basketball all-time career scoring record.

Alicia Phillips, Burton’s head coach previously held the record.

“There is no greater honor,” Phillips said. “Sarah is a phenomenal offensive basketball player. She’s a phenomenal kid. We went to watch her when she was in middle school and we were so excited to get her. And then as she became a freshman for us, we started to notice this kid is very special.”

As proud as Phillips is to have one of her players break her own scoring record, there was a competitive rivalry.

“I kept telling her I was going to bench her,” Phillips said. “I told her, 'When you get close to my record, I’m going to have to pull you out and sit you down.’”

On the season, Burton is averaging 33 points per game. The senior was honored Friday night ahead of the Lady Dragons District game against Halls. Burton had 27 points in Clinton’s 45 to 34 win, now putting her at 1,708 career points.

“It’s so much bigger than ball,” Phillips said. “It’s been an honor to know Sarah and have her for the last three and a half years and I’m really excited about the next half of this year.”