Clinton’s Sarah Burton puts up a shot in the TSSAA District 3-AAA girls tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)
By DAVE LINK
Clinton High School’s Sarah Burton is making the most of her time at home.
The sophomore guard spends lots of it practicing on the basketball court in her backyard with the AAU season on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’ve been doing strength training,” Burton said. “I’ve been running, shooting, just trying to stay in game-shape if we do play.”
She’s studying the game, too.
Burton says she’s probably watched every game of the 2019-20 season when the Lady Dragons went 18-16 and advanced to the Region 2-AAA quarterfinals before losing at Maryville.
“I’ve been on HUDL a long time now,” she said. “I’ve just been looking at the things we can do better next year and the things that I can improve on too.”
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Burton, the 5Star Preps Girls Basketball Underclassman of the Year, was a big factor in Clinton’s success this past season, averaging 23 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 3.6 steals per game.
While setting the school’s single-season scoring record (767 points), Burton shot 51 percent from two-point range, 38 percent from 3-point range (45 of 119), and 82 percent from the free-throw line. She played point guard but could move to shooting guard next season.
“It makes it harder on Sarah to score when we’ve got her at the (point) position because she’s got to create some on her own (shots) besides being set up a lot. But that’s where we needed Sarah this year,” Clinton coach Alicia Phillips said. “But she did a great job for us at the one. I’m hoping that we’ve got a couple of kids coming in this year that are younger that may be able to take that (point) position and that way I can get Sarah and Naiyah (Sanders) more at the two- and three-guard position.”
Burton was big in the District 3-AAA tournament, scoring 42 against Anderson County in the opener and 27 against Halls in the quarterfinals, both elimination games. She was held to 11 in the semifinal loss to Oak Ridge, scored 20 against Halls in the consolation game and 32 in the season-ending loss to Maryville.
“She’s got it all,” Phillips said. “She can handle the ball. She can shoot it. She can create for other people. She’s actually one of our better rebounders on our team this year. Sarah’s a good all-around player for us.”
Sarah Burton (photo: Dave Link/5StarPreps.com)
Burton doubled as a softball player before dropping that sport this year to focus on basketball.
However, Burton joined Clinton’s soccer team during the 2019 season when it needed a goalkeeper.
“I came in halfway through the season to help the team,” she said.
Clinton had only two seniors on the 2019-20 basketball roster, and only one, Alayjah Whitt, was in the regular rotation.
Sanders, a junior who set the program’s 3-point record for a single season, averaged about 17 points.
“We have a chance to really do something special if we can get back on that court next season,” Phillips said.
Burton can’t wait to get back on the court in a real game. She’s got the highest of goals for her basketball career.
“My goal is to go the biggest I can, to play D-1,” Burton said.
Phillips likes the drive of her star guard.
“It’s really hard to keep motivating yourself to want to get better,” said Phillips, “and Sarah’s just self-motivated. She has a great work ethic.
“She’s always in the gym. I know she’s got personal training that she does outside of the season and inside of the season. She just really works hard and she’s one of those kids that really wants it.”