Clinch County ends 37-year title drought behind sophomore's 25-point effort

The Panthers rolled to a 63-43 win over Portal in the Class A Division II championship game.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 10:54pm

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Clinch County won its first basketball state title since 1989, defeating Portal 63-43 in the Class A Division II championship game. Sophomore Traviian Miller led the way with a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds, helping Clinch County end a 37-year title drought.

Why it matters

Clinch County's victory marks the end of a long championship drought for the school, which last won a state title in 1989. The win is a significant achievement for the basketball program and the local community that has long awaited this moment.

The details

Clinch County outscored Portal 35-19 in the second half to pull away for the 63-43 victory. Miller, who also plays quarterback for the football team, added 3 assists and 2 blocks to his impressive stat line. Jakyri Posley (15 points, 7 rebounds) and Kamarion Johnson (10 points, 4 assists) also contributed to the win.

  • Clinch County last won a state title in 1989, ending a 37-year drought.
  • The championship game was played on March 12, 2026 at the Macon Coliseum.

The players

Traviian Miller

A sophomore at Clinch County who led the team with 25 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game. He also plays quarterback for the school's football team.

Jakyri Posley

A junior at Clinch County who scored 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the title game.

Kamarion Johnson

A junior at Clinch County who contributed 10 points and 4 assists in the championship victory.

Terrence George

The head coach of the Clinch County basketball team, who has been coaching for 21 years and finally led the Panthers to a state title.

David Thomas

A player for Portal High School who scored 16 points and had 6 rebounds in the championship game.

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What they’re saying

“It's just awesome to be able to come and be victorious. It's been a long time coming for us and it's been a long time coming for me. I've been a coach for 21 years now, just working and driving each day, trying to be a successful basketball coach and today it happened.”

— Terrence George, Head Coach, Clinch County

“Tonight, Traviian came out and had a great game for us. The good thing about it is we've got three guys and it's tough to defend those three guys on a night-in, night-out basis.”

— Terrence George, Head Coach, Clinch County

“We were talking all week about how we were going to face adversity and we were ready for it.”

— Traviian Miller, Sophomore, Clinch County

What’s next

The Clinch County basketball team will look to build on their state championship victory and aim to defend their title next season.

The takeaway

Clinch County's long-awaited state championship victory is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of the players, coaches, and community. The team's balanced scoring attack and ability to overcome adversity were key factors in ending their 37-year title drought.