The Clinton Boys basketball team opened the day in a hard-fought matchup with PBL, a game that stayed close early before momentum shifted late. The Maroons found themselves trailing by 14 points heading into the final quarter, a deficit that proved too much to overcome despite a late push. Clinton battled until the final horn, but PBL held on for a 68–61 victory, putting the Maroons in a must-win situation later in the day.
That evening, Clinton faced a tall task against the Tuscola Warriors, the defending Holiday Hoopla power and winners of the last three tournaments. Tuscola entered the matchup needing a win to secure its sixth straight championship appearance, dating back to its 2019 title over PBL, and showed why early.
The Warriors took control from the opening tip, jumping out to a 21–5 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 40–14 by halftime. Clinton struggled to find an offensive rhythm throughout the contest and was unable to cut into the deficit as Tuscola maintained control.
The Maroons fell 63–36 and will now turn their focus to the fifth-place game. Clinton is set to face GCMS on Monday at 11:30 a.m. at the Sievers Center as Holiday Hoopla play continues.