The gym was loud, the rivalries were hot, and the nostalgia was thick in the air Saturday as the seventh annual Kings of the County basketball tournament tipped off with alumni from across Sampson County and beyond suiting up for hometown pride.

The countywide event, hosted this year at Clinton High School, featured former standouts representing their alma maters: Clinton, Lakewood, Midway, Union, and James Kenan, in an all-day slate of games where memories, competitiveness, and community collided.

This year’s event had added intrigue: both Lakewood and Clinton fielded two squads each, effectively doubling their chances at taking the crown. But in the end, it was Clinton’s Dark Horses who once again rose to the top — claiming their fifth straight tournament title in dominant fashion.

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