By Amanda Scurlock for The LA Sentinel
Originally published Aug. 19, 2026
Centennial junior Princess Clifton is a dual-sport athlete for the Apaches with entrepreneurial aspirations. She became a captain of the girls’ basketball team during her sophomore year. She noted how her work ethic was what got her the role.
“[Teammates] always see me in the gym, always working, always there at practice,” Clifton said. “I feel like that’s discipline.”
Along with competing in basketball, Clifton has been on the Centennial flag football team since her freshman year. Due to her speed, Clifton played as a running back and wide receiver. A proud moment for her was when she scored her first career touchdown as a sophomore. She mentioned how the moment made her fall deeper in love with the sport.
“I was filled with excitement. My heart was beating fast,” Clifton said. “That made me feel like I was going to take it far and go to the college level with that.”
Flag football gave Clifton footwork skills that helped her in basketball. Conditioning for basketball also helped her with flag football.
Clifton enjoys how she must use her intellect to play basketball. She played basketball in middle school and witnessed how the stakes grew higher in high school.
“It was all fun and games, it wasn’t anything serious,” Clifton said. “Being on the varsity team in basketball, it’s way different … you have to be disciplined, you have to keep doing what you do to be great.”
Prioritizing exercise last summer gave Clifton confidence in her gameplay as she entered her sophomore year. The work she put in helped her overcome the feeling of inadequacy she experienced as a freshman.
Clifton knows that being a student athlete means she must put academics first. She enjoys it when teachers brag about her academic and athletic abilities.
“No matter what sport you’re in, school comes first,” Clifton said. “Get to class on time, listen to the teacher, do your work, do your assignments.”
Clifton also takes college-level classes; she completed classes in ethnic studies and business.
In the future, Clifton wants to be the CEO of her own business. She also has an interest in sports management.
“I want to be financially stable. I want to never have to worry about money at all,” Clifton said. “I really like math and I really like numbers.”