Chris Clarke (Committed to Virginia Tech)

[tcf15]

New Scout article asking who was the most competitive player during July: http://post original url/p6N0nPYnCT

Out of 106 total votes, Chris Clarke, a 6-foot-6 combination forward out of Virginia Beach (Va.) Cape Henry Collegiate, received the most with 14.

Clarke was a big part of Boo Williams’ run to the semi-finals at the Nike Peach Jam, as well as the AAU Super Showcase championship. He’s active on both ends of the floor and relentless on the glass.

“Chris is a ferocious defender, always playing with a relentless motor,” one high major coach said. “He impacts the game in so many ways. He is a team guy who just cares about winning and plays with a blue collar mentality each and every possession."

At Peach Jam, Clarke showed he could impact a game in a variety of ways. He averaged 15 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals a game.

“I loved Chris Clarke's competitiveness because he seemed to be shot out of a cannon compared to the rest of the players,” another college coach said. “I saw him at a 9 a.m. game at Peach Jam and you could just tell that everyone else was sleep walking but it mattered to him. He was a beast. The coaches never had to run one play for him and he was the best player on the court on both ends.”

 

[FASTEDDY]

Let me say this:

As good a talent as Jones is at SF/WF, if we have a chance to lock up Clarke right now, then ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT HESITATION LETS GET HIM. Clarke seems like exactly the kind of guy that will be a huge success at UCONN and help us to have CONTINUED HUGE SUCCESS on the court. He's a high energy, high effort, hardworking guy who can help us in every phase of the game. The kind of guy who you just can't take off the floor becuase they do so much for you. He will impact the game in all phases. Of course, I'm saying this not based on seeing him in person but rather based on the many reports by respected writers, talent evaluators, and coaches. Thats enough for me. GO GET'EM KEVIN!

 

[rip7774]

I love Clarke too but defer to KO.

Clarke = Glue Guy!!!

 

[david]

http://www.insidethehall.com/2014/07/28/class-2015-wing-chris-clarke-talks-indiana-interest/

ESPN.com’s Paul Biancardi called Clarke the best athlete at the NBPA Top 100 camp in one of his recaps of the event. “Clarke owns eye-popping athletic ability,” Biancardi wrote. “He has speed, vertical and a quick second jump. He fills the lane with speed to beat a defense down the floor and will finish with alley-oop dunks. A great example of his high-level athletic ability is when he caught a pass behind his head on a fast break, gathered himself and scored.”

Some people are a lot higher on Jones than Clarke because of Jones' freakish athletic ability. Maybe there isn't that much difference between the two

 

[husky99]

1st that signs with uconn I am a huge fan of
both play similar style of game

 

[Chin Diesel]

I don't know. We know that several posters have insisted that Jones is much better than Clarke. All these scouting sites are driven by page views and they always pump up a new player over a known commodity to drive more page views. (sarcasm off).

 

[Skies17]

Love Clarke. Just does those intangible things a la Kromah/Giffey and plays hard all the time. Feels like a UConn guy

 

[FASTEDDY]

http://www.insidethehall.com/2014/07/28/class-2015-wing-chris-clarke-talks-indiana-interest/

ESPN.com’s Paul Biancardi called Clarke the best athlete at the NBPA Top 100 camp in one of his recaps of the event. “Clarke owns eye-popping athletic ability,” Biancardi wrote. “He has speed, vertical and a quick second jump. He fills the lane with speed to beat a defense down the floor and will finish with alley-oop dunks. A great example of his high-level athletic ability is when he caught a pass behind his head on a fast break, gathered himself and scored.”

Some people are a lot higher on Jones than Clarke because of Jones' freakish athletic ability. Maybe there isn't that much difference between the two

Kind of sounds like a Donny Marshall type. Donny was around 6'6, athletic, great on the fast break, a runner. Not a great shooter but good enough. Kids seems similar to me.

I'd sign him up in a second.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Love Clarke. Just does those intangible things a la Kromah/Giffey and plays hard all the time. Feels like a UConn guy

Kromah definitely comes to mind with the description of this kid.

 

[BNich]

Kromah definitely comes to mind with the description of this kid.

I don't think enough was made of the contribution and talent he added to last years Championship squad. He came in quietly and gave quality minutes game in and game out and filled up the stat sheet. Couldn't have asked for more from a 5th year senior on his final year of eligibility with a new team. The kid brought heart, determination, a work ethic that rivals the best ever at Uconn, and it showed. He will definitely be missed. But that's the nature of college athletics. Enjoy and embrace these kids while they are enrolled and wish them them the best when they depart for bigger and better opportunities.

 

[rip7774]

Kromah definitely comes to mind with the description of this kid.

I think he looks more athletic than Kromah, maybe better to say a more versatile skill set, and he has a really nice handle/+passer. Plays point in HS at times. Read a report that he has shaky handle, the videos blow that one out of the water. Love love this kid's game!

 

[mauconnfan]

A little Donny and a little Lasan…..but more athletic than both and I think easily from video. Both those guys are lunch pail guys who do it all and he seems the same way but has that explosiveness they both missed. Donny certainly became a very nice spot up shooter by his junior year and if Clarke can improve in that area like Donny I would think he would have conquered his only potential weakness.

As 99 said, a fan of who signs first but I'd take CC in a second!

 

[Chin Diesel]

All kidding aside, I'd take the kid in a heart beat. A superior athlete with a nonstop motor at 6'6". In college he can guard 1-4 and wreak havoc switching on screens, getting in passing lanes and filling the break.

About the same as Rudy Johnson or Scott Burrell coming out if HS. Would have really enjoyed seeing a healthy Rudy for four years.

 

[intlzncster]

A little Donny and a little Lasan…..but more athletic than both and I think easily from video. Both those guys are lunch pail guys who do it all and he seems the same way but has that explosiveness they both missed. Donny certainly became a very nice spot up shooter by his junior year and if Clarke can improve in that area like Donny I would think he would have conquered his only potential weakness.

More athletic than Donny? I'd be shocked if Donny isn't in the top 5 all time great athletes to play BB at UCONN. Kid was on track to be a top soccer player -> had pro/national team potential.

 

[mauconnfan]

More athletic than Donny? I'd be shocked if Donny isn't in the top 5 all time great athletes to play BB at UCONN. Kid was on track to be a top soccer player -> had pro/national team potential.

Yeah I agree he could run all day and that is part of athletic. But explosion both in on court quickness and hops? Not really, just a nice basketball player who worked hard (much like Clarke it would seem), high energy but not as "athletic" overall. I guess you can rate athletes in different areas but if I rated UConn's top athletes ever he wouldn't come close to the Burrell's, Gay's, Sticks, Ray, Gordon and quite a few others………a great athlete in his own right but not Top 5 or too close. To me he's closer to Giffey than he is Sticks.

 

[intlzncster]

Yeah I agree he could run all day and that is part of athletic. But explosion both in on court quickness and hops? Not really, just a nice basketball player who worked hard (much like Clarke it would seem), high energy but not as "athletic" overall. I guess you can rate athletes in different areas but if I rated UConn's top athletes ever he wouldn't come close to the Burrell's, Gay's, Sticks, Ray, Gordon and quite a few others………a great athlete in his own right but not Top 5 or too close. To me he's closer to Giffey than he is Sticks.

Hahaha. We are not starting this one again. There's a 50 page thread on that somewhere. and I can't believe you put Giffey and Donny in the same breath. Kid was a multisport star. Athleticism doesn't just include jumping man (Sticks)!

 

[boog204]

I gotta side with Mau on this one... Donny could run forever, but he never struck me as a "great" athlete. He's not close to Burrell, Ray, Gordon, etc imo. All of those guys could run all day too but had the quickness and leaping ability to fill out the great athlete profile. One of the things with Donny always getting those lead passes is that he would leak out. It wasn't him just running by defenders all the time.

 

[pj]

I gotta side with Mau on this one... Donny could run forever, but he never struck me as a "great" athlete. He's not close to Burrell, Ray, Gordon, etc imo. All of those guys could run all day too but had the quickness and leaping ability to fill out the great athlete profile. One of the things with Donny always getting those lead passes is that he would leak out. It wasn't him just running by defenders all the time.

Yes, but that was Calhoun exploiting an athletic mismatch. Guards are used to getting back on defense, forwards typically have rebounding responsibilities and are used to having more time to get to the other end. Having Donny leak out on the break, while UConn's guards took over rebounding and outlet duties, tended to create both open lanes for rebounds (since their forwards weren't blocking out our guards) and an unguarded leaker. Donny was fast enough that the opposing guards couldn't quickly get on him. More open space all around.

If Donny wasn't speedy enough to get open consistently and coordinated enough to dribble and finish the break, Calhoun doesn't adopt that strategy.

 

[Fishy]

I'd be shocked if Donny isn't in the top 5 all time great athletes to play BB at UCONN. Kid was on track to be a top soccer player -> had pro/national team potential.

Ah, no.

 

[3uconn]

From a Rivals article on Clarke:

"UConn has a great program and a great team. They have a great coaching staff too. Winning the national championship will be a factor because it means I know they can win there."

He also mentioned that UConn is one of a large group of schools he's talking with the most now.

 

[intlzncster]

Ah, no.

If you can play two different sports pretty well, especially those like basketball and soccer, you are a phenomenal athlete.

Two+ sport athletes are often the gold standard of being a great athlete. It's axiomatic, as the proof is in the pudding.

 

[Fishy]

Brian Fair played football on scholarship at UConn after his hoop eligibility was done.

I guess he's one of the greatest athletes we've ever had here.

Your proof is as defective as the pudding.

 

[mcs333]

+1

 

[BearJWS]

Your proof is as defective as the pudding.

 

[Fishy]

Yes, but that was Calhoun exploiting an athletic mismatch. Guards are used to getting back on defense, forwards typically have rebounding responsibilities and are used to having more time to get to the other end. Having Donny leak out on the break, while UConn's guards took over rebounding and outlet duties, tended to create both open lanes for rebounds (since their forwards weren't blocking out our guards) and an unguarded leaker. Donny was fast enough that the opposing guards couldn't quickly get on him. More open space all around.

If Donny wasn't speedy enough to get open consistently and coordinated enough to dribble and finish the break, Calhoun doesn't adopt that strategy.

Donny's magical power was his speed from free throw line to free throw line.

He was Cup Cormier-fast over a 60' sprint.