Clingan Playing in High School against Weak Competiton

[dingaling]

I was just watching some Clingan in High School. Everyone was talking about how he should go somewhere and play elite competition. But with him staying at Bristol Central, he was always the focus for the other teams defense. He would get triple teamed by smaller guys that could swipe the ball. Isnt it possible that playing against those guys could have prepared him just as much but in a different way? He couldnt really come down with the ball too much or those smaller guys would swipe it. So maybe with him playing at a smaller school where he was always the focus could have helped him develop different skills? Now he comes to college and they cant triple team him so maybe the game has opened up a little for him.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

(psst...its Clingan)

 

[MTBingNinja]

There was always two or three “weaker” players hanging on him during games. As someone mentioned before, Clingan playing at the college level has given him more space to move around and got to work. You can can’t constantly triple team him at UConn as they did in high school.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

IMO- His High School Coach should be getting some serious Job offer inquiries given how solid Clingan is- spacing, footwork, hands, basketball IQ etc..

 

[PNolanFan]

Honestly we should have a thread of Clingan playing in college against weaker competition

 

[Palatine]

The blessing is always the curse.

But the truth is that Clingan would probably be just as successful if he played basketball at a higher level in high school. The kid has gifts.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

I'm sure the #1 proponents of Donovan going to a prep school were college evaluators who didn't trust their instincts.

 

[ctchamps]

Teams especially without a decent big will still swarm him. With this team unlike in recent past years doing that to Donovan or Adama will cost them with our outside shooting. Donovan benefits from that a lot.

 

[MTBingNinja]

Taking a step back, I don’t think it was egregious that others thought that Clingan should’ve gone to a prep high school to develop his skill set and play against stronger competition. I think it was a matter of respecting his wishes at the time. I don’t think anyone speculated that he would be as great as he is now.

 

[paulmf]

IMO- His High School Coach should be getting some serious Job offer inquiries given how solid Clingan is- spacing, footwork, hands, basketball IQ etc..

Coach Barrette getting some well deserved love!!!!!

 

[Huskyforlife]

I give Sanogo most of the credit, defensively. Guys like Newton/Jackson/Hawkins/Diarra also deserve credit for feeding him easy looks offensively. I subscribe to the idea that he’s simply gifted, and was under-ranked for a variety of reasons.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I thought I read an article where Donovan's dad attributed a lot of his success to an AAU coach as well. So the AAU coach (or coaches) deserves some credit as well.

I could definitely see how constantly playing against smaller players would help. Maybe force him to be a bit faster. But as others mentioned. He would of been successful even if he went to a more significant prep school. When you are 7' everyone is shorter and faster. All 7'ers are forced to learn the same lessons. How to play against doubles, triples, smaller faster people, etc...

 

[Umami Zen]

This team has very good passers and multiple ball handlers. DC has excellent hands for a big guy and knows how to read his teammates on the offensive end and gets open. If he's open/they find him..

He's getting a "masters degree" in BB goin' up against AS/SJ (pre-injury) in practice every day. Very smart kid who is playing like an upperclassman. He's living the dream