Interesting article - Donovan Clingan

[Lefty2one]

It's not a huge leap to speculate that if the kid wants to stay at Bristol Central for his high school career that he'd keep those same values and want to stay close for college. It's always fun to have local kids on the team. Hopefully it works out.

 

[UConnRock]

Easy answer........break all the school records by the end of your junior year and then find a good prep school. Seriously though, there is so much pressure to try to make kids grow up way too fast. I can't imagine being the dad and taking all these calls from prep schools and AAU coaches essentially telling him that sending your kid away from home is what is best for him. Especially when the dad is still dealing with the loss of his wife and his kid's mom. Time has a funny way of making these decisions much easier.

Seeing up close how Hurley handled the Akok situation has to hit home with Clingan and family.

 

[OldManDoug]

For Stacey: A prospect's commitment to his hometown and the mother he lost

Front page ESPN. Gives some insight on why he’s playing for Bristol Central.

Great story. Saw him play Friday night and he impressed. Unaffected by crowd chants and taunts. Dad on the other hand...

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm hardly an expert on development of 15 year old bigs as a basketball player. But does it really set back his development that much staying in public high school as long as he's playing AAU ball at the right level? You play far more AAU games than high school games if you're any good? Isn't there a chance that a somewhat slower development would be compensated for by staying in a comfortable environment and not risking burning out on basketball if his top priority is (justifiably) family?

There were some really good basketball players from CT back in the day when prep school wasn't even thought of. It's all about coaching and even in prep school look at what we get sometimes, they learn very little and sometimes are fundamentally weak anyway. Hey it's better competition no denying that but it's up to the family and what the full story is. This one needs to be what it is, family staying close. A solid AAU summer schedule and back to Bristol Central he'll be a good kid, a solid player and eventually a very good player no matter.

Family #1....play for the Rams see you in fall '22 young man and dad!

 

[BFieldHusky]

Listening to Coach Hurley's radio show tonight...he gets it. Calhoun would struggle with 2020 athletes. The social media, the pressure, etc. Hurley's style is to beat you up in practice, but be a supporter on game day. You can agree or disagree with it, but like he said, its a different generation than it was even ten years ago.

This is why we are running circles around a program like Syracuse. Boeheim is 75 years old. He isn't changing. He throws his players under the bus publicly after games. This is one of the reasons Akok is here. Jackson too. Despite the fact that we got in the game later for both.

This is why Etienne and Clingan are turned off by him. The staff loves recruiting against Cuse. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.

Like at @superjohn said let's see if Dior Johnson comes to play for a 78 year old cranky coach. Maybe he is still coaching, maybe he is gone. It will continue to be the best thing going that he is still around.

 

[uconnbill]

Fantastic story. Seems like a great kid, with a level of maturity many in high school lack. Is there no prep school close enough to Bristol?

He wants to be at Bristol Central, why is that hard for people to see. His mom set records there and now he wants to do the same.

I hope he stays at BC and breaks all the records and then comes to UConn.

 

[wheelerdog]

Hey, BC was good enough for Bruce Kuczenski....

 

[uconnfan68]

Hey, BC was good enough for Bruce Kuczenski....

And Wamogo was good enough for Alexinas to be recruited by Kentucky.

 

[FanMan]

Great story. Saw him play Friday night and he impressed. Unaffected by crowd chants and taunts. Dad on the other hand...

Are you talking about his father's reaction to the plainville player that was called for the flagrant foul where the player jumped up, wrapped his hands around Donovan's neck from behind, and obviously tried to pul donovan down to the ground? Can't say I blame him. I was there too. It's a shame that now, his father has to worry about possible injury from an obviously flagrant foul that was clearly not a basketball play in the least. Donovan was called for a foul on that play as well bcuz he swung his elbow trying to get the player off of him. At what point is it enough? Like someone said here, Dad has alot to deal with, especially healing from the loss of his wife. But as a friend of the family I guess I'm biased. But to go on here now going after his father for reacting to a play like that? I don't know, doesn't seem fair at all.

 

[CL82]

Calhoun would struggle with 2020 athletes.

Yeah, agree but still....

 

[ucjoet]

While watching a tough OT loss to Temple, I was getting updates on BCHS game vs Cromwell. BC wins to get to 15-4. With a win over BE on Monday, they would end up with 4 seed at 16 -4. Another strong game by Donovan. 25 pts, 16 rebs and 6 blocks

 

[navery12]

He's getting some help on his AAU team soon

 

[gtcam]

Calhoun would struggle with 2020 athletes

Tell that to his St Joseph's team. He seems to relate really well

 

[FanMan]

I mean i did say the kid was poised so nice reading skills. The father was barking the whole game. Started from the tip off to the final buzzer. He's passionate, but he's reactive. Hope it doesnt affect the kid

Like I said, I was there too and didn't here him bark the whole game. I was few rows below him, so I would've heard. I did hear him say stuff like, let's get some rebounds guys, let's box out. So, you are absolutely incorrect with what you said about him barking the whole game. I did read what you said and you said good things about Donovan, but you lied about his father. Again, a shame.

 

[FanMan]

Like I said, I was there too and didn't here him bark the whole game. I was few rows below him, so I would've heard. I did hear him say stuff like, let's get some rebounds guys, let's box out. So, you are absolutely incorrect with what you said about him barking the whole game. I did read what you said and you said good things about Donovan, but you lied about his father. Again, a shame.

Aside from his reaction to his kid almost getting his throat ripped out of course. Any parent would yell

 

[husky429]

He's getting some help on his AAU team soon

I wouldn't call him "help" FYI. He's a good public school player, but he's not going D1 unless he improves greatly. Likely a D3 guy.

 

[Watchdog]

Great article. His father sounds really stressed about how to guide his son and may be especially conflicted by all the advice pulling them in different directions. Let's hope he and his son can step away from it all, at least figuratively, and make the right call.

As to Bristol Central vs. prep schools, there are local examples of elite players who played for their high schools and for AAU teams and developed and went on to great professional careers. Marcus Camby only played one year of high school ball in his last three years, if I recall correctly, because of his transfer out of Hartford as a sophomore and back as a junior. Corny Thompson and Scott Burrell are two others that didn't go to prep school, with Burrell not putting much time into basketball because of also playing football and baseball. Are these outliers? Or was it simply a different time?

Here's a couple question for those in the know:
DC seems to have developed quite a bit from his freshman to his sophomore year and plays on a high level AAU team.
1. How much is he being held back by staying in his local high school part of the year and playing high level AAU part of the year?
2. Is that really a bad alternative versus possibly getting burned out by playing year round at a high level prep school along with a high level of AAU team?

 

[husky429]

Great article. His father sounds really stressed about how to guide his son and may be especially conflicted by all the advice pulling them in different directions. Let's hope he and his son can step away from it all, at least figuratively, and make the right call.

As to Bristol Central vs. prep schools, there are local examples of elite players who played for their high schools and for AAU teams and developed and went on to great professional careers. Marcus Camby only played one year of high school ball in his last three years, if I recall correctly, because of his transfer out of Hartford as a sophomore and back as a junior. Corny Thompson and Scott Burrell are two others that didn't go to prep school, with Burrell not putting much time into basketball because of also playing football and baseball. Are these outliers? Or was it simply a different time?

Here's a couple question for those in the know:
DC seems to have developed quite a bit from his freshman to his sophomore year and plays on a high level AAU team.
1. How much is he being held back by staying in his local high school part of the year and playing high level AAU part of the year?
2. Is that really a bad alternative versus possibly getting burned out by playing year round at a high level prep school along with a high level of AAU team?

Those guys played high school ball 40 years ago. The game has changed drastically since then; what you're saying is essentially irrelevant. TONS of guys stayed public then all over the country. Very, very few do now.

I'm sure there are examples of more recent guys that stayed in public school for 3 or 4 years. It would be great if DC and his family could reach out about those decisions and how it impacted them to help with their own decision-making process.

 

[ucjoet]

Dan Hurley expected to be at BC / BE game tonight to watch Clingan. Will try to keep you posted on his stats and score during game

 

[ToolzieFan]

Michigan sent Howard Eisley.

 

[Fishy]

There‘s no reason for the kid to head to a prep school.

 

[mauconnfan]

Hey, BC was good enough for Bruce Kuczenski....

And one Huckaby brother to BC the other to Howard. Todd Hassler to Marist back in '77.

 

[navery12]

Busy day for Hurley. Was in to see Etienne and Santos today too

 

[HobokenHusky]

Busy day for Hurley. Was in to see Etienne and Santos today too

Chief’s been leading by example and it looks like it’s paying off.

 

[uconnfan68]

Those guys played high school ball 40 years ago. The game has changed drastically since then; what you're saying is essentially irrelevant. TONS of guys stayed public then all over the country. Very, very few do now.

I'm sure there are examples of more recent guys that stayed in public school for 3 or 4 years. It would be great if DC and his family could reach out about those decisions and how it impacted them to help with their own decision-making process.

I think the point was that exceptional players get noticed, no matter where they play.