Clark cracks into the record books

     Slam dunks might sell tickets, but nothing crushes an opposing team’s will like a blocked shot. Whether it is pinned off the glass or beaten into the crowd, a shot block instantly silences a hostile crowd or brings a roar of “Ohhh!!” and cheers for the home team.
     On the GCSU men’s basketball team, no one knows that better than starting center Aaron Clark.
     Aaron Clark, a.k.a. “A.C.,” moved into second place passing J.J. Madden for GCSU career blocks in the game at Augusta State on Jan. 24.
     While the Suwannee native might not be the most physically intimidating center, at 6’9”, 210 pounds, his 93 career blocks make him a serious and formidable defensive threat in the paint. His presence on the court is respected by rival coaches as well as by his own head coach, Terry Sellers.
     “He’s one of the best post players I’ve coached,” Sellers said. “He’s always in the right place at the right time to get some great blocks for us.”
     And it does not look like Clark will be doing anything but continuing to get better.
     “Each year he’s gotten stronger,” Sellers said. “His first year he was more of a defensive player for us, but now he has become a much better scorer.”
     If you don’t believe Sellers looks up the stats, or better yet, go to a game. Last season Clark was one of the team’s leading scorers and this season, to date, he holds that crown.
Clark averages 15 points per game and scored his 900th career point last Saturday against USC Upstate. He is 186 points from being one of GCSU’s top ten all-time scorers, number ten has 1,086.
     However Clark has not forgotten his defensive roots stemming from his Collins Hill days where he blocked two to three shots a game.
     His great play this season has not inflated his pride and he still remains a humble student of the game.
     “We’ve had a lot of good players come through here and it’s flattering to be mentioned with guys like Tony Edmondson, Julius Josephs and J.J. Madden,” Clark said.
     When asked what potentially game changing play he prefers most, the dunk or the shot block, Clark quickly replied.
“If I can pin it that what I want to do… When somebody’s goin’ up and I can beat it off the glass – I like that,” Clark said.
So what makes him so good at it?
     “Blocking shots is 99 percent timing,” Clark said. “Then it’s about getting up there and going after it more than anything.”
A.C.’s determination and good timing get him big ups from his teammates too.
     “It gets me pumped up to see him playing with confidence,” starting point guard Shejdie Childs said. “It sends a message to the other team, ‘We’re here. There won’t be anything easy tonight, so you’re going to have to work for everything.”
Clark’s next hurtle is  Johnny Simpson.  It will not be easy to pass him, as he needs 121 blocks to pass Simpson who blocked 214 shots from 1984-86.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 2 2007. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry