UC freshman Clark flying in Fortson, Maxiell airspace
Tom Groeschen, tgroeschen@enquirer.com 6:24 p.m. EST January 8, 2015


Cincinnati forward Gary Clark shoots against East Carolina on Tuesday.(Photo: Frank Victores, AP)

Gary Clark was one basket away from a double-double in the Cincinnati Bearcats' 69-48 win over East Carolina on Tuesday, and UC point guard Troy Caupain wishes he would have known.

"Somebody should have called it out loud," Caupain said. "I would have got him (the ball). You know how it goes. Let's go get this bucket, Gary."

Freshman forward Clark had eight points and 16 rebounds as UC earned its fourth straight win. The 16 rebounds were the most by a UC player since Mike Williams had 16 on Dec. 20, 2008 against Eastern Kentucky.

In Tuesday's East Carolina game, Clark also matched his season highs in steals (four), blocks (four) and assists (three).

"You can't ask more out of a freshman," UC interim head coach Larry Davis said.

Clark had a double-double earlier in the season with a 12-point, 12-rebound game against Ole Miss on Nov. 29.

Clark is third on the team with an 8.1 scoring average and leads UC with a 7.7 rebounding average. For comparison, future All-American/NBA player Danny Fortson averaged 7.6 rebounds in his UC freshman year (1994-95 season). Another future NBA player, Jason Maxiell, averaged 6.8 rebounds as a UC freshman in 2001-02.

UC (11-3, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) next plays reigning NCAA champion UConn (8-5, 1-1 AAC) at 11 a.m. Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut.

Clark averaged 26 points and seven rebounds per game as a high school senior in Clayton, N.C., and he was rated a national Top 100 recruit by ESPN and Rivals.com.

This season, Clark has started all 14 UC games but has run the gamut of a typical freshman. His high is 13 points and his low is two points, but he has been steadier of late. He has scored nine, eight, and eight points in his last three games, respectively.

Clark also has helped UC to a No. 7 national ranking in scoring defense, at 54.1 ppg.

"It was difficult at first, trying to play as hard as coach expected us to play," Clark said. "In high school I never had to play defense. I just sat on the rim, so that's probably the biggest adjustment I have had to make, like guarding people on the perimeter, switching on the guard post as well."

Clark and junior forward Octavius Ellis have been the most productive frontcourt players for UC. Ellis leads the Bearcats with a 9.9 scoring average and is second to Clark in rebounding, with a 7.3 average.

"Gary and Octavius have been steady every night out, and as a coach that's what you want," Davis said. "You generally have a guy that you can count on that can get you 10 points and eight rebounds every night. I'd rather have that than a guy that can get you 24 points one night and two points the next."

Floor leader Caupain said he knew Clark was having a big night against East Carolina, and that UC has come to expect such production.

"I wasn't really surprised if he had a double-double," Caupain said. "He gets close to getting one every game, doesn't he?"

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Quote:A look at Gary Clark

Freshman forward

Home: Clayton, N.C.

Ht: 6-7 Wt: 233

2014-15 SEASON

-14 games (14 starts)

-8.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg

-FG%: .500 (45-90)

-FT%: .649 (24-37)

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../21445753/

new favorite Bearcat

My list of favorites at the time they played:
Van Exel
Burton
Logan
Hicks
SK
Clark




not every UC team/period had a favorite player for me....so this is the short list

Hicks and Max were both warriors, both undersized starters on the 2005 team. I was one of those "why doesn't Huggs get any bigger guys?" people, but those two just flew in the face of that reasoning on a regular basis.

Gary Clark absolutely fits that mold

With each game I see he looks more like Danny Fortson.

Danny was a more prolific scorer his freshman year, but I really like Gary's overall game. He's a keeper.

Fortson didnt move nearly as well as Clark does. Clark has great Handles and great passing ability for a post player.

Fortson had a rear end that could move the staunchest defender completely out of the post.

Once Fortson got his big mitts on the ball, it was going up...not passed
to another Bearcat..

Gary shares the ball....

Clark has been so impressive. Like several Bearcat greats mentioned above he has a wingspan that enables him to receive a pass in traffic and move seamlessly in for a layup or dunk. Plus he's showing a unique combination of skills that I'm not sure any of those other players possessed. We have lots of great basketball to look forward to the next few years.

Nobody created angles to score like Fortson. Maybe the best college post scorer I've watched.

(01-09-2015 08:42 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Danny was a more prolific scorer his freshman year, but I really like Gary's overall game. He's a keeper.

Yep. The kid has OG moves and a nose for the ball.

Scary part is I don't think his body is anywhere near where it will end up developing.

(01-09-2015 09:00 AM)BearcatBeta Wrote:  Once Fortson got his big mitts on the ball, it was going up...not passed
to another Bearcat..

Gary shares the ball....

He scored a ton, but he passed a ton too. Remember Huggins talking about how he never wanted to see a possession where Fortson didn't touch the ball?

But I do agree with you on the point regarding Gary, he shares the ball and looks like he has a fantastic sense of when and where to feed guys.

(01-09-2015 09:30 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Nobody created angles to score like Fortson. Maybe the best college post scorer I've watched.

He understood positioning and body angles so damn well - once he had you on his hip and his front shoulder ahead of you, you are toast, count the bucket.

He sealed with his body and lead arm and shoulder so well most of the time he didn't even need to jump.

(01-09-2015 09:52 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 08:42 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Danny was a more prolific scorer his freshman year, but I really like Gary's overall game. He's a keeper.

Yep. The kid has OG moves and a nose for the ball.

Scary part is I don't think his body is anywhere near where it will end up developing.

Yep...he's still in the "soft" stage of his body transition (I want to be clear, I don't think he's soft whatsoever, I think his body is at this point). Give it a year or two in a college program and he'll be cut and probably have another 10-15 pounds on him. Something tells me he was never in a weight-training program in high school.

(01-09-2015 09:52 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 08:42 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Danny was a more prolific scorer his freshman year, but I really like Gary's overall game. He's a keeper.

Yep. The kid has OG moves and a nose for the ball.

Scary part is I don't think his body is anywhere near where it will end up developing.

It has been a pleasure watching him play. Very advanced for a Freshman. With him, Deberry and Ellis we are going to score the ball inside and rebound.

Rath, funny thing is he really does not need to add weight, maybe tone upper body. His legs are strong. He is listed at 233.

(01-09-2015 08:15 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  With each game I see he looks more like Danny Fortson.

I don't see that at all.

Danny was a space eater with soft hands and just bullied his way to the basket. He did have a nice little jumper too.

Clark is much more mobile. He is a better jumper and can score in a variety of ways. He isnt ad strong ad Danny was but he's overall got more tools and ways to beat you than Danny did.

I know, right? Kid looks like he needs to hit the weight room and then you realize he is pretty well put together already.

(01-09-2015 10:06 AM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 09:52 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 08:42 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Danny was a more prolific scorer his freshman year, but I really like Gary's overall game. He's a keeper.

Yep. The kid has OG moves and a nose for the ball.

Scary part is I don't think his body is anywhere near where it will end up developing.

It has been a pleasure watching him play. Very advanced for a Freshman. With him, Deberry and Ellis we are going to score the ball inside and rebound.

Rath, funny thing is he really does not need to add weight, maybe tone upper body. His legs are strong. He is listed at 233.

They'd like him to be up around 245 next season...

(01-09-2015 10:25 AM)GameTime_21 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 10:06 AM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 09:52 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 08:42 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Danny was a more prolific scorer his freshman year, but I really like Gary's overall game. He's a keeper.

Yep. The kid has OG moves and a nose for the ball.

Scary part is I don't think his body is anywhere near where it will end up developing.

It has been a pleasure watching him play. Very advanced for a Freshman. With him, Deberry and Ellis we are going to score the ball inside and rebound.

Rath, funny thing is he really does not need to add weight, maybe tone upper body. His legs are strong. He is listed at 233.

They'd like him to be up around 245 next season...

Really, 6' 7" 245, as long as it is easy weight to add have at it. Tubs will try to steal him and put him DE, just kidding.

I don't see Fortson either. Maybe a taller Eric Hicks?