Sports

Clinton Heats Up for Pearl River Boys Basketball

Pearl River senior point guard Joe Clinton is averaging 18 points per game over his last seven heading into the Pirates' Class A quarterfinal game 7 p.m. Wednesday at top-seeded Tappan Zee.

The last time Pearl River played Tappan Zee in boys basketball, Pirates senior point guard Joe Clinton sat out with an ankle injury as the Dutchmen won, 53-46

Two months later, Clinton is not only healthy, he is playing the best basketball of his career as No. 8 seed Pearl River (14-6) prepares to play at No. 1 Tappan Zee (19-0) 7 p.m. tonight in the Class A quarterfinals.

"Now he's healthy and playing like we knew he could play," said his father, Dominican College Men's Basketball Head Coach Joe Clinton. "He's shooting better. He's playing with more confidence. He has always had it. In AAU, he showed flashes, scoring 24 or 26. The last 10-12 games, it h as really come out on him."

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"I'm just playing with more confidence now," the younger Clinton said. "At the beginning of the season, I was hoping iut would go in. Now I am just playing free and working hard. My body is so much better. I'm 100 percent now and that helped. I hope it stays like that. I know I can do a lot of things."

Clinton averages 15 points per game for Pearl River, but that number is at 18 per contest over the last seven games, 23.7 over the last three. That includes 40 points in Pearl River's two playoff games despite barely playing in the second half of the Pirates' 65-20 outbracket blowout of Yonkers

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That was a rare break because the game was out of hand. Clinton almost never leaves the floor for the Pirates. The endurance of a cross country runner helps. Clinton finished 10th overall in the Section 1 Class B cross county championship meet, helping the Pirates win the team title.  

Clinton said his mother ran cross country in high school, which helped him get interested in the sport. The upside is the ability to run all day. The downside is missing the beginning of basketball preseason practice because the Pirates go so far in cross country, so his body takes time to make the transition. That is one reason why he is stronger now.

"A big piece of it is health," Houston said. "Every year, they do so well in cross country, it is one right after the other. I'm sure it creates a strain on his ligaments and joints. It is a totally different style of running."

"It is definitely a tough transition," Clinton said of cross country to basketball. "The first two weeks of basketball are very tough. I think it helps in the long run with endurance. It really helps at the end of the game."

While cross country is his mother's influence, he credits his development in basketball to his father.

"It has helped so much," Clinton said of having a coach for a father. "I'v ebeen there on the court as long as I can remember. I'm the player I am today because of him. I owe it all pretty much to him."

"He was a gym rat," The elder Clinton said. "He would come every day he could to practices. He would come in and shoot. He loves the game and loves to play."

So, what is the father's scouting report of the son?

"He's unselfish," Coach Clinton said. "Not just because he is my son, but he's a coach's dream. No. 1, he never turns the ball over. He runs your offense. He plays good D. He's a coach on the floor. He does the little things, especially hte last couple of years. He can get the ball to a shooter in the right postion. He really has a knack for seeing the floor and finding the open man. Plus, he is a threat with his shot, now. They have to cover him now."

"He can really make the other people on the floor better," Houston said. "He can get into the lane and make nice passes to (forwards) Tom Davis and Kevin Degnan. He knows the angles, knows the game. He is a very smart player. An excellent free throw shooter.

"You can tell he's a coach's son."

Houston said his point guard has also become a more vocal leader of late, particularly with younger players like Davis and Degnan. He pointed to the playoff victory against Riverside. 

"I got on Kevin Degnan at halftime," Houston said. "As the kids came out of the huddle, I saw Joey pat him on the back and tell him to get ready to play and go. Kevin had a really good second half." 

He is also shooting better from outside than had all season, the biggest reason for the jump in his scoring.

"Now he feels more comfortable, stronger," Coach Clinton said. "He's looking for the open shot more. It's really confidence with him. If he hits his first couple, his confidence goes up."

The hot streak has brought some more interest from colleges, mostly at the Division III level. Clinton said he leaning toward familiar territory at Dominican.

"Thanksgiving dinner might be more awkward, but I'd be comfortable," Clinton said of possibly playing for his father's team. "I've been around the team for years. I am good friends with the guys on the team now. It would be a pretty easy transition."

For now, Clinton's focus is on Tappan Zee and avenging two early-season defeats to keep the Pearl River's season going. 

"We're looking forward to the opportunity to hopefully knock them off and hopefully continue our season," Clinton said.


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