CV Grad Clark Shines For Arizona
Central Valley High School alum Jacque Clark is having a ball on the basketball court for the Arizona Wildcats this season.
The 6-foot-2 junior center is in the starting lineup and making significant contributions for Arizona.
The Wildcats (13-3, 4-3 Pac-10) face Washington State (13-4, 4-3) in a crucial Pac-10 conference game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at WSU.
Before facing Arizona, the Cougars will take on Arizona State (4-12, 0-7) Thursday night at WSU at 7 p.m. Instead of playing at Friel Court as the Cougars have done all year, this week’s contests will be moved to Bohler Gym.
In addition to Clark, the Cougars will have to contend with her Adia Barnes (17.5 ppg, eight rebounds) and Andrea Constand (15 ppg, 5.5 rebounds) on the front line. Clark’s eight points and five rebounds per game means the Wildcats’ trio averages 40 points and 19 rebounds a game.
The Cougars’ front line (Jenni Ruff, Kristin Erickson, Yvonne Kunze) tops Arizona statistically with a combined 48 points and 18 rebounds a game.
Still, Clark could prove to be the X-factor for the Wildcats against the Cougars. Though she is averaging just eight points a game, lately, the CV grad has been hot from the floor.
Two weeks ago, Clark had her finest performance as a Wildcat when she was 8 for 8 from the field and finished the game with 18 points against USC. Her 18 points tied her career high.
“Jacque is playing well right now and has really gained a lot of confidence,” Arizona coach Joan Bonvicini said. “She’s always been a solid defensive player and a consistent rebounder, but now she’s stepping it up offensively.
“She has the ability to make the open jumper and the ability to cause contact to get to the free-throw line. She’s shown marked improvement, and I think that comes from maturity and experience.”
Wins this week are a must for both schools.
Stanford (15-2, 8-0) looks like its headed for another Pac-10 title. The battle for second place is the one that will prove to be a doozy.
Washington (11-7, 5-2) has that spot by a game over Arizona, Washington State, UCLA and Oregon State. Those four have records of 4-3 in conference play. Arizona will face the Huskies Thursday night at Seattle at 7.
Clark, by the way, led the Bears to the State 3A title and a 29-0 season in 1993.
Local watch
Former St. George’s standout Kari Hutchinson has quit the basketball team at Notre Dame.
“I’ll be attending classes until the end of the semester, but my future plans are still unknown,” Hutchinson said from South Bend, Ind.
Hutchinson would not discuss specific details surrounding her departure. Hutchinson led the St. George’s Dragons to the State B title in 1994.
Other games this week
Today: Community Colleges of Spokane (8-12, 2-5 NWAACC) at Yakima (17-5, 6-0), 6 p.m.
Thursday: Loyola Marymount (10-9, 1-5 West Coast Conference) at Gonzaga, 7 p.m.
Friday: Montana State (10-8, 4-1 Big Sky) at Eastern Washington (4-13, 2-3), 7 p.m; Montana (14-3, 5-0) at Idaho (6-12, 2-3); George Fox (10-7, 4-3 Northwest Conference) at Whitworth (4-13, 2-5), 6 p.m.
Saturday: Montana at Eastern Washington, 7 p.m.; Montana State at Idaho, 7 p.m.; Pepperdine (9-9, 2-4 West Coast Conference) at Gonzaga, 7 p.m.; Pacific (8-8, 5-2 Northwest Conference) at Whitworth, 6 p.m.; Community Colleges of Spokane at Wenatchee, 6 p.m.
, DataTimes