Stat man: Iowa State's Clark tops milestones in points, 3s, steals, blocks

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By Eric Page | Tuesday, February 19, 2008 |

Iowa State's Rahshon Clark at ISU's media day in Ames, Iowa Tuesday October 18,2005. (MATTHEW PUTNEY / THE WATERLOO COURIER / LEE NEWS SERVICE) Buy this Photo

It’s an obscure stat, but it says a lot about Rahshon Clark as a player and how much he has meant to the Iowa State men’s basketball program the past two seasons as it has transitioned to a new era under Greg McDermott.

Clark, a senior forward, recently became the first player in the history of the Big 12 Conference to record 1,000 points, 100 steals, 100 blocks and 100 3-pointers in a career.

That’s not a line that will land him in any halls of fame or have his jersey lifted to the rafters of Hilton Coliseum. But his contribution has been imperative to keeping the program afloat.

“Not enough good things can be said about him,” Cyclones assistant coach Jeff Rutter said. “He’s provided some great leadership. He’s been around the block in the Big 12. Whether it be in practice or games, he’s provided great leadership for our young guys.”

Clark’s career has not panned out the way many would have predicted after he stepped into the starting lineup fresh out of Bridgton (Maine) Academy in 2004. At 6-foot-6, 210 pounds and with freakish athletic ability, he was the perfect fit as a swingman in former coach Wayne Morgan’s up-and-down game.

As a sophomore, Clark averaged 13.1 points and 5.5 rebounds, and the Kansas City Star honored him with a spot on its Big 12 all-underrated team. An effective scorer inside and out, he was on the radar of professional scouts and was poised to become a dominant player in the Big 12.

But then, everything changed.

Morgan was fired after the 2005-06 season, and McDermott, who coaches a more deliberate offensive style, was brought in to replace him. A handful of players left the program, either transferring to other schools or turning pro. Clark was left with a new coaching staff, a roster of new players and a role to redefine.

Clark’s numbers suffered as he adjusted to McDermott’s style. His scoring average was cut in half last winter, and his 3-point accuracy, nearly 40 percent through two seasons, dipped to 25.

But slowly, he found his niche.

He’s now a third — maybe fourth — scoring option. He’s a defensive stopper — one of the best in the Big 12 — and the Cyclones’ second-leading rebounder at 6.2 a game. Last Saturday, he pulled down 14 in a near-upset of Texas, and followed that up with 13 in a win over Nebraska over the weekend.

“Rahshon had a period of time last season, when he wasn’t scoring and then he wasn’t playing the kind of defense you need to,” McDermott said. “Well, now he understands how valuable he is to the team with what he does defensively and with rebounding, and he knows, whether he scores or not, how important he is to the team.”

Eric Page can be contacted at (563) 383-2277 or epage@qctimes.com.