Clarke To Be A Catamount - Trend Started?

Ron Bailey, Publisher

October 1, 2007 – Yesterday was one of those days that can change lives, and it likely did for both senior Good Counsel (MD) basketball player Jordan Clarke and University of Vermont head coach, Mike Lonergan. As many big decisions go, the decision for Clarke to attend Vermont next year turned on a gut feeling.

“I just woke up this morning and knew it was the place for me” said Clarke, a 6’7”, 235 pound player capable of playing multiple front and backcourt positions, of the moment he knew Vermont would be his future home.

Clarke is an excellent player who will man all five positions this year as a senior. He also excels in the classroom.

Adding to a sense of destiny was the manner in which the program found out about his decision. “I was going to tell them sometime next week” recalled Clarke of his plans, but “We had workouts today, and the whole coaching staff just showed up”.

That kind of dogged recruiting determination allowed Lonergan and staff to land Jordan, despite the efforts of Bucknell, Harvard, Air Force, Saint Joe’s, and Binghamton: The last is very significant, as that school’s coach, Kevin Broadus – a renown recruiter in his own right - has a personal connection with the Clarkes. “My family’s been good friends with him since I was a little boy” said Jordan. “He even used to cut my hair”.

“It feels the world has been lifted off my shoulders” stated Clarke, who will team with another Washington D.C. area product at Vermont next year, Garvey Young, and is looking forward to that prospect, as he shared “I’m excited about it. He will be my roommate. It definitely will be better with somebody you know”.

Young’s comments when Clarke informed him of his decision? “He said ‘What took you so long’” laughingly recalled Jordan.

Some believe a pipeline could be starting between D.C. and Burlington, Vermont. “I hope so” said Jordan of that prospect. “I know I’ll tell all my people at Good Counsel about it. I hope so”.

There is no doubt Lonergan feels similarly, and very likely the Vermont community will follow suit soon.

With the signing of do-everything forward Clarke following that of multi-faceted Young, the school is well along that path.