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Blue Springs, MO —
Marvin Clark is nothing if not versatile.
Last year as a junior, Clark burst onto the area hoops scene at Blue Springs High School after transferring from Imagine Renaissance Academy. At 6-foot-6, Clark emerged as a double-double machine while flashing an array of skills in the paint and on the perimeter. He finished with averages of 16.7 points and 7. 1 rebounds per game, which earned him a nod to the Class 5 all-state second team.
Clark built on his high school success this summer as a member of the Mo-Kan Elite 17-and under AAU squad. While Clark is top dog for the Wildcats, he was asked to take on a different role for an AAU program that in recent years has churned out college prospects such as Alec Burks, Will Spradling and Neil Watson.
Just as Clark is comfortable posting up or hoisting a 3-pointer, he easily found his niche as part of Mo-Kan’s supporting cast.
“He had a big role off the bench,” assistant coach Buzzy Caruthers said. “It was a team that had been together for a couple years and he had to find what his role was. He basically was a spark off the bench because he shoots it so well, stretches the floor for us and is able to provide another shooter out there for us as well as an attacker.”
Caruthers coached Clark’s AAU team last summer and brought him over to the Elite this year. At Blue Springs, Clark spends much of his time playing with his back to the basket on the interior. But Caruthers said his natural position is probably small forward and he’ll likely be asked to play a wing spot in college.
Caruthers added that Clark still has room to improve his pull-up jumper and also needs to find ways to finish stronger at the rim.
Like any good role player, Clark said he spent the summer focused on doing the little things.
“Defending and rebounding,” Clark said. “Scoring is going to come. I wasn’t as worried about scoring. This summer I just wanted to get better at guarding people and getting more rebounds. That will help me at the next level.”
Clark’s national status is still modest, but more and more college coaches are taking notice. Clark is listed as a four-star recruit on rivals.com and schools like Oklahoma, Oregon, Wichita State and Missouri State have expressed interest.
Marvin Clark is nothing if not versatile.
Last year as a junior, Clark burst onto the area hoops scene at Blue Springs High School after transferring from Imagine Renaissance Academy. At 6-foot-6, Clark emerged as a double-double machine while flashing an array of skills in the paint and on the perimeter. He finished with averages of 16.7 points and 7. 1 rebounds per game, which earned him a nod to the Class 5 all-state second team.
Clark built on his high school success this summer as a member of the Mo-Kan Elite 17-and under AAU squad. While Clark is top dog for the Wildcats, he was asked to take on a different role for an AAU program that in recent years has churned out college prospects such as Alec Burks, Will Spradling and Neil Watson.
Just as Clark is comfortable posting up or hoisting a 3-pointer, he easily found his niche as part of Mo-Kan’s supporting cast.
“He had a big role off the bench,” assistant coach Buzzy Caruthers said. “It was a team that had been together for a couple years and he had to find what his role was. He basically was a spark off the bench because he shoots it so well, stretches the floor for us and is able to provide another shooter out there for us as well as an attacker.”
Caruthers coached Clark’s AAU team last summer and brought him over to the Elite this year. At Blue Springs, Clark spends much of his time playing with his back to the basket on the interior. But Caruthers said his natural position is probably small forward and he’ll likely be asked to play a wing spot in college.
Caruthers added that Clark still has room to improve his pull-up jumper and also needs to find ways to finish stronger at the rim.
Like any good role player, Clark said he spent the summer focused on doing the little things.
“Defending and rebounding,” Clark said. “Scoring is going to come. I wasn’t as worried about scoring. This summer I just wanted to get better at guarding people and getting more rebounds. That will help me at the next level.”
Clark’s national status is still modest, but more and more college coaches are taking notice. Clark is listed as a four-star recruit on rivals.com and schools like Oklahoma, Oregon, Wichita State and Missouri State have expressed interest.
“I’m really starting to get a couple more looks,” Clark said. “Really, I’m just staying open minded.”
Playing with the Elite certainly helped Clark increase his exposure as the team played against the best high school talent in the nation in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League. Mo-Kan finished fourth in the Nike Peach Jam earlier this month in North Augusta, S.C., which serves as the EYBL’s finals and is considered one of the most prestigious AAU tourneys.
That meant playing in front of just about every Division I head coach in the country.
“I think for him to be able to be on that platform that he was on this summer really helped him out,” Caruthers said. “It’s always about being able to get seen and exposure, and I think with the platform he was on, that really allowed him to do that.”
A large portion of Clark’s potential is still probably untapped. While he looks like a natural on the court, he didn’t start playing until eighth grade and is still in the process of learning much of the game’s intricacies.
“It’s really all learning,” Clark said. “I had a slight learning curve, which has gotten quicker. But really, just learning the game and getting better and better. That’s what a lot of coaches really like about me is I continue to get better.”
With his AAU season complete, Clark can now turn his attention to the upcoming high school season. Last year, Clark helped the Wildcats to a 14-13 season just a year after combining for only 10 wins the previous two seasons.
“Of course we’ll take it game by game,” Clark said. “But the main goal is to go to state. ... I feel real good about it. With the whole team back except for two seniors, I feel like we can be the most complete team.”
