Clark supplies spark with athletic ability
Role with Cavs figures to expand next year
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Feb 01, 2003
U.VA. AT GA. TECH
TODAY: 4 p.m. ON THE AIR: TV - WTVR-6; Radio - WRVA (1140), 3:30

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Just across the halfcourt line, Todd Billet pulled up his dribble and launched a pass toward the basket. Jason Clark went airborne, caught the ball and slammed it home to give Virginia an 11-point lead over Florida State.

"When you throw that pass, you're confident when you know that there's probably maybe one or two guys in the conference that can catch that," Billet said. "Luckily, one of them's on this team, and it's Jason. He can go up as high as anyone."

No one has ever questioned Clark's athleticism, and he's contributed numerous SportsCenter-caliber dunks since coming to U.Va. in 2001. But lately the 6-8, 234-pound sophomore has begun to blossom into a more complete player.

Virginia has four post players in its rotation - Clark, 6-8 senior Travis Watson, 6-10 junior Nick Vander Laan and 6-9 sophomore Elton Brown. Finding sufficient playing time for all of them is nearly impossible, particularly when all-ACC candidate Watson usually gets at least 30 minutes if he's not in foul trouble.

"One of them is going to be short-changed, probably, but you've got to have depth," Gillen said.

Of the four, Clark averages the fewest minutes per game - 14.4. But the Wahoos (3-3, 12-6) are finding creative ways to use the Virginia Beach resident. No longer bothered by the tendinitis in his left knee that slowed him early in the season, Clark has started the past two games at small forward. His defensive work on Wake Forest's Josh Howard (7 for 19 from the floor) and FSU guard Tim Pickett (7 for 18) helped the Cavaliers post back-to-back victories.

"He's had two terrific games for us," U.Va. coach Pete Gillen said of Clark, the team's most physically gifted player.

Clark, 20, may be the only starting small forward in Division I who never has attempted a 3-pointer, but playing out of position hasn't kept him from contributing. He scored 10 points in 22 minutes against Wake and tied his career high with 12 - again in 22 minutes - against Florida State.

"He brings a lot of energy right now," Watson said.

Heading into U.Va.'s game today at Georgia Tech (3-3, 10-7), Clark is averaging 5.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots. He's shooting 71.2 percent from the floor and 64 percent from the line. Not that Clark concerns himself with stats - or with starting, for that matter.

"I just do whatever it takes to make my team better," he said.

As a junior at Kellam High, Clark averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. That's the last time he's been his team's focal point on offense, but he says he's comfortable in a complementary role.

"When Todd is hot or if Travis is working down low, why worry about my offensive game?" Clark said.

On the Boo Williams AAU team that won two national titles, Clark played with Elton Brown (now a teammate at U.Va.), J.J. Redick (Duke) and John Gilchrist (Maryland), among others. At Hargrave Military Academy, to which Clark transferred after his junior year at Kellam, his teammates included future Division I players James White (Florida and Cincinnati), Sharrod Ford (Clemson), Keith Jenifer (U.Va.) and Ricky Shields (Rutgers).

"He's a behind-the-scenes guy and does all the dirty work and doesn't get credit for it," said Marshall University assistant Kevin Keatts, who coached Clark at Hargrave.

"One thing I said when Jason was at Hargrave: We had a lot of great players, but I thought he was the heart and soul of our team. If there was one guy we couldn't afford to lose, it was Jason Clark."

Clark, the son of a former Marine, spent two years at Hargrave. He repeated the 11th grade in 1999-2000 and then completed his high school requirements in 2000-01. He played for Hargrave's powerful postgraduate team both years.

As a U.Va. freshman, he started three games and averaged 12.1 minutes, 3.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Those numbers - and his statistics this season - belie Clark's enormous potential.

"I think people will see Jason break out next year," Boo Williams said.

When Watson leaves, Clark figures to contend for a starting job at power forward, his natural position. A glimpse of the future came Dec. 21, when Watson sat out U.Va.'s game at Rutgers with an injury. Clark started and played a season-high 26 minutes. He totaled 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in Virginia's 61-57 victory.

"Elton and I talked about that a couple times," Clark said. "We said, 'This is how it's going to be next year.'"
 

THE MAJESTIC PLAN LIVES ON
By DAN MARTIN

January 31, 2003 -- Majestic Mapp had the typical expectations of a New York City basketball player who starred in high school and was a McDonald's All-American.
"I wanted to go to college, win an NCAA championship and then go on to the NBA," said Mapp. "Those were my dreams."

They didn't seem unrealistic for the Harlem product who starred at St. Raymond's and then went on to play in all 31 games as a freshman for the University of Virginia.

But just a few months ago, he nearly gave it all up. After four knee operations, the 21-year-old junior was still feeling pain and didn't want to do any more rehab.

"I was ready to quit," Mapp said. "But I just couldn't do it. It wasn't in me."

You can't blame him for thinking about it. The 6-2 point guard has found more than his fair share of bad luck since that freshman year. In August of 2000, he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament while working out at St. Raymond's in The Bronx, which cost him the next season.

After two more procedures were done to scope out the knee, Mapp learned in October, 2001, that he needed surgery on his ACL again. He didn't get back to the Cavaliers' lineup until Jan. 11, when he returned to the court to play two minutes against North Carolina.

"That was one of the greatest moments of my life," said Mapp, who has played in four games since his return and will see action tomorrow when the 12-6 Cavs visit Georgia Tech. "To overcome everything was a huge milestone. Not being able to play for 21/2 years was terrible. I was definitely down a lot."

He went through so much that Virginia coach Pete Gillen wasn't sure if he would ever get Mapp back.

"I thought he would never play again," Gillen said. "What happened to him was miserable."

While Gillen had doubts, Mapp insists he remained hopeful he would return.

"I was always confident that I would get back to this point and then get even better," said Mapp, who is listed as a junior but will petition the NCAA for another medical redshirt after the season and hopes to have two more full years ahead of him at Virginia. "I still believe that."
 

Virginia Set For Battle With Jackets
By Chris Wallace
Date: Jan 31, 2003

The Virginia men's basketball team will try to get its first ACC road victory of the season in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. But it won't be easy. The Yellow Jackets are 9-0 this season in Alexander Memorial Coliseum and have a lot of different weapons at their disposal.

It's a big game (4 p.m., Raycom/JP) for both teams in their quests to jump into the upper echelon in the ACC standings, as the Cavaliers and the Jackets are both 3-3 in the conference. Additionally, UVa has six losses overall on the season and Tech has seven, totals that have to be a concern for a couple of teams that look destined for the dreaded NCAA Tournament bubble.
This season, the Yellow Jackets have been led by the inside-outside duo of Chris Bosh and B.J. Elder. Bosh, a 6-foot-10 freshman forward, averages 16 points and better than nine rebounds per game. The Texas native was expected to be one of the ACC's top newcomers and he hasn't disappointed. Despite weighing just 210 pounds, Bosh is stronger than he appears and is also a very good shooter. When Virginia is in its man-to-man defense, look for defensive specialist Jason Clark to draw that assignment.

Elder, meanwhile, is a deadly shooter with great range who can also score off the dribble. The 6-4 sophomore guard averages nearly 17 points per game on the season and has failed to reach double figures on just one occasion. Elder, at 218 pounds, is also very strong and will have a decided physical advantage over any true guard that Virginia can put on the floor. Gillen may have to try Derrick Byars on Elder or hope that Keith Jenifer is quick enough to stay glued to him on defense.

The Jackets also have another capable scorer in junior Marvin Lewis, a man Cavalier fans won't soon forget. It was Lewis nailing a 3-pointer to beat UVa in Charlottesville last year and likely end the Cavs' hopes of advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Lewis is averaging nearly 13 points per game. He's not as dangerous as Elder off the dribble, but he's a dangerous 3-point shooter.

The Jackets also have a nice mix of big bodies, Ed Nelson and Luke Schenscher included, as well as some great athletes like Ismail Muhammad and Anthony McHenry. But the key for the Jackets is often the play of freshman point guard Jarrett Jack. Freshmen point guards have traditionally taken their lumps in the ACC and that's been the case for the tremendously-talented Jack, who has struggled with his shooting and turnovers at times. Jack, who is the only true point guard on the squad, averages eight points and six assists per game. But he also averages nearly four turnovers per game and is shooting just 40 percent from the floor and less than 30 percent from beyond the arc. When Jack plays well, however, the Jackets are very tough to beat.

For Virginia, the key to the game will be rather simple: intensity. The Cavaliers have been poor on the road under Coach Pete Gillen, including a 1-5 mark this season. One of the traditional problems for the Cavaliers when they've ventured away from University Hall is a lack of intensity on the court. If that's the case on Saturday, Virginia will get beat.

But if UVa comes to play, it has a shot at leaving with a victory. Containing Bosh and Elder will be key, and on offense it's important that the Cavaliers try to take it right at Bosh on the inside. Virginia has the bigger bodies and should use Travis Watson and Elton Brown to try to wear down the Jackets' freshman sensation. Virginia will also need a good shooting afternoon from Todd Billet, Derrick Byars and Devin Smith. The Jackets have enough solid interior players that the Cavs won't be able to win without some offensive balance.

Another key, as is usually the case with Virginia, will be turnovers. UVa has really been shooting well as a team as of late and it will want all the cracks at the basket it can get. Additionally, turnovers can lead to easy baskets for the Jackets and get the crowd at the Thriller Dome cranked up. Good floor play from Jenifer and Majestic Mapp will be crucial for the Cavaliers.

Tech has definitely had the better of things in the series as of late, winning 10 of the last 12 and five of the lat six. But Virginia did post a 69-65 win in Atlanta last year. The two teams are pretty evenly matched and a win could serve as a springboard for either team. And look for it to be a close game. The last five meetings have been decided by six points or less.




 

Ohio says James ineligible to play rest of season
Friday, January 31, 2003
By TOM WITHERS
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CLEVELAND (AP) - LeBron James was ruled ineligible to play for the rest of the season because he accepted free sports jerseys, bringing a sudden end to the basketball star's celebrated high school career.

The decision Friday by Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner Clair Muscaro came four days after James, a senior at Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary, was cleared after receiving a $50,000 sports utility vehicle from his mother.

Last Saturday, James was given two retro jerseys _ valued at a combined $845 _ for free from a clothing store, the OHSAA said. The jerseys honored former Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers and former Washington Bullets center Wes Unseld.

Muscaro's ruling forces St. Vincent-St. Mary must forfeit Sunday's victory. The Fighting Irish, who are 14-0 and ranked and ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today, have five regular-season games left before the state playoffs begin.

James can appeal the ruling in writing, the OHSAA said. If he does so, it would be heard before a state panel on Feb. 13.

"We're going to abide by the ruling," said James' coach, Dru Joyce, who said he could not comment on a possible appeal. "We think that maybe there are some facts, that I don't know what they are, that could change things. But the bottom line is that we're moving on as a team."

As Joyce spoke to reporters outside the school's gym, passengers in cars driving by shouted, "Leave LeBron alone!" and "It's all your fault!"

James' now-famous Hummer H2 was moved during the briefing, but the 18-year-old player remained inside the building.

Even if James doesn't play another high school game, the ruling has no bearing on his future as a professional. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound player is considered the best prep player in the country and is expected to be the No. 1 selection in June's NBA draft.

Although he hasn't officially declared himself eligible for the draft, Friday's ruling might prohibit him from playing in college because of NCAA rules.

"There could be possible eligibility ramifications with his participation in an NCAA school," said Bill Saum, a director in the NCAA's enforcement department. "The broad scope is, an athlete may not receive a benefit because of his athletic talent. We would have to see in our investigation if that's why he received these jerseys."

Muscaro reviewed a report that James received the jerseys at "Next Urban Gear and Music" in exchange for posing for pictures to be hung on the store's walls.

The association's rules say an athlete forfeits amateur status by "capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value."

"In talking with the store's personnel, I was able to confirm that on Jan. 25, the merchant gave clothing directly to LeBron at no cost," Muscaro said. "This is a direct violation of the OHSAA bylaws on amateurism, because, in fact, LeBron did capitalize on athletic fame by receiving these gifts."

Robert Rosenthal, the store's owner, declined comment.

Muscaro said he asked school administrators at St. Vincent-St. Mary on Friday for a chance to speak with James.

"But LeBron did not want to speak with me," said Muscaro, who added that in his 14 years as commissioner, he'd never invoked the rule to declare an athlete ineligible.

School officials did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. Fred Nance, an attorney for James and his family, also did not return a message seeking comment.

James has received an unprecedented amount of attention for a high school player. As a junior, he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which dubbed him "The Chosen One." His teams games are followed nationally, and James' popularity forced school officials to move home games to the 5,900-seat Rhodes Arena at Akron University.

The school also scheduled games around the country so James and his teammates could face quality opponents in NBA-size arenas in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Greensboro, N.C. James attracted near-sellouts at those venues.

Nike and Adidas have been waging an off-court war for James, who was projected to earn up to $20 million for an endorsement deal. OHSAA spokesman Bob Goldring said that because James no longer is an amateur, he is free to sign any deal he chooses.

Muscaro was concerned that the OHSAA would be accused of giving James preferential treatment if he didn't rule him ineligible.

"This sends a message that we are all about fairness," Muscaro said. "LeBron is being treated like any one of the thousands of student-athletes in Ohio."

James refused to comment about the jerseys Thursday night at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards; he was honored as the area's top high school athlete for the second straight year. He did allude to "all the controversy that's going on with me" during his acceptance speech.

"I'd like to thank my teammates for helping me through all this," he said. "It will be in the paper, but remember I'm on the honor roll with a 3.5 grade-point average."

Earlier this month, James drew attention by driving around a new custom-made Hummer, which he received as a present for his 18th birthday. His mother, Gloria James, provided loan information to prove she had purchased the vehicle.

On Monday, Muscaro ruled that James would not lose his eligibility for accepting the vehicle.