Clark picks up second preseason All-America honor
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman senior guard Charles Clark (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) has picked up his second preseason All-America accolade.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman senior guard Charles Clark (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) has picked up his second preseason All-America accolade.
Clark was picked as the preseason player of the year for the South Atlantic Conference and was named a Super 16 preseason All-American in Division II Bulletin's preseason publication. Clark and Columbus State's Jacori Payne share the Super 16 tout for the Southeast Region. Fellow South Atlantic Conference players Jalin Alexander (Queens) and Randall Shaw (Anderson) both picked up honorable mention All-America accolades.
Clark was named to Street and Smith's preseason All-America team in late September.
As a junior, Clark was named to both Basketball Times' and Division II Bulletin's All-America teams. He was named the South Atlantic Conference's Player of the Year for his efforts.
Last year, he averaged 21.9 points per game and scored 658 points. It's the seventh best scoring season in the history of the South Atlantic Conference and the best individual scoring effort for an Eagle since Carson-Newman moved to Division II.
He was the league's scoring champ for 2016-17. Clark made 170 free throws this season, which registers as the seventh best figure in conference history.
Well played @birdclark1. The @CN_Hoops senior has been named to D2 Bulletin's Super 16 preseason All-America team. pic.twitter.com/6HVJBBEJUb
— C-N Athletics (@CNathletics) October 6, 2017
The high water mark for Clark came in the final week of the regular season. The Murfreesboro, Tenn.-native tallied up the highest scoring triple-double in the history of basketball at the time (NCAA or NBA) while resetting both the Carson-Newman and South Atlantic Conference single-game scoring records against Coker on Feb. 25.
Clark poured in 54 points to bypass Ish Sanders (51 points versus Mars Hill in 2011) for the Carson-Newman record and RJ McLure (52 points versus Anderson in 2014) for the South Atlantic Conference mark. He also turned in 11 points and 12 assists for his third triple-double in as many home games. Clark is the seventh player in NCAA history and the first at the Division II level with back-to-back triple-doubles.
The guard was 16-for-27 from the field and 7-for-14 from three-point range. He canned 15 of his 16 free throw attempts on the day – all career highs. Clark also broke Chris Jones' 56-year-old Carson-Newman record for points in a half. Clark had 36 in the second, besting Jones' 33 from a 1961 game against Emory & Henry.
His other two triple doubles came against Brevard and Lenoir-Rhyne. He had 33 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the Tornados, a touch better than his 24-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist effort against L-R. The junior saw a 52-game streak scoring double-figures come to an end earlier this season.
However, since then, Clark posted 11 straight double-digit scoring efforts. He topped 20 seven times since then and 30 on three occasions. Clark had 17, 20-point games this season and handed out five assists on eight occasions. The Eagles are unbeaten when he does that. Clark ranked in the top 10 in the SAC in every statistical category except offensive rebounds, personal fouls, and blocks.
Honorable Mention Jacobo Diaz, IUP, Jr. Martyce Kimbrough, Findlay, Sr. Ethan Alvano, Cal St. San Marcos, Sr. Nick Davidson, Bloomfield, Sr. Adam Dieball, Christian Brothers, Jr. Chris Walters, S. New Hampshire, Sr. Patrick Burke, Dallas Baptist, Sr. Quincy January, St. Augustine's, Sr. Dan Monteroso, West Liberty, Sr. Trevor Hill, Dixie State, Sr. Deion Lane, Belmont Abbey, Sr. Derylton Hill, AR Monticello, Sr. Rasmus Bach, Fort Lewis, Sr. Kalidou Diouf, Cal Baptist, Sr. Ty Jordan, Malone, Sr. Tanner Omlid, Western Oregon, Sr. Jaymon Mason, Edinboro, Sr. Sam Daniel, Florida Tech, Sr. Jordan Spencer, Augustana, Sr. Amir Hinton, Lock Haven, So. Akaemji Williams, Lake Superior, Sr. Jalin Alexander, Queens (NC), Sr. Christian Mortellite, Bloomsburg, Sr. Ryan Richmond, Bentley, Jr. Randy Bell, Holy Family, So. Randall Shaw, Anderson, Jr.
