Monday, July 6, 2009
Layshia Clarendon speaks
It's so easy to get a wrong impression of someone, and Cal-bound Layshia Clarendon is a perfect example. At times during her high school career she seemed like a drama queen. In reality, she had almost her entire team on her shoulders for a long time. Who knows, but maybe the almost-a-Bear will have it easier in college in comparison - at least as far as carrying the load. I wish this soft-spoken young lady all the luck in the world.
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8 comments:
nice story, sue. her dad sounds like he's giving her some good advice. what's her size? is she a guard or forward? boyle is quietly building up her program and sounds like laysia will be a good addition.
scullyfu
oops, spelled her name incorrectly. sorry, L. :)
scullyfu
She's 5'9" and will have to hit the weight room because she's small. But she's crazy tough and resilient, and fast. She had to play both the PG and the 2 at understaffed Cajon, but I suspect Boyle and company will put her at her more natural spot, the 2.
wonder if she'll see much time if she plays at the two, behind lexi? but everyone has to start somewhere. :)
scullyfu
Probably not this next year, scully. I'm betting that Clarendon will suck up all the knowledge she can from Gray-Lawson during her senior year. There's seven freshman, you know. They'll be ready to go for real in 2010-2011, and it'll be scary.
I dont know how she adjusts as a freshman at Cal. The big adjustment she will have to face is not being the focal point of the offense as she has been for the past 4 years. She probably controlled the ball 80% of the time that her team had the ball. That is a giant mental adjustment.
I have also seen her in the stands at Mater Dei when she came to see them play last December. She is very thin. When she hits the floor at college it might be a bit harder to get up.
I wish her the best as she has been a thrill to watch the past few years.
IM in OC
Good point about the offense, IM. In meeting her, though, I was surprised at how chill she is. The comment she made about "being really chill" is no exaggeration. She's an oxymoron: intense as hell on the court, and amazingly low-key off of it. I think she'll adjust allright at Cal. I think not being the focal point of the offense will be a relief for her.
Her skinny frame is something she did acknowledge as a weakness, though, and she's been working out like a mad dog since she got the world games invite. She'll have to keep lifting weights, but at least she's working on it.
She is a lean mean fighting machine. There's not an ounce of fat on her. She is total muscle and that's because she worked out everyday in high school. That's what players with a small frame should do to be tough. Also, by developing her skills and being the focal point in HS enabled her to be all that she could. Being the California High School Player of the Year says it all. Can't get much better than that.
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