By Michael Wojtychiw
Most people know about the Red Division and all of its top players.
But what many people don’t often get to see is the talent level of the players not in the Red Division.
An example of that is two standouts in the CPL’s Blue Division, freshman Ashanti Clark of Wells and sophomore Jaklaya Hunter of Manley. The two underclassmen faced off December 18 at Wells in a conference game right before the Christmas break.
The two players came into the game on scoring hot streaks, with Hunter having scored at least 30 points in the previous four games, including a 41-point game against Austin and Clark with three consecutive games of 30 or more points.
Based on that, one would think it was bound to be a high-scoring matchup between two players who love to score the ball a lot.
“I work hard and I don’t really think about stats during the game, I’m just thinking about winning,” Hunter said. “Every point gets us closer to a win.
“My shot was off today so when that happens I attack the basket so I can draw fouls.”
“I just play ball, I have to play ball,” Clark said. “I really feel that it’s because of all the work I put in. But it’s not only about the points. The steals, the defense, the talking with teammates.”
Clark isn’t just a player that scores the ball, however.
The freshman averages nearly a triple-double, scoring 25 points per game, but also grabbing 10 rebounds a contest and coming up with nine steals per game, all while also dishing out over two assists per game. That’s just how she’s always played.
“Honestly, to me it’s not all about the points,” she said. “The points are going to come, yes, but I like to get my team involved, get them where they need to be.
“If they’re open, I need to see them open. If I don’t I know I’m letting them down.”
The coaches on both teams knew that what they’ve been seeing all season is something special.
“That girl is fearless,” Manley coach Michael Miller said. “What I think it is is that she’s been following [Clark] and she saw how well she’s been playing. She saw her put up 40 and said the next day ‘Coach I’m going for 50.'”
“Getting a talent like Ashanti is exciting,” Wells coach Martez Blackman said. “Once you get a girl like her and some girls around her and they put it together, it can change a lot of things.
“Ashanti brings a lot of hope. When somebody leads by example like Ashanti does, it invigorates the whole team, they want to communicate more, do more.”
Both players found their way to their respective schools in different ways.
Hunter transferred to Manley this season after playing her freshman year at Chicago Vocational. Clark, on the other hand, came to Wells in part of having Wells alumni in her family.
For both players, fitting into their respective programs has been an easier transition than they may have originally envisioned.
“It was a little tough fitting in right away because I’m still young and nobody wants to listen to someone young,” Hunter said with a laugh. “I love the game, so I worked hard and told my teammates that I’m here to help them.”
“Her coach disagreed somewhat.
“The girls became real close, they even formed a flag football team this year,” he said. “They really see her as a leader. They understand she’s the leader.”
“The practices have really helped me a lot,” Clark said. “They keep me on my toes, get me ready, knowing what I need to do to be successful.”
After an exhilarating game which saw the Wildcats win on a last-second free throw, the two teams faced off in the Elite Eight of the Blue Division Playoffs.
Like the first matchup, Manley came out on top, this time 58-52, advancing to the Blue Division semifinals against Intrinsic, the only conference team to beat the Wildcats. Hunter finished with 52 points, nine rebounds and eight steals, while Clark scored 28 points in the loss.
Photos by Michael Wojtychiw/OSA
