Hall of Fame
Defensive statistics are often overlooked, but Yorkville, N.Y. native Scott Clarke gave basketball enthusiasts a reason to take a second look, especially after leading the nation in steals in his junior campaign with 126 in 24 games played.
Not only did Clarke take tremendous pride in his defense on the court, but he also spent four years of his life defending our country off the court. After attending New York Mills High School and spending a short time at Herkimer County Community College he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he fought in operation Desert Storm, before enrolling at Utica College and joining the men's basketball team under the direction of Head Coach Ed Jones in 1992.
Clarke, who was deployed on the USS Saratoga, was a Petty Officer on the flight deck of the Saratoga and helped launch aircrafts, which is widely considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. He also amassed an incredible basketball resume while in the Navy and he guided his team to three straight Navy Championships, never losing a single game in three years. His time in the Navy prepared him to be an immediate leader when he joined the Pioneers.
The three-time captain truly made a lasting impression on NCAA basketball and to this day he ranks ninth all-time, at all levels from Division I to III, with 346 career steals. In the 1994-95 season he averaged 5.25 steals per game, which ranks tenth all-time at all levels of NCAA men's basketball.
Clarke, who was selected to the East District All-Region First Team by the National Basketball Coaches Association in 1996, was certainly no slouch on the offensive end of the floor and graduated ranked second on the College's all-time scoring list with 1,355 career points. He was a skilled outside shooter and broke the school-record for career 3-point field goals made (183) and attempted (570).
The 6-foot-2 guard led the Pioneers to 55 wins and two ECAC Tournament appearances over the course of four seasons. In his senior campaign Clarke helped UC jump out to a school-record 11-0 start as the Pioneers reached a ranking as high as No. 3 in the East Region. The Pioneers' knocked off top seeded University of Rochester in the first round of the ECAC Championships, 75-64, on Feb. 28, 1996 to solidify an outstanding career for Clarke. He wrapped up his final season averaging a team-best 21.7 points per game and he drilled a school-record 69 3-pointers, a record that stands strong to this day.
Scott currently resides in Jacksonville, Fl. with his wife Suzanne. He is the son of Sally Clarke and the brother of Ricky and Sherry.
