Clark looks to score on his last shot: after a dark summer, 'KeeKee' is ready to light it up again for St. Peter's

There is so much to play for this season: history, records, a first trip to the NCAA Tournament. So much joy could be headed his way. St. Peter's guard Keydren Clark allows himself to think about that now. It's time.

There was a period earlier this summer, though, when none of it mattered much. He stepped away from basketball: stopped playing, stopped working on his game, even stopped shooting. Back then, it was time to mourn. To most who follow sports, George Jefferson's death was a few lines in a wire service story. A reserve guard for St. Peter's, Jefferson was discovered dead in his dormitory room on June 21. Autopsy results indicated the cause of death was an enlarged heart.

Clark, his roommate and closest friend, found Jefferson. That memory is going to be difficult to shake, but there are reasons we all move on after these sorts of tragedies. We take a break, and we remember why we do what we do.

"That's going to come easy," Clark says of playing basketball. "George wanted me to be successful more than he was successful. By him being injured as much as he was, he was living his dream through me. I know he's going to help guide me into the right directions."

Clark hasn't been much more than a tiny name in the newspaper, either, even though his accomplishments are immense. Called "KeeKee" by his teammates and coaches, the 5-9 Clark led NCAA Division I in scoring average the past two seasons: 26.7 points as a sophomore, 25.8 as a junior. Only seven other players have led the nation in scoring twice.

The greatest possibilities come now. Two players have led the nation three times. They are known as Oscar and Pistol Pete. Do you really need their surnames?

"A lot of people come up and say, 'Do you know what company you'd be in?'" Clark says. "Whenever I'm in the gym, shooting hoops, it's on my mind. But during the season, I try not to worry about it. It's not one of my main priorities."

If Clark remains healthy, he easily will pass players such as Wayman Tisdale, David Robinson, Larry Bird and Elvin Hayes on the career scoring list. Clark also could become the seventh player to reach 3,000 career points. Joining that club, however, will require 782 points; his best season to date is 775 in 2003-04. The best way to get to 3,000 would be for St. Peter's to play a few extra games--say, in the Metro Atlantic and NCAA tournaments.

Clark never has played in the NCAAs. The Peacocks haven't been there since 1995, and they were 4-24 as recently as 2001-02, the season before Clark arrived. In the past two seasons, though, St. Peter's was 32-25. Clark badly wants that NCAA bid and believes the team must improve its defense and rebounding to get it.

"We've never had a problem putting points on the board," he says.

If he gets there, Clark will have a little bit more to think about than most players in the tournament. But then he'll play, and he'll score points. Because that's what he does. TSN

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speed read

Kansas' freshman class already had McDonald's All-Americans Julian Wright, Mario Chalmers and Micah Downs, and now it includes Brandon Rush, who might be the best of them all. Considering all of the young talent, it might be a challenge for Bill Self to keep these Jayhawks harmonious. But you know what might be a bigger challenge? Beating these Jayhawks by season's end.--Kyle Veltrop

INSIDE DISH

On the Big Ten select team's recent trip to Spain, PF Marco Killingsworth of Indiana and SF Brian Randle and PG Calvin Brock of Illinois stood out despite not playing last season. Killingsworth, a transfer from Auburn, averaged a team-best 15.2 points in five games. Randle (broken hand) and Brock (development) redshirted last season. Randle, who might start for the Illini, built up his confidence with 15- and 17-point games. Brock, who figures to back up PG Dee Brown, used the trip to get comfortable running a team. * Maryland G D.J. Strawberry, whose 2004-05 season ended after 14 games because of a knee injury, has been cleared to participate in pickup games. Strawberry is an excellent defender who could play more at the point this season. That would help ease the load on first-time starter Sterling Ledbetter and allow the Terrapins to get their best players on the floor together more. * Iowa State SF Rahshon Clark spent his summer working on his strength after carrying only 190 pounds on his 6-6 frame as a freshman. Clark is extremely athletic and dangerous from the perimeter, but he needs to improve his shot release in traffic. The Cyclones need Clark to complement elite Gs Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock. * PF Curtis Sumpter and C Jason Fraser are aggressively rehabilitating their knees after offseason surgeries. The process has been grueling for both, but Villanova hopes Sumpter can begin individual workouts later this month and that Fraser will be ready to do the same in early October. The Wildcats are capable of making a Final Four run but only if both Sumpter and Fraser are fully healthy.--K. V.

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