Hoops world goes ‘crazy’ for superstar Clark
HUNTLEY — One generation or two ago, young basketball players “wanted to be like Mike,” referring to legend Michael Jordan.
Now they wish to click like Caitlyn Clark.
One of them is Huntley sophomore Gwen Campbell. She thinks of the star player who wears No. 22 for the University of Iowa women’s basketball team, Clark.
“It’s the shooting. When I go to the gym, I use her drills which I saw on a video a long time ago,” Campbell said.
The approximately 7,000 fans in attendance at Northwestern saw Clark end the game in second place for all-time women’s basketball scoring. Iowa won handily, 110-74, but the score was just a footnote.
Clark has plenty of admirers in this corner of McHenry County.
“Clark has made a tremendous impact on the women’s game and college basketball,” Red Raiders girls basketball head coach Steve Raethz commented. “She is an incredible player and she is playing to sold out arenas where fans are coming to watch her play each game. She is going to soon be the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball, and one can’t help but marvel at the plays she makes and her shot making abilities. She is an absolute winner and a great ambassador for college basketball.”
“She scores points, but she also plays unselfishly, with assists, defense and rebounds,” Huntley JV girls basketball coach Michelle Russell said.
“She’s a generational player,” Red Raiders JV coach Nick Andrea said.
“It’s shows she brings everyone together and so supportive of her team,” Huntley senior Kylie Lucas said.
“She’s a great shooter and really supports her team,” Huntley senior Yasmine Morsy said.
“Clark shows that there are just as many opportunities as for the boys,” Melissa Cowart, Morsy’s aunt, said. Cowart played hoops at Hoffman Estates and for Harper Community College.
“She is fun to watch; it’s great to see her games,” fan Barb Nommel said.
“She will bring more young players to play the game,” McHenry County College women’s basketball coach Dave Kay said.
“She’s very positive,” MCC fan Baylie Rogge, who played prep basketball at Huntley, and knew a friend attend the NU game, said.
“They watch her on TV and want to play like her,” Cary-Grove girls basketball coach Tony Moretti said, as his team watched the MCC-Waubonsee women’s game.
“She is just incredible,” a fan summed up.
Clark’s resume from prep days to the Jan. 31 clash at sold-out NU will be repeated easily by young ballplayers. The 50 30-point games, including 13 this year; the 11 40-point games; the 15 triple doubles, 12 this season, and too many honors to even begin to list.
Coaches and those who were there for earlier heroines on the court remember Tamika and sister Tauja Catchings at Stevenson High and later in college and for Tamika, for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. Or maybe Cheryl Miller, Laura Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, Maya Moore, Diana Taursi, Rebecca Lobo, or locally, Candace Parker, who authored the first dunk by an Illinois female hoops player.
But none of those noted players had all the talents of the girl from Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa. Just check out the next State Farm Insurance campaign.
