Zach Clemence produced in 15 minutes vs. KSU. Will he see bigger role for KU basketball?
After not entering the previous two games, Kansas sophomore forward Zach Clemence scored five points, grabbed three rebounds and blocked a career-best three shots while playing a career-high 15 minutes, 27 seconds in Tuesday night’s 90-78 victory over Kansas State at Allen Fieldhouse.
“I thought Zach was great the other night, gave us some great minutes,” KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self said of the 6-foot-10, 230-pound sophomore from San Antonio.
Clemence was counted on, along with freshman big Ernest Udeh (three points, six rebounds, three blocks, 10 minutes) for critical backup minutes in the frontcourt with injured reserve forward Zuby Ejiofor unavailable to give starting five-man KJ Adams a breather.
Clemence — he’s played in just one of the last three games — has made strides of late that could conceivably help him continue to earn playing time, perhaps in Saturday’s 11 a.m. tip at Iowa State.
“I think he’s adjusting better to what we have to have him do for us to have the best chance,” Self said Thursday of Clemence. “No matter who you play for or what system you play in, aggressiveness is still a requirement. Going after balls relentlessly is still a requirement. Screening hard is still a requirement. To me all our bigs — all our bigs — weren’t doing those things as effectively as they were capable of doing (early).”
He continued.
“It could be multiple reasons,” Self said. “You could be scared you are going to set a moving screen. I think Zach is of a mindset more so now, especially in the last I’d say five or six games, that even though he hasn’t played in some of the games in that stretch, (he’s) saying, ... ‘This is best for us and in turn what’s best for me.’ I think Ernest is doing a better job in that area too.”
Self was especially impressed with the combined six blocks between Udeh and Clemence versus K-State.
“No disrespect to KJ (eight points, three rebounds, one block in 18 minutes vs. KSU), that’s not what he does. That’s an element we got (vs. KSU) we don’t normally get. Six blocked shots (from) in tight. You make 50% of the balls in tight, that’s six points (saved) right there,” Self added.
Clemence in Big 12 play has averaged 3.3 points and 1.6 rebounds a game while playing in seven of KU’s nine games. He’s averaged 7.2 minutes in those games for the No. 8-ranked (18-4, 6-3) Jayhawks.
“I’m doing everything I can every day just to get better. I think that’s been a huge part of my success (versus KSU),” Clemence said. “I’m focusing on the whole thing. I think that’s always what one should do. I did a lot of things last game. I think it paid off.”
Self said Clemence has had a positive attitude all season, despite not being a regular member of the rotation.
“He’s a great kid,” Self said. “The expectations for him in my mind were pretty high going into the year. It hasn’t worked out to this date in terms of what the expectations (were). I thought it’d be a 50-50 coin flip whether or not he’d start for us this year.
“We went until November without knowing we’d play KJ Adams at the 5 in practice at all.”
Adams is an undersized five at 6-7, 225 pounds.
“I said, ‘If we do (move Adams from the wing to center), he’s going to beat you guys out, but I don’t think that’s what’s best.’ That’s exactly what happened. We adjusted how to play with KJ in there,” Self said. “That doesn’t mean Zach and now Ernest, since everybody else is nicked up, … that doesn’t mean they cant have a similar-type role. We’ve seen it with the production those two had the other night.”
Self said he’s had one-on-one talks with Clemence.
“We went over everything in detail. He’s great. Zach wants to play. He wants to help us. He loves KU. He wants us to win,” Self said. “But let’s call it like it is. We are not going to change how we play to fit him. He knows that. He is not expecting that. If we said we are going to play two bigs regardless or we’re going to play zone, that would benefit Zach. That’s not what we’re going to do. He understands that. It’s nobody’s fault.”
Clemence said his goals for the rest of the season are “just the same thing we saw the other night. Focus on the defense and let the offense flow with it.”
“Basketball is a grind,” he added. “It’s not the easiest thing. It’s why some people like it. It’s why I like it.”
