Golden Bears’ Clarke to represent Canada at U-19s
Alberta freshman forward joins roster full of NCAA players
After a year away from basketball to rehabilitate a knee injury, Alberta Golden Bears redshirt freshman Brody Clarke has proven that you don’t need to head to the United States to make an impact.
Recently selected to the under-19 Canadian world championship squad, the sixfoot-seven forward is proud of his status as the only player from a Canadian university to make the team.
“I had the option to go to a couple NCAA schools and my brother and dad both played in the States, so everyone kind of thought that would be the path that I would take,” said Clarke, who has represented Canada before, at the U-16 level.
“I’ve known coach Barnaby (Craddock) for a long time, and he really helped me through my rehab process, and I don’t think I would have gotten that at other schools.”
“All credit goes to Brody on his recovery, he was the one getting up early every morning to rehab his knee,” said Golden Bears head coach Craddock.
“He put his heart and soul into rehab, came all the way back and made the junior national team. He is going to be very important for us next year.”
“He was a huge recruit for our program,” said Craddock. “He has a very nice basketball resumé, and with his academics he is going to be a bright spot for the next five years for us.”
The selection is Brody’s latest go-round with the national team. He has also represented Canada on three other occasions: as a member of the 2011 U-16 national team, and on the 2012 and 2013 U-18 national 3-on-3 teams.
“He has earned it,” said the head coach for the U-19 squad, Roy Rana. “He’s come in and established a role for himself. He has proven to be very effective in the post, and he has a lot of international experience.”
Brody’s combination of size, strength and skills make him good for the international game, which thrives on skilled players at every position making plays.
“He’s very versatile,” said Rana. “He can step outside and shoot it, he’s incredibly tough and strong down low, and he’s got a great IQ for the game. He’s a very smart kid.”
Brody, who won an Ontario provincial title as a high school senior, follows in former Golden Bears great Jordan Baker’s steps as U of A athletes who found a home on national teams.
“I spoke with him a bit before the selection, and he has been great for me, especially being new to this city. Getting to work out with a player of his calibre is great too,” said Clarke.
After spending last year rehabbing, Brody gets a fresh start at his debut season with the Golden Bears, and is expecting his international experience to play a big role in what he hopes to be a successful freshman year.
“It’s going to be huge for me, especially because in the CIS we use FIBA rules, so this is going to get me some really high-level FIBA competition, and when I come back that whole style of play is going to be second nature,” said the engineering student.
The FIBA U-19 World Championships kick off June 27 in Greece, with Canada opening the tournament against Australia. The teams are in Group C, along with Italy and Tunisia.
Along with Brody, the Canadian roster boasts a number of NCAA players and prep school standouts.
In the absence of blue-chip guard prospect Jamal Murray, Canada will be led by Harvard big man Chris Egi and class of 2016 forward Justin Jackson, who plays for Findlay Prep in Nevada, the former high school of current Cleveland Cavalier and Torontonian Tristan Thompson.