‘Make her proud’
HOUSTON — Peering from under his bucket hat, Donovan Clingan answered the litany of questions from reporters Friday before bouncing into the UConn men’s locker room at NRG Stadium.
The Final Four media onslaught has been incessant, but Dan Hurley’s team has been rolling from one obligation to the next. And literally rolling — players are shuffled throughout the football stadium on golf cards, not a comfortable ride for the 7-foot-2 Clingan.
The peripheral chaos has actually been a fun byproduct for the freshman from Bristol. Clingan, standing in the locker room next to the pre-practice buffet, said he’s enjoying all parts of the event.
It’s also a reminder of his late mother Stacey, whose own basketball life inspired Donovan to follow the same path. And here he is in the NCAA Tournament, at the pinnacle of the sports, experiencing what his mom often talked about from her own college career.
Stacey Porrini was a standout for Maine from 1993 to 1997. The Black Bears appeared in three NCAA Tournaments during her career in Orono, including a 1995 firstround loss to eventual national champion UConn.
“She was always telling me about the memory she had from March Madness and everything that went on,” Clingan said Friday. “The parades, the escorts, all that type of stuff. Now for me to be here and see what she was saying in person, it’s crazy.”
Stacey Porrini Clingan died five years ago last Monday after a long battle with breast cancer. Donovan’s father Bill tweeted, “Can’t believe it’s been 5 years. You would be so proud of our children. Miss you beautiful.”
Donovan said he’s been thinking a lot about his mother this week, for a lot of reasons.
“I play basketball to make her proud,” he said. “I want to do something to honor her and I feel like basketball was the best fit for me because I love the sport so much and she did, too. I feel like one way I can make her proud is doing something that she loved.”
Growing up in Bristol, Clingan knew about his mother’s basketball exploits. She’s a member of the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame, graduating from Bristol Central with 846 points, 1,032 rebounds, and 273 blocks.
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