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Tough season continues for Rams
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Clarke's George Nasta releases a jump shot during last Friday's Conference ABC-VI loss to East Rockaway.
Janette Pellegrini/Herald
Graduation was tough on the Clarke boys’ basketball team. The Rams lost their top scorer John Schilt, who was good for 20 points per game, and five others. To make matters worse, Clarke, a team that is clearly in a rebuilding stage, has been injury-riddled in 2009-10.
With a 62-32 home loss to first place East Rockaway, this past Friday night, the undermanned Rams fell to 0-11 (0-4 in Nassau Conference ABC-VI). Senior forward Dylan Giliberti led East Rockaway with 14 points. Guard Joe Todero scored 11 of his 13 points in the opening quarter as the Rocks ran out to a 25-5 first-quarter lead. Senior Alex Abanavas led the Rams with 13 points.
Despite the disappointing season, Clarke coach Joe Harclerode remains optimistic. “You have to stay positive, regardless of the outcome,” Harclerode said. “The guys are working hard and preparing for each game. Things haven’t been easy with the injuries. We just need to keep playing hard and try to get better.”
While the Rams knew they’d be in a rebuilding mode, they were counting on staying healthy. Injuries played a big part in Clarke falling short of the playoffs a year ago. With a dearth of height, losing 6-3 junior center Bobby Mobyed to injury has had a big affect on the Rams’ frontcourt.
To make matters worse, the Rams lost senior point guard Connor McCarthy to an injury, and haven’t had his services in any of their conference games. McCarthy averaged 13 points per contest in non-league games, including a career-high 22 against Garden City.
Despite the frustration, Harclerode keeps things in perspective. “We knew we wouldn’t be very deep coming into the season,” he said. “The injuries have been tough to deal with, because you’re taking two starters away from a team that is already inexperienced at the varsity level. But, there have been some
positives.”
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