BOWLING GREEN —The last player the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team signed from Canton was McKinley High School's Keith McLeod, the Mid-American Conference player of the year in 2002.
That will change soon, however, as Timken High School senior Jehvon Clarke has verbally committed to the Falcons.
Clark is a 6-1, 180-pound point guard who last season averaged 15.5 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.0 steals while shooting 35.6 percent on 3-point shots for the Trojans.
“[Keith McLeod] is like an idol to me, a mentor,” Clarke told the Canton Repository. “I saw what he accomplished there and I thought, ‘Shoot, if I go there I can accomplish the same goals, if not better.'”
NCAA rules prohibit BG men's basketball coach Louis Orr from commenting on potential recruits until they sign a national letter of intent. The “early” signing period this year begins on Nov. 10.
“The thing that makes Jehvon attractive to college coaches is that he can handle the ball and be a point guard but also shoot the ball well enough to be a shooting guard,” Timken coach Rick Hairston said. “He's a very unselfish kid who doesn't have to take every shot.
“But he also can make a play, and with the college 30-second clock that's important. In the last seconds he can make a jumper, and he can get around his defender because he's quick and strong.”
Hairston also said that Clarke's work ethic has made him a college prospect.
“One thing I like about Jehvon is that he's the first guy to come to the gym and the last guy to leave,” Hairston said. “No one is going to outwork him.”
Hairston said Clarke was the first sub off the bench as a freshman, helping that team to a 24-1 record, then has started the past two seasons.
The Trojans have a 62-7 overall record and 40-0 mark in the Principals Athletic Conference in Clarke's three varsity seasons.
“He's a good point guard because he makes everybody better,” Hairston said. “He makes sure guys get the ball in spots where they can score and be effective, and he can score as well.”
Tonyan honored
BOWLING GREEN — BGSU freshman right-side hitter Danielle Tonyan was named MAC East Division volleyball offensive player of the week.
Tonyan collected 40 kills in a pair of matches last week, including 23 kills in a three-set contest against Western Michigan.
Tonyan was the third Falcon freshman to earn MAC honors in as many weeks; Ashley Dunn and Paige Penrod won the defensive award the past two weeks.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This version corrects Keith McLeod's high school.