Senior Spotlight: John Clark

Senior guard John Clark has been playing basketball for four years at Saucon Valley and appropriately wears #2 on his jersey, a number which just happens to match his ranking as the number two scorer on the team. John plays with an intense desire to compete and is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win. His favorite pro players are naturally point guards John Wall with the Washington Wizards and Derrick Rose with the Chicago Bulls.

Last year as a junior John mentioned two team goals: first, to win the division; and second, to win the league title. He also discussed a personal goal to be named to either the 1st or 2nd team Colonial League All Stars. So far, he's well on his way to achieving all of his ambitious goals, having recently been named to the second team. And his senior year has been highlighted by one success on the court after another, including the Panthers' recent Colonial League Southern Division championship.

First there was an exciting personal highlight in a game against Northampton at home on Jan. 22, when with the score tied at 41 and time about to run out in regulation play, he made the game-winning jump shot as the buzzer sounded.

Twice this season, John scored 22 points (on Dec. 16 vs. Salisbury and Dec. 18 vs. Wilson) and his year-high total of 23 points in a single game came on Dec. 28 in the Panthers' win over Faith Christian Academy of Sellersville. The wins kept coming as the Panthers went on to capture the  Colonial League Southern Division Championship, earning a spot in the league's post-season playoffs.

The Panthers began post-season play on Feb. 15 at Southern Lehigh, where John scored 8 points as the Panthers won against Wilson, defeating them in overtime, 47-44. That win earned them a trip to the finals on Feb. 18 at Liberty High School's Memorial Gym, where they played another rubber match, this time against the Salisbury Falcons. Head Coach Matt Brown, like every other coach facing the pressure of a title game, must have wondered which player would be able to rise to the occasion and have a spectacular night. Fortunately for Brown and the team, John turned out to be that player, shooting 6 for 8 from the field--including 2 for 2 from the 3-point range and 3 0f 4 foul shots--for a total of 17 points. Thanks in part to his contribution, the Panthers won rather easily over Salisbury, 65-52, to capture the 2011 Colonial League Championship--their team's first in eight years.

On March 1 Saucon Valley, which is 19-5 and the #1 seed, will play the winner of a Feb. 25 game between #4 seed Allentown Central Catholic and  #5 seed Blue Mountain, as the Panthers seek the 2011 PIAA District XI AAA title on their march toward a possible state crown. It is safe to say that every game from this point on will be a big game, because losing will not be an option for the powerhouse team.

When he's not making waves on the basketball court, John's often focusing on his studies at Saucon Valley High School, where his favorite subjects are English and history. A high honors student, he is considering attending DeSales University, where he would major in International Business. Another option he is considering is to enroll at a junior college, where he could improve his basketball skills and increase his physical strength before transferring to a  Division II school, such as West Chester or Lock Haven.   

John is someone who cares about helping others, volunteering at a nursing home in New Jersey where his mother is employed. He helps to deliver meals, transports residents around the facility and enjoys playing board games with the residents. "It makes me feel good to help others," he said.

He has a younger brother Joshua, who is in eighth grade, and is the son of Jeffrey and Faith Clark.