After a year of playing basketball on the High Plains, Rodney Clinkscales is headed back to the big city.
The Dodge City Community College Conquistador guard, originally from Zion, Ill., signed a national letter of intent Thursday to play basketball next season at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
In his freshman year at DCCC, Clinkscales averaged 19.2 points in 34 minutes a game for the Conqs, which earned him a second-team All-KJCCC nod.
"His play over the course of the past year has proven that he can play at the four-year level," said DCCC coach Brady Trenkle. "He's had some of the most impressive games individually I've seen in my five years at Dodge."
Clinkscales torched Frank Phillips (Texas) College for 36 points and nine assists, going 4-for-7 from the 3-point line in an 88-73 win on Nov. 17. He burned Neosho County for a season-high 37 points on 13-of-19 shooting (5-of-7 3-pointers) in a hard-fought 84-79 loss Dec. 7.
His shooting touch from the outside (He shot 40 percent from 3-point land while at DCCC) and his ability to penetrate and score from anywhere on the floor won him looks from the likes of Nebraska, Missouri State, Illinois State, Colorado State, the University of California-Irvine and UC-Riverside. But he said the SMU campus near downtown Dallas just felt like home.
Clinkscales' hometown of Zion is located just minutes north of Chicago, so he's used to a big-city feel. But he added that it was the Mustang coaching staff and players who made him feel comfortable immediately upon arrival for his official campus visit.
"The coaching staff gave me a warm welcome, but it was the players that really made me fall in love with the school," Clinkscales said.
The Mustangs are one of the tallest teams in Conference USA, which also features perennial NCAA powerhouse Memphis — something Trenkle thinks Clinkscales can thrive on out on the perimeter. SMU will feature four weapons in the post at 6 foot 9 or taller next year.
"He's got a serious post presence surrounding him all the time, which will really open up the perimeter for a player like Rodney," Trenkle said. "He's not going to have to face the box-and-one every night, and he's going to be one step ahead of any freshman guard and a lot of sophomore guards he faces, because not a lot of guys get to average 34 minutes a game as a freshman like he did.
"I think he steps right in there and turns into one of their better guards next season, and I see big things for Rodney in the future."
The havoc Clinkscales can cause on the perimeter for defenders was a big part of why SMU coach Matt Doherty showed so much interest in the 6-foot-1-inch guard throughout the course of his freshman season.
"We are excited about the signing of Rodney," said Doherty. "He is a gifted guard that can really shoot the ball. His toughness and leadership should benefit us a great deal next season."
Finding new talent
And while Clinkscales' toughness and leadership will benefit a new ball club during the 2009-2010 season, Trenkle and the Conqs have already begun looking for the talent they need to fill his sizable shoes. And the Zion-Benton Township product had a direct role in one of the Conqs' first 2009-'10 signees.
Clinkscales' former teammate Quintrell Love, who was actually the team's leading scorer as a junior during Clinkscales' senior season, is one of three who have initially signed on to play for the Conqs next year.
"Your players are your best recruiters," Trenkle said. "It's because of Rodney's success that's opened the door for other kids in his situation to look at Dodge City as an opportunity for their future, too."
Love is a 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pound guard whose athleticism is a step ahead of his shooting touch coming out of high school. But Trenkle said he can defend four positions on the court and will be a big part of the Conquistador game plan next season.
The other two Conq signees have a more local appeal, though. Trenkle also picked up two Holcomb products early this off-season.
After the Longhorns' second consecutive trip to the Class 3A state tournament, seniors Matt Heydman and Jordan Wilcox have signed on to play basketball at DCCC. Heydman, a 6-foot-5-inch post for Holcomb, will most likely move to the wing in Trenkle's up-tempo offense.
He scored 35 points on 4-of-5 3-point shooting at March's Boot Hill Classic All-Star Game after scoring just over 12 points and grabbing about six rebounds per game in his senior season at Holcomb.
"He's got an unbelievable motor," Trenkle said of Heydman. "He's going to have a great career here."
To replace outgoing sophomore point guard Cory Perkins, the Conqs are bringing in 6-foot Holcomb guard Jordan Wilcox. Dodge City basketball fans will remember Wilcox from a 32-point, five-assist performance against the Red Demons in the second round of the Tournament of Champions.
"He's a point guard who can flat shoot it," Trenkle said. "His range is from half-court on in, and one thing we love about Jordan is that he has no conscience. If he misses five in a row, it's not going to stop him from taking the next five. To me, that's a scorer's mentality."
With the recruiting still in high gear, the Conqs feel like they're taking steps forward after dropping some crucial close games late in the season. Dodge lost three games by a total of four points to close out the 2008-'09 season.
"So far, we've brought in three kids from winning programs," Trenkle said. "And the idea is to bring that success here. Then we're at a point where we're not losing those one- or two-point games."
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After a year of playing basketball on the High Plains, Rodney Clinkscales is headed back to the big city.
The Dodge City Community College Conquistador guard, originally from Zion, Ill., signed a national letter of intent Thursday to play basketball next season at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
In his freshman year at DCCC, Clinkscales averaged 19.2 points in 34 minutes a game for the Conqs, which earned him a second-team All-KJCCC nod.
"His play over the course of the past year has proven that he can play at the four-year level," said DCCC coach Brady Trenkle. "He's had some of the most impressive games individually I've seen in my five years at Dodge."
Clinkscales torched Frank Phillips (Texas) College for 36 points and nine assists, going 4-for-7 from the 3-point line in an 88-73 win on Nov. 17. He burned Neosho County for a season-high 37 points on 13-of-19 shooting (5-of-7 3-pointers) in a hard-fought 84-79 loss Dec. 7.
His shooting touch from the outside (He shot 40 percent from 3-point land while at DCCC) and his ability to penetrate and score from anywhere on the floor won him looks from the likes of Nebraska, Missouri State, Illinois State, Colorado State, the University of California-Irvine and UC-Riverside. But he said the SMU campus near downtown Dallas just felt like home.
Clinkscales' hometown of Zion is located just minutes north of Chicago, so he's used to a big-city feel. But he added that it was the Mustang coaching staff and players who made him feel comfortable immediately upon arrival for his official campus visit.
"The coaching staff gave me a warm welcome, but it was the players that really made me fall in love with the school," Clinkscales said.
The Mustangs are one of the tallest teams in Conference USA, which also features perennial NCAA powerhouse Memphis — something Trenkle thinks Clinkscales can thrive on out on the perimeter. SMU will feature four weapons in the post at 6 foot 9 or taller next year.
"He's got a serious post presence surrounding him all the time, which will really open up the perimeter for a player like Rodney," Trenkle said. "He's not going to have to face the box-and-one every night, and he's going to be one step ahead of any freshman guard and a lot of sophomore guards he faces, because not a lot of guys get to average 34 minutes a game as a freshman like he did.
"I think he steps right in there and turns into one of their better guards next season, and I see big things for Rodney in the future."
The havoc Clinkscales can cause on the perimeter for defenders was a big part of why SMU coach Matt Doherty showed so much interest in the 6-foot-1-inch guard throughout the course of his freshman season.
"We are excited about the signing of Rodney," said Doherty. "He is a gifted guard that can really shoot the ball. His toughness and leadership should benefit us a great deal next season."
Finding new talent
And while Clinkscales' toughness and leadership will benefit a new ball club during the 2009-2010 season, Trenkle and the Conqs have already begun looking for the talent they need to fill his sizable shoes. And the Zion-Benton Township product had a direct role in one of the Conqs' first 2009-'10 signees.
Clinkscales' former teammate Quintrell Love, who was actually the team's leading scorer as a junior during Clinkscales' senior season, is one of three who have initially signed on to play for the Conqs next year.
"Your players are your best recruiters," Trenkle said. "It's because of Rodney's success that's opened the door for other kids in his situation to look at Dodge City as an opportunity for their future, too."
Love is a 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pound guard whose athleticism is a step ahead of his shooting touch coming out of high school. But Trenkle said he can defend four positions on the court and will be a big part of the Conquistador game plan next season.
The other two Conq signees have a more local appeal, though. Trenkle also picked up two Holcomb products early this off-season.
After the Longhorns' second consecutive trip to the Class 3A state tournament, seniors Matt Heydman and Jordan Wilcox have signed on to play basketball at DCCC. Heydman, a 6-foot-5-inch post for Holcomb, will most likely move to the wing in Trenkle's up-tempo offense.
He scored 35 points on 4-of-5 3-point shooting at March's Boot Hill Classic All-Star Game after scoring just over 12 points and grabbing about six rebounds per game in his senior season at Holcomb.
"He's got an unbelievable motor," Trenkle said of Heydman. "He's going to have a great career here."
To replace outgoing sophomore point guard Cory Perkins, the Conqs are bringing in 6-foot Holcomb guard Jordan Wilcox. Dodge City basketball fans will remember Wilcox from a 32-point, five-assist performance against the Red Demons in the second round of the Tournament of Champions.
"He's a point guard who can flat shoot it," Trenkle said. "His range is from half-court on in, and one thing we love about Jordan is that he has no conscience. If he misses five in a row, it's not going to stop him from taking the next five. To me, that's a scorer's mentality."
With the recruiting still in high gear, the Conqs feel like they're taking steps forward after dropping some crucial close games late in the season. Dodge lost three games by a total of four points to close out the 2008-'09 season.
"So far, we've brought in three kids from winning programs," Trenkle said. "And the idea is to bring that success here. Then we're at a point where we're not losing those one- or two-point games."
