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When Minnesota State basketball senior point guard Jesse Clark came to Mankato as a walk-on in 2005 from Sioux Falls, S.D., he knew he could play at the Division II level.
He'd be lying if he thought it would all go as well as it has.
"To be honest, I just didn't really get recruited by DII schools," said Clark. "I felt like I had a chip on my shoulder because I thought I could play at this level. I never thought it would turn out this well, though."
Five years later, Clark is ranked No. 2 on the school's all-time assists chart and has been the face of Maverick basketball for the last two seasons. Since Clark has been on the floor, the Mavericks have put up a staggering 98 wins and just 23 losses.
But simply looking at his numbers isn't doing him justice. Clark is averaging just more than seven points per contest and won't ever be remembered for throwing down a Jefferson Mason or Jermain Davis dunk. So why is the floor leader so important to the Mavericks?
Clark averages under five shots per contest - not because he is a poor shooter (Clark is third on the team shooting 59 percent from the field), but because he knows that he doesn't have to.
"I have always had the opportunity to play on some pretty talented teams," Clark said, who currently leads the Mavericks with 4.3 assists per game. "I just play however the team needs me to. If we are struggling scoring, I can score, but with all the talent and options we have, I am the facilitator and just make sure things go smooth."
With the Mavericks being 22-2 thus far in 2009-10, Clark has done just that. Last season Clark was first in the nation, and currently stands in third this season with a 3.8 assist turnover ratio - meaning not only is Clark one of the most unselfish players in the nation, he is also one of the most efficient.
If the list ended here for Clark, the Mavericks would have been pleased having a player that is the exact prototype of his position and his will to do anything for the team. But, that's just it. The list doesn't end yet.
Clark may not be the go-to-guy offensively for the Mavericks, but he has been to the go-to-guy for fellow Maverick basketball players off the court - whether it's a transfer student, a senior or an incoming freshman - he has been there.
"With Clark off the court, it all starts in the offseason," said fellow Maverick senior Curt Greeley. "We start to get the new guys here in the summer and he is very vocal and everyone can tell he's the leader. He runs the open gyms and if guys have questions, they know they can go to him."
At the beginning of the 2009-10 season, it was well-known the Mavericks had a talented team. But the question wasn't whether the Mavericks could play basketball. It was whether they could play basketball together. Bringing in DI transfers such as Mason, Davis and Travis Nelson over the last two seasons put pressure on the Mavericks not only to perform, but to do so without playing with each other in the past.
Clark has been the catalyst for the operation, making sure the Mavericks buy into the 'team concept'.
"This year has gone really smooth," Clark said. "I have stressed to all of them that we have had a lot of good players in the past, but we haven't always played well as a team and bought into the system completely. We have had guys that have done their own thing and not done the whole team thing, that's why we've faultered down the stretch in the past."
Clark and Greeley have both acknowledged that the best way for them to end their careers is by winning a national championship. Whether or not this happens has yet to be seen, but the Mavericks know one thing: they wouldn't be anywhere near to where they are if they hadn't gave some freshman walk-on a chance five years ago.
"I think he'll be remembered as a great leader for us when he graduates," Greeley said of Clark's legacy as a Maverick. "He's the type of point guard that really runs the team and things went through him."
Giving your body for a sport is one thing. Giving your mind, body and heart is something totally different.
Kyle Ratke is the Reporter sports editor
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