High Majors Clinch-ing Down on GA Prospect

The record must be set straight. Lewis Clinch, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard from Crisp Co. (Ga.) High School, is no longer a national secret. Hailing from a rural town deep in the Peach State, Clich’s name isn’t a familiar one when talking college basketball recruiting. It should be now that he’s shined at several AAU events this year.

Earlier in the spring, Clinch faced off against Georgia-bound and top five national prospect Louis Williams in the Georgia state AAU championships. Clinch outscored Williams 30 to 22. Very few noticed.

Last weekend at the Tournament of Champions in North Carolina, Clinch was fantastic. There were very few guards there that matched Clinch in pure production. The rising senior was the tenth leading scorer (24 points a game) at the Tournament of Champions and helped the Hawks claim a 4-2 record in the event.

“I wish coaches could have been there to see him (at the TOC),” Georgia Hawks AAU coach Seth Berl said. “This was one of the best tournaments he’s had in some time.”

Clinch agrees.

“To be honest with you, I think I did pretty good,” Clinch said. “We had some games against some guys that they said were top 40, 50 players. I knew I had to step my game up.”

So what is all the fuss about? Burl believes his guard is one of the top players in the country.

“He can separate himself from the defenders with the dribble. He can score on anyone - strong, weak, tall, short. He’s not one dimensional. Lewis can post up the guards or break down a big man that was switched onto him,” Burl said. “I watched a lot of games (at the Tournament of Champions) and I didn’t see very many guards better than Lewis.”

According to the coach, Auburn, Furman, Georgia and Miami (Fla.) have all offered a scholarship. Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech have all called Burl since this week about Clinch. Indiana has also shown initial interest. The word is out: Clinch can play.

With a month off of the AAU circuit, Clinch is busy playing with his high school team. He said he will also take the SAT on June 5 and will plan accordingly for visits in the fall. The hardest part is deciding what programs to go to. A trip to Richmond, Va., is also on the docket for the NBA Player Association camp. That is where he hopes to make his name a permanent fixture in the national rankings.

“I think after I go to the top 100 camp, my name should be right there with everyone else,” Clinch said.