Clark, Two-Time Section Scoring Champ, Leaves Arizona

Citing personal reasons and lack of sufficient playing time, freshman Tony Clark has quit the Arizona Wildcat basketball team, he said Friday.

Clark plans on transferring to another school to play, but there aren’t any schools he’d consider front-runners at this time. Last year, Clark narrowed his choices to San Diego State, Stanford, Notre Dame and Michigan before deciding on Arizona.

“I do know that I need to make a decision fairly soon, before it gets too late,” Clark said. “But right now, I’m just trying to figure out what to do, what’s best for me and where the best place is to accomplishment that.”

Clark, the 6-foot-8, two-time San Diego Section scoring champion from Christian High, sat on the bench Sunday in Arizona’s game against Providence. The last time he played was in a game against a semi-pro team a week earlier.

He came home for Christmas break and had several conversations with Arizona assistant coach Jessie Evans early in the week. Wednesday, he told Coach Lute Olson he had decided not to rejoin the team. Evans and Olson both tried to talk him out of his decision, Clark said.

“It was unbelievable,” Clark said. “They all tried to talk me out of it. They told me my future was bright there, that they had become attached to me.”

In a press release issued Friday afternoon, Clark said, “My regret stems not so much from the termination of association with the basketball program at a prestigious institute, but rather from the realization that I am leaving behind some valued friendships with teammates and members of the coaching staff.”

Painful back spasms caused Clark to miss most the preseason and Arizona’s first two games. In his short tenure, Clark played 30 minutes in five games, scoring 16 points and getting seven rebounds and one steal.

“We’re disappointed that Tony has left the team,” Olson said. “Tony’s injury came at a crucial time and slowed his development. It was a problem which prevented him from being able to contribute more than he would otherwise have been capable of contributing to our team.”

Clark said the injury hurt his chances of playing more, but that he felt he had healed enough to his playing time increased.

“I felt healthy enough (despite the injury) to have a chance to play more,” Clark said.

Although he has left school, Clark technically still is a member of the team. He must make a request to the Wildcats for his release.

“He hasn’t asked for a request,” said Cedric Dempsey, Arizona athletic director. “I haven’t talked to Coach Olson about it.”

Dempsey said over the holidays it would take longer for the paperwork to go through once such a request is received.

Art Clark, Tony’s father, said they didn’t know the steps required for his son to officially withdraw from the basketball program and from school.

“I have to call the NCAA and see what the next step is,” he said.

Clark has other options. Detroit made him the No. 2 draft pick in the June 4 free agent baseball draft. But Clark said he won’t quit school to pursue his baseball career just yet.