Volunteer State News

Entering his final season of collegiate basketball, Jr. Clay had the biggest decision of his young adult life. Does he stay in Cookeville and play a fifth season with Tennessee Tech — the team that recruited him out of The McCallie School in Chattanooga — or does he find a new home with the opportunity to compete in his first NCAA Tournament?

While it weighed heavily on him, the decision was to ultimately leave Tech where the program reached double-figure wins just once and included a coaching change after his freshman season.

"I felt my senior year was all business and I just wasn't having fun," he said. "I wanted to go somewhere that I can flourish and be myself." 

For Clay, the decision wasn't that hard. His next opportunity had to be a place where he could excel on the court and stay close to his family. That opportunity sat 83 miles to the west in the same league that made him a four-time all-conference player and a familiar court where he averaged 21.5 points in four games.

Standing in-between Tennessee State University head men's basketball coach Brian "Penny" Collins and assistant coach Jerry Nichols, Clay tweeted out "ELEVATE THE CULTURE." 

"The culture was really important to me," said the 2,000-point scorer. "From the moment I stepped on campus, I felt comfortable with the coaches and team."

The ink barely dried on March 29, the day he joined TSU when Clay solidified himself as "Mr. 1 of 1". He now had the opportunity to be the first-ever Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball player to be named an all-conference honoree five times.

"I just want to win, that's why I'm here. The accolades are cool. I think after graduation and being done with OVC Basketball, I'll look back and be proud of myself for being the first to do it."

Not only did the potential accolade brighten his smile, but the opportunity to elevate his game around TSU veteran Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. and transfers Dedric Boyd, Zion Griffin and Adong Makuoi was a lot easier than playing with a younger group in rebuild mode. 

"As a new team, we had some growing pains early on but nothing chemistry-wise. It was just getting to know each other on the floor. I think as a veteran team, we know this is it for us. We're doing everything we can to make sacrifices so we can make a run in the tournament and get to the NCAAs."

Clay brought the Gentry Center crowd to its feet in his debut against Fisk when he finished with 29 points in 34 minutes. 

In January, Clay had a chance to face his old team at the facility that named him part of its all-time greats. However, this time when he arrived at the Hooper Eblen Center, it was on a bus that had driven from Nashville to Cookeville. 

"It was different being back there. I was going to a different locker room and doing different things they I did in the past." 

The team did not stay overnight as they would normally for conference road games. For Clay, it was a bit tough, but he knew he had to get his rhythm down pat. 

"I think it was a little harder, emotions were high, I got up earlier and made sure everything was on point from breakfast to stretching. I just made sure my body felt right mentally." 

The mixed reaction to his homecoming from the Eblen Center crowd was something Clay expected, even though some of those reactions turned to boos from the faithful that once cheered him. 

"I was curious to see the reaction. I had a feeling there would be love shown because of the things I did when I was part of the program. The boos were unexpected for sure. I didn't expect that, but I know it's all love. They have to cheer for their team, just like our fan base does for us."

Clay said he took no offense to it, and after the game met with some of the loyal Tech fans who appreciated his commitment to the game.  

Clay has reached double figures in 24 of 27 games this season, but the one that will stick with him for the rest of his life came on Feb. 18 when he poured in a career-best 40 points against SIUE. 

"The game before at Morehead State, I let my team down. I missed some reads and shots. We went back to the lab the next day, watched film and then executed." 

The performance nearly echoed the exact output the Gentry Center crowd saw nearly 33 years ago to the date when Darryl Brooks scored 42 points against Eastern Kentucky. Brooks also had another 42-point game earlier in the 1989-90 season against Central State.

Clay's name will now live in the Gentry Center past his livelihood, and future generations of Tigers fans will hear the story of when he shot 15-of-23 from the field, knocked down all seven free throws and pulled down seven rebounds. 

From here where does Clay go? Well, it starts at the upcoming OVC Tournament where he's only had one dose of the Evansville atmosphere. This time, he plans on staying longer.

His dream is to play in the NBA, but no matter what, Clay wants to keep playing beyond his college career. He plans on sitting with his coaches and family to determine the best options as he did when he entered the portal.

Original source can be found here