Trailblazer basketball player Keith Clemons signs with 2018 NCAA Division I Final
Four program

April 17, 2019
VINCENNES, Ind. 鈥 日韩中文字幕福利片 sophomore men鈥檚 basketball player Keith Clemons is going from one winning program to another.
The 6-foot-1 sophomore guard has signed a letter of intent to play for Loyola University Chicago, which reached the NCAA Division I Final Four in 2018.
The Ramblers won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title the past two seasons.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e had some good success over the past few years and they鈥檝e had a good stretch in the tournament with the Final Four,鈥 Clemons said.
Clemons played a huge role in helping the Trailblazers win the 2019 NJCAA Division I national championship in March.
鈥淜eith is an absolute winner who was a state champion in high school and a national champion at the junior college level,鈥 Loyola-Chicago Coach Porter Moser said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 an extremely competitive defender and has the speed to play the pace we like. He has a high basketball IQ and is the ultimate competitor.鈥
Clemons averaged a team-high 4.4 assists per game and was second in scoring with 15.1 points per game for the Trailblazers this season. In the national title game, he scored 17 points, tallied seven assists, drained two 3-pointers and grabbed two rebounds in an 87-77 victory over Ranger (Texas). It was VU鈥檚 first national championship since 1972 and fourth in program history.
In recognition of his performance in the tourney, Clemons was named to the All-Tournament Team.
He also received All-Region 24 honors.
Clemons averaged 10.9 points and 2.3 assists in his first season at VU.
鈥淲ith the freshmen coming in, combined with (Paris Junior College transfer Jalon Pipkins) and Keith, we have added as much athleticism and skill in one class since I鈥檝e been at Loyola,鈥 said Moser, who has coached the Ramblers for eight seasons. 鈥淎ll of them fit the mold of, high-character individuals who are competitors, winners and good students.鈥
Loyola-Chicago was 20-14 overall this season and played in the National Invitation Tournament.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good fit for (Clemons) in terms of level and they have a need,鈥 VU Coach Todd Franklin said. 鈥淭hey have been good and for them to continue to be good, they are going to have to have guards to come in and step in because their guards are gone. Keith has an opportunity to do that.鈥
Clemons is excited about the prospect of playing immediately.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e graduating two guards and that will give me a chance to come in and pick up where I left off here, and hopefully I can be a fast impact and play right away,鈥 Clemons said. 鈥淚 think it would be great for me to go into a winning program and have the chance to play right away.
There were other factors why Clemons chose Loyola-Chicago.
鈥淭he Missouri Valley is one of the best mid-major conferences,鈥 he said. 鈥(Loyola-Chicago) has a great academic graduation rate and on my visit I had a great connection with the players and the entire coaching staff.鈥
Clemons plans to major in business at Loyola-Chicago. He is studying sports management at VU.
鈥淲ith all that has happened in the last few years, Loyola is up and coming,鈥 Franklin said. 鈥淭here is a lot of facility growth. Coach Moser just turned down a lot of money to stay there instead of going to St. John鈥檚. The commitment at Loyola has been really good. We like our guys to go to places where there is some stability and a winning culture. Our guys are used to that. Loyola now has an expectation to win.鈥
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日韩中文字幕福利片 Newsroom
MARCIA MARTINEZ, Sports Information Director & University Life Reporter
812-888-4164 office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu
VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/news/newsroom
