Men’s basketball continues Clark legacy this season

By Eric Albury | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Eric Albury

They always say like father, like son. Sons often aspire to be just like their fathers, mimicking what they say, how they dress and even how they act.

For Flagler men’s basketball coach Bo Clark, he is literally following right in his father’s footsteps–in more ways than one. Clark played for his father, Eugene “Torchy” Clark, on the UCF Men’s Basketball team, and now he coaches his own son, Matt Clark, on the Flagler team.

“When you’re playing and scoring a lot of points for your dad, it can be tough,” said Clark.

Even in his own college career, Clark knew a lot about scoring. He broke nearly every UCF record during his career from 1975-1980, and even has held on to his records for most points in a game (70), season (806), and career (2,886).

Matt Clark has also picked up the dominating scoring from his father. In his freshman year, Matt has managed to knock down 44 percent of his field goals and 42 percent of his 3-pointers, amassing a total of 330 points so far this year, an average of 15.7 points a game.

“I forget a lot of the time that he’s just a freshman,” said Clark. “He’s gotten thrown into the fire really quick here.”

To make things even more trying, Clark’s son joined the squad during a year where games have gone relatively poorly. Saints Basketball is currently staring down a 8-13 overall standing, with 2-12 in conference play.

Clark said the “transition into the Peach Belt Conference has been tougher on basketball.” He said he feels the team is still not at that level and he hopes to have a great recruiting class next year.

“It’s like I told Matt: 60 percent of the time it will be fun [to be coached by me], but the other 40 percent will be tough. We’ve had a really difficult year so far,” said Clark.

Unlike some other coaches that end up coaching their own sons, Coach Clark has easily separated his career from his son’s, which ends up making the relationship between the two an even stronger one.

“Sure, I reminisce when he’s out there. But that WAS me back then. I’ve already been through that, and it was exciting,” said Clark.