TJ’s Clark helps push girls basketball team toward playoffs

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 1, 2019 | 10:00 PM

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Jenna Clark has been a more-than-welcome addition to the Thomas Jefferson girls basketball program.

A sharp-shooting 5-foot-7 senior who joined the girls team as a sophomore, Clark has developed into one of the premier point guards in the WPIAL.

Clark achieved a career milestone —scoring 1,000 career points — Jan. 18 in her team’s 52-30 section win at Moon.

“It was a very special moment when Jenna hit her 1,000th point, and as a coach I’m am so proud and happy for her,” said Lisa Fairman, Thomas Jefferson’s first-year coach. “She has worked so hard and has such a passion and love for the game. To see her dreams come true is so rewarding and an inspiration for all young athletes.

“Jenna is a tremendous basketball player, but more importantly, she is great kid. Players like Jenna don’t come around all that often, and our program has truly flourished because of her.”

Clark, who plans to continue her career at Yale, has helped propel the Jaguars into the WPIAL playoffs the past two seasons, along with a PIAA appearance, section title and 21-5 record in 2017-18.

As a sophomore, she finished with 227 points. Last year, she upped that total of 459. Through 16 games this season, he had 337, giving her 1,023 points.

The TJ girls celebrated Clark’s career achievement Jan. 21 early in their 59-49 section win at home against West Allegheny.

“It was a great experience to celebrate this milestone at home in front of my family and friends,” Clark said. “The amount of support was incredible.

“I definitely knew I could reach (1,000 points) at the beginning of this year, and I knew I just had to stay focused every game.”

Clark is averaging 21 points, 6 assists and 4 steals this season and has a 2.3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

“Jenna is a true leader, and her court awareness is second to none,” Fairman said. “She make others around her better. As a student-athlete, she leads by example on the court and in the classroom. She takes the time to help the younger players in our program and talks with them about the work, time and dedication it takes to accomplish your goals.

“She is and always will be a role model for this community, and I believe she will leave her mark at Yale just as she has done at TJ.”

Clark scored a career-high 33 points Jan. 3 in a 75-41 section win against Lincoln Park and owns four double-doubles this season.

The energetic backcourt leader racked up 22 points and 10 steals against Hampton, 28 points and 10 assists against Canon-McMillan, 33 points and 10 assists against Lincoln Park and 18 points and 10 assists against West Allegheny.

Clark is a member of an exclusive 1,000-point club in the TJ girls basketball program, joining Karri Miller, Kelly Miller, Nikki Presto, Alexis Yanief and Marina Petruzzi, who is a freshman guard at Wesleyan this season.

Against West Allegheny, the 11-5 Jaguars were led offensively by junior guard Alyssa DeAngelo (20 points), Clark (18) and junior forward Dalaney Ranallo (11).

“We want to win the WPIAL,” Clark said. “That’s been the goal since the summer. It’s always in our minds, and it pushes us to work hard every day.

“We have gotten so much better from our first day of practice, and I’m really proud of my teammates.”

It’s a feeling that undoubtedly goes both ways.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Thomas Jefferson