By Michael Letendre
The men’s basketball program at the University of Connecticut is 2-0 to open the 2022-23 season and former Bristol Central All-Stater Donovan Clingan is a big reason for that fast start for the program in Storrs.
The Huskies defeated both Stonehill College and Boston University to date as the locals are looking for big things when Big East play rolls around.
Clingan has done well in a reserve role, already in the mix as a freshman, coming off the pine to make an impact on both sides of the ball as the 7-foot-2 center is still an imposing sight on the hardwood.
Overall, Clingan averages 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds-per-game in less than 16 minutes-per-game this season at UConn.
It’s been a tremendous start for the likeable Clingan and his demeaner and coachability has been off the charts at the collegiate level.
Obviously, nothing has changed after leaving Bristol Central.
He also continues to block numerous shots as he’s rejected six over that two-pack of contests – averaging 3.0 blocks-per-game to date.
The Huskies booted Stonehill last Monday by an 85-54 final from the XL Center in Hartford and then this past Friday, Clingan made his debut at Gampel Pavilion as UConn downed Boston University 86-57.
In his first ever collegiate game, the center from Bristol posted nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks against Stonehill – towering over every player on the court like he did for years at Central – while Clingan wasn’t far off a double-double in the Huskies’ victory over Boston University.
Clingan zipped up 10 points, seven rebounds and rejected two shots in just 12 minutes of action against the Terriers.
He has scored 19 total points and tallied 14 rebounds which would prorate out to 22.1 points and 16.3 rebounds-per-game over an average stint of 36 minutes played.
Those numbers look extremely familiar to the totals Clingan posted when playing at Bristol Central.
Clingan is currently first for the Huskies in blocked shots, second in rebounding and fourth in scoring despite just getting those 15.5 minutes an outing.
From a shooting front, the freshman standout has connected on 7-for-11 shots from the field (63.6-percent) and canned 5-of-8 attempts from the free throw line (62.5-percent).
He has yet to attempt a three-pointer (stay tuned).
Over the next week, the undefeated Huskies play three times – all from within the state.
This Tuesday, UConn battles the University of Buffalo at the XL (7 p.m.) while on Friday, UNC-Wilmington travels to Gampel (8:30 p.m.).
And then it’s back to Hartford on Sunday at 5 p.m. as the Huskies host Delaware State University.
That stretch of games gives UConn and Clingan a real chance for the program to go 5-0 before its first road test of the season against the University of Oregon (Thursday, November 24).
More on Clingan
According to his bio from the UConn website, Clingan is one of three true scholarship freshmen on the 2022-23 roster and figures to earn plenty of floor time – already making an immediate impact.
Clingan was a consensus Top 50 recruit that scored a school record 2,268 points which ranks him seventh all-time in Connecticut state history under Bristol Central head coach Tim Barrette.
That season, Central went 28-0 and won the CIAC Division II state championship with a twenty-point victory over Northwest Catholic.
Clingan’s final numbers as a senior: 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds and 6.2 blocks-per-game.
As a junior, Clingan also had a tremendous season despite the pandemic wiping out several games along with the CIAC title tournaments.
He posted 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds and 5.8 blocks-per-game as the Central program was a perfect 15-0, taking home the CCC Championship in the process.
Clingan led Central to a school record 42 straight wins, a streak that will continue into the 2022-23 scholastic campaign.
Clingan is a two-time Gatorade and Max Preps Connecticut State Player of the Year.
And don’t forget, the center maintained a 3.5 GPA at Central as one of the most remarkable student-athletes to ever come out of the Mum City.
