Redbird hoops makes signing in Clarence

Posted on November 10, 2016

danmullerclappingBy ISU Sports Information

NORMAL- Incoming freshman guard Elijah Clarance has committed to continue his basketball and academic career at Illinois State, beginning in 2017-18, by signing a National Letter of Intent (NLI), ISU head coach Dan Muller announced Thursday. Clarance is a 6-foot-4, 190-pound native of Malmo, Sweden who is a senior at St. Maria Goretti High School in Hagerstown, Maryland.

“Elijah is an explosive point guard from Malmo, Sweden, who has been attending high school in the United States for the past three years,” Muller said. “He possesses great size and athleticism for his position and is an incredibly hard worker. The thing that caught my eye with Elijah was how competitive he was on the court. He played for a very successful and competitive AAU program this past summer and attends high school at St. Maria Goretti High School in Hagerstown, Maryland. Elijah’s high school head coach, Matt Miller, has been instrumental in his development on and off the court. We are excited to welcome Elijah into our program.”

Clarance averaged 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game as a junior at St. Maria Goretti High School last season. During his sophomore campaign, Clarance averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per contest. Clarance earned a starting role as a sophomore and continued to start during his junior campaign.

Throughout the last two years, St. Maria Goretti has won 40 games. During the 2014-15 season, Clarance and St. Maria Goretti won an MAIT Championship and IPSL Championship. Clarance will be the first-ever Redbird to hail from Sweden.

While Clarance begins his senior season at St. Maria Goretti High School, the Redbirds are set to tip off the 2016-17 season Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. CT at Murray State, live on the Ohio Valley Conference Digital Network.

ISU will then open its home season Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. CT versus Fort Wayne on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.

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