McClinton turns career around

It's hard to tell freshmen who don't get immediate playing time to be patient.

But that's what Coach Bobby Collins of Winston-Salem State had to tell Jemarcus McClinton.

McClinton was one of the top recruits signed and was expected to step right in and help the Rams. McClinton has obvious talent, but Collins said that McClinton wanted to do things his way. That didn't sit well with the coaching staff, and McClinton barely got off the bench early in the season.

"He needed discipline, and it was tough love because I stayed on him," Collins said. "I probably have ridden him more than anybody, and at one point, when he was on the scout team, I just didn't talk to him as much."

McClinton also decided he wasn't that interested in going to class. Collins said that didn't help their relationship.

"I was a little frustrated not being able to play and all that," McClinton said of the first semester. "Now, Coach has more trust in me, and I'm on the court a lot more, and my production level has been up."

McClinton hit his lowest point about a month into the season, said Collins, who nearly kicked him off the team.

"He was on real thin ice, and we nearly called him into the office and said he was done," Collins said. "That's how close it was, but he's turned it around."

McClinton said: "I was thinking about transferring after first semester. Coach told me that for second semester, it was starting over with a blank page, and I tried to just play hard all the time."

McClinton, a 6-3 guard from Chester, S.C., decided to stay, and Collins started to notice him at the end of the bench in late January. Heading into tonight's game against S.C. State, McClinton is averaging 4.4 points and nearly 12 minutes. That's a far cry from earlier in the year, when he sat out five straight games even though he was healthy.

McClinton's playing time also got a boost after Diontae Gibson suffered a season-ending knee injury. Collins needed somebody to come off the bench at small forward, and McClinton fit the role.

"It's unfortunate he got to play because of an injury, but he has produced," Collins said. "He's also been coachable. Now all I say is do something, and he'll do it. That wasn't always the case early on."

Collins said that McClinton came to WSSU thinking he knew everything. But McClinton quickly found out that if he didn't start listening to coaches, his career at WSSU would be short.

"I started to play more, and I was a lot happier," McClinton said. "And my teammates started to have more trust in me and have been giving me the ball a lot more."

McClinton had one of his best games Feb. 21 in a 68-61 loss to N.C. A&T. He slashed his way to a career-best 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting and loved the open-floor attack that the Rams used that day.

"He did some good things at A&T, and that was his style because he likes to attack," Collins said. "A&T was pressing us, and when we got him the ball at midcourt, he attacked."

McClinton has gone from a player who once had little future with the Rams to one who is considered a major cog for next season, according to Collins. The hard part for McClinton could come after the season ends, when he'll have to make sure he continues to go to class and keeps his grades up.

"I like Jemarcus, and I want him to do well and … I'm trying with all my might to see him succeed, but it's up to him," Collins said. "I'm excited when he was does well, but once the season is over, his challenge is going to be to do it in the classroom.…

"He's got to really, really focus on his academics if he wants to continue to be a Ram."

■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.