Raiquan Clark embodies the persistence instilled in Trinity-Pawling boys before they leave Pawling and go into the world. Originally from New Haven, CT, and a graduate from the James Hill House High School, Clark remembers when he visited campus and Trinity-Pawling felt like a new home. “I liked that it was an all-boys school. No one was trying to prove themselves, everybody got along.” Joining Coach Casson’s talented group as an experienced PG, Clark led the Pride to the Founders League Championship in their 2015 campaign.
Clark says that the freedom afforded at Trinity-Pawling helped him grow academically. “It was like a college schedule,” he says, “I was ready to be on my own and grow up, and since I was on my own, I could choose what to do with my free time.” Clark has always had an interest in theater, and served on the tech crew during his time at Trinity-Pawling. In addition, Clark says it was an advantage in his athletic development to have access to the gym and weight room every day, and the results have shown. “Coach Casson always told me I had to catch up to the D1 pace where you can’t stay in one gear, you have to step up to the speed of everyone else.”
After his acceptance to LIU Brooklyn, Clark walked onto the basketball team as a freshman. Despite only playing two minutes the entire season, he earned a full scholarship his sophomore year. Since then, Clark has never looked back. Over his 100-game collegiate career Clark has averaged 14 points a game on over 50% shooting. In the 2018-2019 season, he averaged almost 20. Last year’s conference championship sent LIU Brooklyn to the NCAA tournament’s First Four against Radford, a dream come true for Clark. Despite his anticipated graduation in May, LIU’s top scorer is coming back for more. He will begin his Masters degree at LIU next year while playing out his final year of NCAA eligibility.
Clark says he is still in touch with Coach Casson and many of his athlete friends from Trinity-Pawling. He hopes to play basketball professionally once his collegiate career comes to a close. Keep an eye out for LIU Brooklyn in next year’s NCAA tournament.
by Cyrus Rothwell-Ferraris