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CENTER OF GRAVITY: KEOKUK'S CLARK EMERGES AS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE PAINT

Breakout basketball campaigns come no bigger...quite literally...then the one taking place in Southeast Iowa this Winter...as the Chiefs have cultivated that rarest of commodities: a true Center of Gravity.

"Mainly working hard. Lifting weights. Getting in shape"

"This year he has upped his stats. Doubled his scoring and rebounding from last year pretty much. He gives us that guy who can get a rebound and outlet so we can get down the floor."

"I just like to use my size and strength as an advantage"

"When he's in the right spots, it's really hard to see around him. He's a big body. When he puts his arms up he covers a lot of space. Makes our Defense a lot better. Makes the court smaller."

At nearly 6'8" and north of 265 pounds, Kendall Clark is as physically imposing a presence as you will find in Tri State Basketball. And now he's got the kind of outsize production to match his outsize dimensions. The Keokuk Senior leads all of Class 3A Basketball in rebounds per game at 12.2 per and is averaging a double/double...a sure sign after a two year varsity apprenticeship that "the light" has gone on for Kendall Clark.

"I push on him before practice and I can't move him hardly, so he's very strong...He's improve so much since two years ago. It's a cred to how hard he has worked. He really has changed himself and made himself a lot better.

"Yeah, I just want to help my team as much as possible and if its scoring down low or getting rebounds, I will do the best I can."

"With Big Kids...it's hard for them to get that "I could Kill Attitude" because they are always getting "don't hurt that kid" growing up. But now he's starting to realize he can dominate a game. And there has been stretches now where he is clearly dominant this year."

And Kendall doesn't lack for incentive to continue his improvement as his performances have not gone unnoticed..