‘Winning is everything here’: Zach Clemence shares KU experience a year after redshirting
There are advantages to taking a redshirt season at the University of Kansas.
Take for instance the case of fourth-year KU basketball forward Zach Clemence, who says he gained “a lot of confidence” in leading the Red Team — the Scout Team — at practice a year ago, while also achieving the ultimate goal in the classroom: a degree in communications studies with a minor in business.
“I still have one final (exam). As a matter of fact I have some stuff to study for after this. It’s really over — but not yet — almost, but not quite,” Clemence, a 6-foot-11, 230-pound redshirt junior from San Antonio, Texas, said Wednesday as player guest on Bill Self’s weekly Hawk Talk radio show.
KU coach Self, who was off recruiting at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Florida, was not on hand. Assistant Jeremy Case filled in with radio voice of the Jayhawks, Brian Hanni, for most of the hour.
Clemence revealed that he will indeed graduate at semester with his degree. With a year and a half of eligibility remaining, he’ll next pursue a master’s in business at KU.
“I think it was great for me,” Clemence said Wednesday of the redshirt campaign. “I loved it. Going in to lift weights, play basketball, you don’t have to worry about anything. It was fun.”
He’s been able to earn some minutes of late.
Clemence, who has averaged 5.3 minutes a game in eight games for the Jayhawks (8-2), had a rebound while playing six minutes in Saturday’s 75-60 victory over North Carolina State at Allen Fieldhouse.
Prior to that, in KU’s two-game losing streak, he had a rebound in three minutes in a 76-67 Dec. 8 setback at Missouri and four points with two steals and a rebound in seven minutes in a 76-63 Dec. 4 loss at Creighton.
“Going in and trying to make everybody better, whether it’s screening, rebounding, passing, playing defense. Whatever it takes to win,” Clemence said of his goal upon entering games. “Winning is everything here.”
He stressed that in coming off the bench his main duty is to provide immediate energy.
“Honestly, go in there and try to stir stuff up, give your all while you are in there,” Clemence said. “Try to make the best of it. Really it’s a lot of fun.”
Practice, he acknowledged, is a daily challenge going up against Hunter Dickinson, Flory Bidunga and KJ Adams.
“Tough but fun,” Clemence said. “Everybody has their own skill set — KJ being the strongest dude you’ll ever see, Hunter having a whole bag of moves. Flory will jump out of the gym. They are all talented players who make me better. It’s tough, but you have to stay with it.”
Of the team, which will play its last nonconference game against Brown (2 p.m., Sunday, Allen Fieldhouse), Clemence said; “I mean, we’ve got a great group of guys. I don’t think any team in the country is a true team yet. That comes a little later in the season. When we find it, it’s going to be a special team for sure.”
Clemence for the season has totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds in his limited duty in eight games.
“Our scout team is mostly made up of walk-ons, where they run sets (of the opponent),” Case said, noting Clemence “was on the Red Team last year. He really did light it up. He gave our guys (rotation players) a run for the money every day. He’s trying to find his role. I think he’s doing a good job with that. We’re excited about that. He’s had three to four really good practices (this week).
“Zach is a talented guy, 6-10, can handle, can shoot. We’ve got to do a good job of finding ways to use him,” Case added.
The Jayhawks will continue to practice this week leading up to the game against (7-3) Brown of the Ivy League.
Asked where the KU team is with just the one nonconference game left, Case said: “Tough question. Early in the year you thought, ‘OK, maybe we are ahead, jelling a little faster than we thought.’ We hit a few speed bumps. We are right there or a little behind. I don’t know if our rotation is there yet. Obviously you want to have your rotation set going into conference, so maybe a little behind.”
The players will be free to travel to their hometowns right after the game with the return date the 26th. KU opens the Big 12 season against West Virginia at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at Allen Fieldhouse.
“Having this whole week of practice is good for us to hone in on some of our sets, our defensive schemes,” Case said. “We have to make sure our guys are not already home before the game (mentally), make sure they are focused on the game and not being home.”
It’s easy to think about heading home this time of year.
“Texas … there’s a different vibe. It doesn’t snow. I love it, the weather, the people, everything,” Clemence said. “I’m looking forward to seeing my family, my dogs, some friends if they are back from college. Just seeing everybody ... that’s the best.”
