DRIVE Basketball :: Retro MVP

(Pictured: Chad Clifford was a two year letterman at NCAA Division I St.Francis PA. He was St.Francis' team leader in 3 Point Shooting during his two years in the NEC Conference)

CHAD CLIFFORD: 1999 BC AAA MVP - WRCA

Our third installment of Retro MVP features DRIVE’s very own Chad Clifford. Chad won the 1999 AAA Provincial Championship as a member of the White Rock Christian. He averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds, while winning the 1999 AAA MVP. Chad attended a year of Prep School in Ohio after WRC where he was selected to the All-State team. He then went on to play at NCAA Division I at Saint Francis University in the NEC and then at CIS Simon Fraser University. This past summer Clifford was an assistant coach with the B.C. under-17 boy’s provincial team and he plans to explore a career in coaching after his playing days are over. Next season he will suit up as a member of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the CIS.

DRIVE: What is your greatest memory from High School?

CC: My greatest memory in high school was definitely winning the AAA Provincial Championship in 1999. Winning different awards my senior year was gratifying but what I will always remember is all the hard work our team put in. I remember the early morning workouts with my best friend Kyle Wilson. Kyle and I were gym rats, we would go and shoot in the mornings and then come back after dinner and get some more shots up. We would always be looking for different ways to get better. Both Kyle and I shared the same dream in high school and were willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that dream. When we won that year it was just a cherry on the top because we knew we put the necessary time and effort in to succeed. By the time the Provincials came around it was a roller coaster ride all the way to the finals and to win was the ultimate feeling. To this date it is still my fondest memory in basketball.

DRIVE: What has been your most rewarding accomplishment in basketball?

CC: The most rewarding accomplishment that I have experienced in the game of basketball has been working with the kids at DRIVE. To be able to work with these kids on a regular basis and see their improvement is the most fulfilling reward I could ask for. I look forward to each time we get together so we can work with them to help them reach their full potential as players and as people. As a coach you have the ability to have a positive impact on kid’s lives and to me that is the most gratifying thing of all. I’m so fortunate to be able to give back to the game that I love.

DRIVE: What advice would you give young players growing up in B.C.?

CC: The best advice that I could give to young aspiring players is to dream big. I can honestly say from my own personal experience that you can achieve anything if you set goals and work extremely hard to accomplish them. My favorite quote and one that I apply to my life each and everyday is, “Nothing worthwhile is accomplished without great difficulty.” To me this can’t be truer.

In my grade 11 year I tore my ACL which caused me to miss the entire basketball season. Many people saw that as an unfortunate situation, to me, it was a life altering event. I had to persevere through so much to come back that I knew that I could accomplish anything because of it. Through life there are always those people who don’t like to see you succeed. They’ll tell you that you all these things that might discourage you if you let them get to you. You must persevere through the hard times, never give up, and be willing to make sacrifices to become the best.

DRIVE: Who are some of the best player’s you’ve faced?

CC: Well, I’ve been fortunate enough to compete against some very good players through the years. When I was at White Rock Christian the 3 toughest players I played against were Scott Fraser-Dauphine (Boise State), Danny Boticki (Idaho State), and Atnas Maeko (St. Mary’s).

When I attended Prep School in Ohio my eyes were opened to a completely different style of basketball, a style that I soon became adjusted too. My first real eye opener was when I was in this AAU tournament in Columbus Ohio when I played on the Cleveland Basketball Club. On our squad we had Omari Westly (Cleveland State), Brian Swift (South Florida), Eric Daniels (Kentucky), John Rabb (Cleveland State), Rick McFadden (Ohio State), Mike Gansey (St. Bonaventure), Jaivon Harris (Ohio),and Romeo Augustin (Providence). All these guys played like they had a chip on their shoulder and their aggressive style just rubbed off on me. I remember being selected to an All-Star game where it was Ohio vs. Pennsylvania and on my squad we had Jawad Williams (North Carolina), Tony Stockman (Clemson/Ohio State), Julius Johnson (Miami OH), Chester Mason (Miami OH), Brandon Childress (Ohio State), Maverick Carter (Eastern Michigan) and some other top players as well. One of my best experiences playing ball now that I look back on it was when I got to play against Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers).

Even though he was in young you coud see the potential

that this kid posessed. My experience playing high school basketball in the states is something that I will remember forever because it changed the way I played the game, the difference between here and the US is like night and day.

When I played at Saint Francis there were some extremely talented players I got to play with and against. The players that stick out in my mind are Darshan Luckey (Saint Francis University), Darius Rice (New Jersey Nets), John Salmons (Philadelphia 76er’s), Michael Bradley (Orlando Magic), Ricky Minard (Sacramento Kings), Josh Howard (Dallas Mavericks) and Darius Songalia (Sacramento Kings). Other players that I played against were Luke Ridnour (Seattle Supersonics) and Luke Walton (LA Lakers) before the NBA Draft. Both Pasha and I got to train with these guys before they went to Draft camp and it really opened up my eyes on how hard these guys work.

To me what makes a player great is his ability to make players around him better. He’s a guy that other players want to play with. The best player that I have ever player with would have to be Pasha Bains for many different reasons. All the best players and coaches in any sport MUST be students of the game. Pasha and I talk about basketball for hours and hours on end. We watch old footage of us playing when we were in the states, we study tape on our selves from last season, we are always finding ways to be improving. Pasha has the ability to score on any level, when he played in the ACC in had some huge games not to mention he led the CIS in scoring the last 2 seasons. The thing is these aren’t the qualities that impress me the most about him. He has a burning desire to win and is willing to do whatever it takes to help put his team in the situation to succeed. Last season he was moved over to our starting point guard position which may seem crazy considering he’s the best scorer in the country. That’s the sacrifice he was willing to make in order to win. Not only did he flourish at that duty he led the country in scoring for a second straight season and all his shooting percentages went up from the previous season. I have played with Pasha on a day in and day out basis and he never takes a day off. He trains hard in the off-season working on whatever weakness’ he may have. That’s why he’s the best player I’ve ever played with.

DRIVE: Who has had the greatest influence on your basketball career?

CC: There have been a couple influential people in my life that have influenced my basketball career. First of all my parents have definitely had the hugest impact on my playing career. Before I was able to drive there would be those mornings where my mom would get up nice and early and take me up to the school in order for me to get better. She never said no once because she understood the importance of commitment and a hard work, values that I still hold true too today. My parents supported me in all the decisions I made even the extremely difficult ones.

The other most influential person would definitely have to be my high school coach Scott Allen. He helped mold me as a player and as a person through discipline, dedication and determination. He was a great coach and friend and someone who I will always remember had such a positive influence on my playing career. I can’t thank him enough for what he has done for me both on and off the court.

DRIVE: Any last comments?

CC: For all the players out there aspiring to become great I encourage you to get involved in the game of basketball on a yearly basis. If you truly want to succeed in basketball you’ve got to have that passion and desire to be successful. A quote from Phil Jackson sums up what a great game this is. “What makes basketball so exhilarating is the joy of loosing yourself completely in the dance, even if it’s just for one beautiful transcendent moment.” To be successful at anything you must be willing to work at it.

See the 2nd installment of Retro MVP Pasha Bains (1998 AAA MVP) here.

"The most rewarding accomplishment that I have experienced in the game of basketball has been working with the kids at DRIVE. To be able to work with these kids on a regular basis and see their improvement is the most fulfilling reward I could ask for... I’m so fortunate to be able to give back to the game that I love."

Chad Clifford

(Pictured: Chad Clifford as a freshmen is in triple threat against NEC opponent from Quinnipiac.)

"The best player that I have ever player with would have to be Pasha Bains for many different reasons. All the best players and coaches in any sport MUST be students of the game...Pasha has the ability to score on any level, when he played in the ACC in had some huge games not to mention he led the CIS in scoring the last 2 seasons...He has a burning desire to win and is willing to do whatever it takes to help put his team in the situation to succeed."

Chad Clifford

(Pictured: Chad takes it to the basket for a pull-up jumper in NEC action.)

"One of my best experiences playing ball now that I look back on it was when I got to play against Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers). Even though he was in young you coud see the potential that this kid posessed. My experience playing high school basketball in the states is something that I will remember forever because it changed the way I played the game, the difference between here and the US is like night and day."

Chad Clifford

“What makes basketball so exhilarating is the joy of loosing yourself completely in the dance, even if it’s just for one beautiful transcendent moment.”

Phil Jackson