Seven-foot-tall Cord Clemens spun, literally, one of the tallest tales in University of Victoria Vikes basketball history.
The former UVic and sa国际传媒 post player died this month of esophageal cancer at age 56.
Clemens dominated the middle as he won national titles in three of his four seasons with the Vikes spanning 1983 to 1987, with a one-year break, and being named CIAU (now U Sports) national championship tournament all-star three times, and MVP in 1986.
In the only season Clemens didn鈥檛 win the national crown in his time with UVic, the Vikes were edged in the 1987 national semifinals. He was a part of the halcyon era in which UVic overall won seven consecutive national championships from 1980 to 1986.
The Surrey-raised centre represented sa国际传媒 at two World University Games, in 1989 at Duisberg, Germany, and winning bronze in 1985 at Kobe, Japan. Clemens was also one of the final Canadian team cuts before the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Clemens was slow to ignite. But once he did, his flame became hard to extinguish on 鈥渦niversity gym floors across the country.鈥�
鈥淐ord was not athletic. But he was a very smart player who learned how to finish around the basket, and he shot over 60 per cent during his career,鈥� said Ken Shields, who recruited and coached Clemens at UVic.
鈥淭he process was not necessarily easy. It took Cord time to commit to his best effort. But he did it. And he went onto become all-star first-team sa国际传媒 West, All-Canadian and MVP of national tournament. And he did well in school.鈥�
The 1983-84 UVic team featured probably the greatest double-post tandem in Canadian university basketball history when hometown product and 1984聽Los Angeles Olympian Greg Wiltjer returned from the NCAA to finish his final university season at UVic.
鈥淭here was never a double post like Cord and Wilt,鈥� said Shields.
鈥淲e went undefeated that season.鈥�
Former Vikes captain and national-champion Ian Hyde-Lay was assistant coach to Shields for two of the seasons in which Clemens played and remembers a commanding presence in the key.
鈥淐ord was a force,鈥� said Hyde-Lay.
鈥淗e is not as appreciated as he should be. He was national tournament MVP and was in the Canadian national team program. And that season with Wilt was just incredible.鈥�
Clemens being named national tournament MVP in 1986 ended a seven consecutive year run for Vikes in claiming the award with the late two-time Olympian Eli Pasquale winning it twice and also Reni Dolcetti, Kelly Dukeshire, Phil Ohl and Wiltjer. The last Vikes聽player to win national tournament MVP was eventual 2000 Sydney Olympian Eric Hinrichsen of Campbell River in聽1997.
Clemens, who averaged more than 15 points per game in his career, went onto become a well-liked high school teacher and basketball and volleyball coach in the Toronto area.
Shields, who visited Clemens just before his death in Toronto, became close to his former player. He remembers a man of warmth and with an understated sense of humour.
A celebration of life with former Vikes teammates and friends is being planned in Victoria.
