Location: Clarendon, TX
Enrollment: 1,334
2022-23 Record: 20-5 (8-3) RV in NJCAA Poll 2/6
Head Coach: Hunter Jenkins (3rd season)
Week in Review:
Won vs #2 Odessa 80-69
Won at NMMI 77-66
As the season is winding down, many teams are starting to position themselves for a postseason run & this week’s National JucoRecruiting.com Team of the Week winner is no different. Clarendon College out of Region 5 in the Panhandle of West Texas came into the year picked 7th out of 9 teams in the preseason polls. Currently sitting in 2nd place after a huge win over #2 Odessa at home on Monday night, the Bulldogs finally got the signature win they needed to place themselves firmly on the at-large bubble. Coach Hunter Jenkins’s group also picked up a road win at New Mexico Military on Thursday, avoiding a letdown after one of the biggest wins in school history.
On Monday night #2 Odessa traveled to Clarendon hoping to end the Bulldog's undefeated home streak in league play. The Bulldogs had other plans and raced out to an 18-point lead at one point while never trailing in the contest. Clarendon shot a blistering 63% from the field and was unconscious from behind the ark (9/12 3pt) at 75%. Odessa was previously undefeated in Region 5 play and escaped with a 4-point win in the first matchup. Bowling Green transfer Josiah Fulcher & returning PG Omar Cooper both led Clarendon with 15 points, and Shannon Strickland chipped in 13 highlighting a ridiculous shooting night for the backcourt trio. Leading scorer Jamal West recorded a double/double with 13p/10r, and emerging 7-footer Jeriah Coleman rejected 5 shots in the paint. West did not play in 2 of the 3 league losses for Clarendon but seems healthy for the home stretch.
The Bulldogs traveled to Roswell, NM to face New Mexico Military on Thursday, leading throughout the contest and pulling away with a 77-66 victory at one of the tougher places to play in Region 5. Jamal West would once again log a double/double with 18p/10r, and this time Coleman decided to join in on the fun with 14p/10r/5b proving to be one of the best frontcourt duos in the country. Clarendon made 8 3-pointers on the road and went 15-17 from the FT line in the win.
Tonight Clarendon welcomes surging #24 Midland College, winners of 5 in a row. The Bulldogs narrowly defeated the Chaps in Midland earlier in the year & both teams are fighting for regional tournament positioning with 5 regular season games remaining.
National Team of the Week: Clarendon College (jucorecruiting.com)