Prospect Spotlight: Justin Clary (2018)
Montgomery County hasn’t necessarily been a hot bed of basketball talent in recent years but a few guys this year are proving to be really good basketball players. Cam Chadd (Bethel) and Cameron Harris both are sought after small school prospects and you can add North Montgomery’s shooting guard Justin Clary to that mix.
Clary is a thin guard who can really score the ball in many different ways. He is closing in on 1000 points for his career as he only needs 116 more to get there. Clary is really good off the catch-and-shoot and he is beginning to incorporate a little of a dribble drive into his game. The 6’1 guard is a do it all guy for North Montgomery this year as he is averaging 20.2 points a game.
“I think we’ve been improving the aspect of playing as a team, which can be expected as you see the makeup of our team with a lot of young players, Clary said. “We have experienced some very good moments as a team so far this year, and hope we can continue to build off of those going forward.”
So far, Clary is getting a little bit of interest from DePauw for basketball but hasn’t taken any visits quite yet. He is hoping that his recruiting steps up a bit soon and that he starts to receive a little more interest from schools for basketball. Clary is a guy who could come in right away for a team and hit a three but will need some molding before he becomes a huge part of an offense. Clary needs to gain a little more strength and work on his handles more to be able to contribute to an offense on a regular basis. But, he can definitely come in off the bench and make a couple shots if need be.
“I would say the most improved part of my game is my ability to get to the basket,” Clary said. “Last year my main scoring came from threes, but this year I have been able to attack more and get to the free throw line. Another big improvement this year has been my rebounding. Increased strength and jumping has been key to my success in this area. Lastly, I have had to improve my leadership and set an example for my younger teammates.”
With just a few more games left in his high school career, Clary is focusing on finishing the year out strong with his teammates. North Montgomery is in a position where they could play spoiler with the draw they get in the tournament.
“I’m looking forward to enjoying my last few games in my high school career with my teammates. I’m looking forward to competing, and seeing what we can do once sectionals roll around,” Clary says.
Clary is a high academic guy who already knows what he is looking to study in college. With a vast majority of schools in Indiana that offer the program he wants, if he catches the eyes of the coaches he should have no problem fitting in quite nicely with his work ethic and drive.
“I want to go to a school with a good business program, with an emphasis on finance. I would love to play basketball at the next level for a coach who’s passionate about the game. I don’t have a preference on location of a school,” Clary said.