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Basketball lands graduate transfer from Virginia Tech

Former four-star recruit Chris Clarke comes to an agreement with Coach Beard about his remaining eligibility.

If you thought Coach Chris Beard would take time off, you were hilariously mistaken. In the past week alone he has hosted former Texas A&M commit Tyreek Smith (ranking 18th nationally) and drawn in Stephen F. Austin’s TJ Holyfield and Virginia Tech’s Chris Clarke (68th nationally). Unfortunately, but expectantly, some Red Raiders have decided to transfer as Beard is drawing in higher-talented players.

NCAA Basketball: ACC Conference Tournament-Virginia Tech vs Notre Dame Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Clarke is (surprise) one of the top graduate transfers in basketball, and in the wake of the success that players like Tariq Owens and Matt Mooney had - Texas Tech offered Clarke the best opportunity at exposure and success. In his time at Virginia Tech, the 6’6 guard averaged 8.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3 assists per game last season.

His length, aggressiveness to get to the rim and ball awareness make him one of the more dangerous guards out there. His departure from Virginia Tech might be in part from his suspension last October for drug possession. But if Clarke can buy into Beard’s vision for Texas Tech and turn his actions around, then he might be one of our elite go-to players for 2019-2020.

The addition of Clarke today positions us with one scholarship remaining. In the current mix Coach Beard has RJ Hampton and Tyreek Smith. Smith recently had his official visit and a myriad of pundits are convinces he’s set on coming to Tech (take that, Aggies). Whoever fills that last slot for the Red Raiders will be walking on to an extremely strong team; both with a taste of a national championship game and also with the hunger for one.

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