St. Thomas More, like many other prep schools, also schedules JV college teams, and Clemente's encounters with now-teammates Dean and Damian Long introduced him to a team with a youthful future, one that Clemente found attractive as well.

"I looked at the team, and they had lost so many seniors," Clemente says. "That was a big part of my decision to come here."

As a result, Clemente knew he would be in a position to get lots of shot opportunities, even as a freshman. He has taken those chances--but adjusting to the demands of playing at the other end of the floor, however, has proven more difficult.

"Defense is really hard," Clemente says. "They concentrate so much on it here. I'm not used to playing defense in the post. But I think I'm adjusting pretty well, although it's a lot of work."

"He's a little undersized," says Dean, defending his teammate. "He's more of a small forward type. But he's quick enough to go around bigger guys who may be guarding him."

Clemente's exploitation of his speed reflects his determination to succeed. This strong work ethic has helped fill the void left by last year's strong senior class--a void which once loomed as wide as the Grand Canyon, but now, thanks to the efforts of a redoubtable rookie, now seems thinner than the Nuggets' playoff hopes.

"In the preseason we didn't know a lot about Clemente, but he impressed the coaches right away," Dean says. "He's a good player, and he'll probably turn into a great player."