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Aggressive play, athleticism help Clyde Singleton put up big numbers

The light turned on.

That’s the figurative explanation for what has transpired over the past month and a half for Clyde Singleton, who up until that point had a pedestrian basketball career.

The literal result is that Singleton, a Niles West senior guard, has become the Wolves’ No. 1 scoring option and one of the Central Suburban South’s most productive all-around performers.

He accounted for exactly half of the Wolves’ points in a 40-39 home conference win over Glenbrook South on Friday. It was the third straight game that the Skokie resident reached the 20-point plateau.

So what’s to credit for this transformation?

“At the beginning of the year, I was searching for a comfort zone,” said Singleton, who played sparingly as a junior. “After a few games, I gained more experience and realized that the team needed me.”

It did, indeed.

First-year Niles West coach Mike Wasielewski said he liked what he saw from Singleton in summer workouts, but he didn’t envision him becoming a difference-maker. Excluding the season’s first four games, Singleton has scored in double figures all but once.

The Wolves’ dependence on Singleton was evident down the stretch against Glenbrook South (6-10, 0-5 after Friday). After consecutive Titans 3-pointers cut Niles West’s lead to 34-33, Wasielewski called for a clear-out, resulting in Singleton coasting by his man for a momentum-reversing layup.

“He was fine in November, but over the last month, he’s really come out of his shell,” Wasielewski said. “You can see his confidence growing and he’s become more and more aggressive.”

Singleton’s aggressive nature is bolstered by his explosiveness. He first dunked a basketball the summer before his freshman year of high school and he registered a 36-inch vertical jump in physical education class this year, Singleton said.

The 6-foot-2-inch Singleton’s leaping ability is the main reason he leads Niles West (5-9, 1-4 after Friday) in rebounding.

“I know I have to fight for every rebound and it’s fun to get in there with the bigs and see what I can do,” he said.

One thing Singleton seldom does is shoot 3-pointers.

Through the Wolves’ first 14 games, Singleton has only attempted one shot from beyond the arc. This rebuke of modern basketball conventions, especially for a scoring guard, stems from a healthy dose of self-scouting.

“I’ve never really been a big shooter, but I’ve been working on it,” Singleton said. “I’d rather drive and kick it out to someone who can knock them down.”

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

Twitter @Pioneer_Press