Hoops Target Dimitri Clerc Talks UMass Offer

Pensacola State College big man Dimitri Clerc picked up an offer from the Minutemen last week.

Dimitri Clerc was excited to pick up an offer from UMass last week, but the Pensacola State College power forward/center is more focused on his own team than his future at the moment.

Still, Clerc is happy to have UMass as an option.

“They were already following me the whole season,” the 6-foot-10, 245-pounder says.

Clerc said UMass assistant coach Matt Figger made the trip down to Florida to check him out in person.

“He came to watch my practice and really liked the way I played, the way I played hard defense,” says Clerc. “He said he wanted to offer me after the practice.

“That was really the first time they talked to me, so I was really surprised. I didn’t even know it was coming. I was really happy.”

He doesn’t know a ton about UMass at the moment, but intends to find out more soon.

“I know a little bit, but I want to learn more,” he says. “I'm going to do some research about UMass.”

The Switzerland native also has offers from schools like New Mexico State, UAB and Quinnipiac among others.

But that isn’t his primary concern at the moment.

“Right now, we’re focused on the season,” he says. “We've got a couple games left.”

Clerc says he’ll “probably” make his way to Amherst at some point for a visit, but reiterated his current focus.

“We're going to set it up after the season,” he says. “I'm not really thinking about it right now.

“I don't really have an idea (what other schools I’ll visit), right now. I'm not really thinking about that right now because we're in the season.”

He has started thinking about what will matter most when it is time for him to choose a school.

“I feel like the most important thing for me when I go to the school next year is going to a school with people who know where I come from, know my culture,” he says. “That's most important, having good people around me.”

Clerc says he’ll play hard, run the floor and bring physicality to whatever school he lands.

“That's what I'll be doing every day.”