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Community Corner

Rob Clemente is This Week's Whiz Kid

The 17-year-old Stoneham High School basketball player averaged eight points and four rebounds for the Spartans this season.

Stoneham Patch Whiz Kid of the Week

  • Rob Clemente, 17
  • Accomplishment: Clemente played a significant role this season for the boys' basketball team. He averaged eight points and four rebounds per game.

Key to Awesomeness: The Spartans had one of their best seasons in recent memory, going 10-10 during the regular season and making the State tournament without the help of the Sullivan Rule.

Clemente was very happy about the team’s successful season and attributes his individual success to his hard work and determination.

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“In practice, I go 100 percent and never stop working to become a better basketball player,” Clemente said. “I am always talking and communicating on the court to let my teammates know what is going on. My basketball intelligence has helped the team in some situations to either get the right shot or to get a defensive stop to try and seal the game.”

Clemente takes pride in his shooting game and has worked his entire life to become the best shooter he can possibly be.

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“I would practice for hours on my form and how I can increase how fast I can release the ball,” Clemente said. “Also, I am proud of (how) I can handle being under pressure when the game is on the line. During the Watertown away game, I had a game-winning shot to finally beat them after so many years of losing to them.”

Clemente is not the perfect player but he strives to be and with that, he wants to work on his defense.

“To me, I can have an awful shooting night, but I can always control how I play defense,” Clemente said. “I want to be able to cover the best player and shut him down. If I can improve my quickness on defense, I will be able to put my team in a situation where we can win more games.”

Clemente stressed that his teammates played a major role in his success and the team’s run to the State tournament.

“My teammates have played every part in my success on the court,” Clemente said. “Without them pushing me to become better in practice, I wouldn’t be the same player as I am today. Anyone on my team can do it for us on any night. We all work extremely hard and never stop wanting to become better.”

With his free time, Clemente volunteers at the .

“I help kids become role models and help them in the gym to make them better athletes,” Clemente said. “The Boys & Girls Club made me become the person I am today and without them, I don’t know if I would be the same.”

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