Clayton State's Conley Named All-America
March 17, 1999
MORROW, Ga. – Clayton College & State University senior Robert Conley today was named to the 1998-99 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Third Team, becoming the first basketball player in school history to receive this honor.
“I am really happy for Robert,” said Clayton State head coach Jimmy Hebron. “He had an extraordinary year for us, and I am glad that he is being rewarded for it.”
Conley, a 6-6, 205-pound forward, had a record-breaking season for Clayton State, finishing the year and his career with 14 school records. He led the Peach Belt Athletic Conference in scoring and ranked third nationally with an average of 24.6 points per game this season, setting both school and PBAC records.
The Decatur, Ga., native was also among the conference leaders in rebounds (6.7 rpg), field goal percentage (.555) and steals (2.7 spg). In the Lakers’ season-opener, Conley began his pursuit of several Clayton State records when he scored a school-record 36 points at Emmanuel College. He went on to set or tie his own record three more times during the year before finally making his mark with a 40-point explosion at USC Aiken late in January. Throughout the course of the year, Conley also set single-game records for field goals (17) and steals (8).
Conley, who was also named first team All-PBAC and South Atlantic All-Region earlier this year, shattered Clayton State’s single-season scoring mark with 664 points, breaking the previous record by nearly 100. During the season, he recorded four double-doubles while topping the 20-point plateau 20 times and the 30-point plateau six times. By the end of the year, he had also recorded 247 field goals and 72 steals, both school records.
In just two seasons, Conley put up numbers that rank among the top-five in 14 different career statistical categories at Clayton State, including all-time highs in scoring average (22.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.550) and steals per game (2.2). He ranks second in career points (1,219), free throws (283), rebounds per game (7.5) and steals (120), third in field goals (449) and offensive rebounds (181), and fourth in total rebounds (415). All of this was accomplished in just 55 games.
“Robert had an unbelievable two-year career with us,” said Hebron. “I am extremely proud of him for everything he has accomplished, and it was a pleasure to have him in our program.”
Kentucky Wesleyan’s Antonio Garcia (18.7 ppg, 14.4 rpg) was named “Player of the Year” after leading the defending national champions to a 32-2 record and to a berth in the Elite Eight, which begins Wednesday in Louisville, Ky. Three five-member All-America teams were selected by Sports Information Directors on the NCAA Division II level.
