"Hard work I put in over the summer and the last couple months is paying off" - UConn's Donovan Clingan opens up on winning the PK Invitational 

UConn freshman center Donovan Clingan showed at the Phil Knight Invitational why coaches were so high on him when he arrived in Storrs earlier this year. He took home the Most Valuable Player award while adding Big East Freshman of the Week honors as well.

It was a significant tournament title for a UConn team that showed grit and toughness. Plus, the youthful spring that Clingan showed on the court impressed, even though all of it was not present in the box score. The Top 50 recruit is a towering 7-foot-2, and his presence around the rim affects any and everything around him.

Clingan has not played more than 20 minutes in a game this season. Coach Dan Hurley's staff has done a great job integrating Clingan in his conditioning and development early.

"(The tournament championship) means a lot to me," Clingan said. "It shows all the hard work I put in over the summer and the last couple months is paying off."

The two best players in the Phil Knight Invitational were Clingan and redshirt freshman forward Alex Karaban. That speaks volumes about the coaching staff and how it values its young guys.

Clingan recorded his first double-double of the season, totaling 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-53 win over Iowa State in the title game on Sunday.

Cingan is a very skilled defender. He understands that his size affects any drive and he does not have to block everything to be effective. Averaging 2.3 blocks per game, he is rarely in foul trouble, not picking up more than three fouls in any game. As the season progresses and the minutes increase, let’s see if that stays the same.

Donovan Clingan helps undefeated UConn leap in polls

Donovan Clingan will be a staple and could become UConn's most effective big man UConn since Emeka Okafor, who led the program to the 2004 national title.

In high school, Clingan, a two-time Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year, averaged 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds and 6.2 blocks per game as a senior. He broke the state's single-game record for points and rebounds with 51 points and 31 rebounds.

Clingan is a true shot blocker who has the opportunity to learn from some experienced big men. He will be known as one of the country's best interior defenders by the end of the year as Dan Hurley and his staff look to build on the Phil Knight Invitational championship.

The Huskies have a really good mix of youth and experience and opened a lot of eyes after convincing wins over Alabama and Iowa State in the tournament. UConn (8-0), which vaulted to No. 8 from No. 20 in the national rankings, crushed Oregon 83-59 and No. 11 Alabama 82-67.

The Huskies have a realistic chance of starting the season at 14-0. The coaching principles instilled in this team will help the players grow stronger together as the season progresses.

Adam Sanogo is a great player for Clingan to learn from. The Big East Preseason Player of the Year is living up to that standard (18.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg) early. With a player efficiency rating at 22.3, the junior forward has been lights out, averaging 18.5 ppg on 63.3% shooting, including 50.0% from beyond the arc.