In the heart of March Madness, where every play can make or break a season, UCLA's Skyy Clark showed us what it means to leave it all on the court-literally. During the Bruins' nail-biting 75-71 victory over UCF, Clark found himself in an unexpected dental dilemma after diving for a loose ball and catching an inadvertent elbow from Themus Fulks.
The result? Half of his right front tooth went flying.
Clark took it in stride, grinning through the pain. "I felt it as soon as it happened," he said, sporting a new, rugged look that even had his coach, Mick Cronin, noting, "Looks like a boxer.
Looks tough. There’s blood."
His teammates couldn’t resist a little ribbing. Eric Dailey Jr., who led with 20 points, joked about Clark’s new “aura,” while Trent Perry and Dailey likened him to Mike Tyson. Meanwhile, Bruins walk-on Jack Seidler played tooth fairy, retrieving the chipped piece from the court.
Despite the mishap, Clark was undeterred. "They asked if I still wanted to play, and I said yeah.
My team needed me," he declared. And play he did, contributing eight points in 20 minutes.
His toughness didn’t go unnoticed, with Seidler remarking, "That’s toughness right there."
As adrenaline masked the pain initially, it soon became a 9 out of 10 on the pain scale for Clark. Yet, his focus remained on the win.
In the closing seconds, with UCF closing in, Clark had a chance to seal the game at the free-throw line. He missed the first but nailed the second, ensuring the Bruins' advance.
"I made the last one, that’s all that matters," he reflected.
The night didn’t end at the arena. UCLA’s athletic trainer, Alexa Blatt, was on a mission to find a late-night dentist.
By the end of the evening, Clark was en route to get his tooth fixed. "I had planned to get some dental work anyway," he quipped, showing that his sense of humor was as intact as his game.
Looking ahead, Clark plans to sport a mouthguard for the next matchup, ensuring he's ready to give it his all once again. As the Bruins continue their tournament journey, Clark’s resilience and commitment are sure to inspire both teammates and fans alike.