UCLA Navigates Life Without Skyy Clark - and Finds Its Identity Along the Way
Skyy Clark was building something special. A 25-point performance at Washington.
A 30-point night against Cal Poly. Back-to-back games with six made threes.
The sophomore guard was finding his rhythm and becoming a key piece of UCLA’s offense - until Jan. 3, when he pulled up grabbing his left hamstring during a game at Iowa.
Since then, Clark hasn’t played a minute. But that doesn’t mean he’s been absent.
On the sidelines, he’s remained a vocal leader. During UCLA’s Jan. 10 matchup with Maryland, he was the one offering advice to Tyler Bilodeau after a mental lapse earned the senior a seat on the bench.
He’s been in Trent Perry’s ear too, encouraging the sophomore guard who’s taken over his starting spot to “let it fly.” And Perry has - with confidence and purpose.
Still, there’s no replacing Clark’s full package. His shot-making, perimeter defense, and poise have been sorely missed as the Bruins navigate the grind of Big Ten play. But somehow, they’re staying afloat - and then some.
“Nobody wants to be back more than him,” head coach Mick Cronin said after UCLA’s gritty win over Northwestern. “He’s doing everything he can, but we’re just trying to hold down the fort until we can get him back.”
Clark’s status remains questionable for Wednesday’s game at Oregon. Even if he misses a seventh straight contest, the Bruins have proven they’re not folding. At 14-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play, they’ve gone 4-2 without their most complete player - a stretch that’s showcased the team’s resilience and depth.
Clark’s impact is measurable - literally. His team-best on/off split (22.7 NET rating) underscores just how valuable he is to UCLA’s success.
But what’s even more telling is how the team has responded in his absence. Multiple players have stepped up, none more than Perry.
Perry Steps Into the Spotlight
Replacing a player like Clark usually takes a committee. But Perry has taken it upon himself to shoulder the load.
Over the past six games, he’s averaged 16.2 points, 3.2 assists, and has knocked down 41% of his shots from beyond the arc. That’s not just a fill-in job - that’s production.
Perry credits the coaching staff for empowering him and Clark for continuing to boost his confidence.
“Just playing basketball, being confident,” Perry said after Saturday’s win. “The coaching staff is just telling me to let it fly, be aggressive.
And of course, you know, with Skyy, he’s a great sport and all that. So just try to, you know, step into that role a little bit.”
He’s doing more than stepping in - he’s breaking out. The sophomore came into this season with expectations, especially after leading Harvard-Westlake to back-to-back CIF State titles.
But his freshman year didn’t go as planned. Now?
He’s delivering when it matters most.
Take Jan. 14 at Penn State. UCLA was playing in front of a sparse crowd, trudging through the snow, facing a desperate team.
The game felt flat. Perry brought the juice.
He moved with urgency, sprinting off screens, staying ready when the Nittany Lions doubled Bilodeau. He hit a season-high four threes and went a perfect 12-for-12 from the line, finishing with a career-high 30 points in a crucial road win.
“Trent made some big shots,” Cronin said after the 71-60 victory.
It’s one thing to grow in your second year. It’s another to deliver Clark-like numbers with your team’s postseason hopes hanging in the balance.
Defense Leading the Way
While Perry has carried much of the offensive load, Clark’s absence has forced others to elevate their games in different ways - especially on defense.
Donovan Dent has taken on more responsibility as the primary ball-handler and defender. Against then-No.
4 Purdue, he was tasked with slowing down Braden Smith - a first-team All-American candidate. Dent fought through screens, stayed attached on drives, and held Smith to just 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
That’s a win on any scouting report.
Then there’s Eric Dailey Jr., who’s become the team’s defensive anchor. His offense has been inconsistent, but his energy on the other end hasn’t wavered. In that same Purdue game, Dailey made a critical defensive play that set up the game’s signature moment.
With under 40 seconds left and the game on the line, Smith blew by Xavier Booker. Perry rotated to cut off the lane, forcing a pass.
Dailey read it perfectly, dropping down to deflect the ball. It ricocheted off Purdue and out of bounds.
Moments later, Bilodeau buried the game-winning three - a shot that turned Pauley Pavilion into a madhouse and put the Bruins back in the national conversation.
And let’s not forget redshirt freshman Eric Freeny. His minutes have been limited, but his impact is felt.
In just eight minutes against Purdue, he blocked a layup attempt by Smith, sparking a fast break that Dailey punctuated with a thunderous dunk. It was a momentum-shifting play that showed exactly why Cronin values Freeny’s toughness.
“One thing Eric Freeny will give you is physicality and fight,” Cronin said. “As a freshman, you know, at times, he might be out there in the wrong spot, or whatever, but he’s never, ever, ever going to lack for giving effort. That’s why I signed him.”
Holding the Line
This stretch without Clark has tested UCLA’s depth, chemistry, and grit. And to their credit, they’ve responded. Dent’s poise, Dailey’s defense, Freeny’s hustle, and Perry’s emergence have kept the Bruins competitive in a loaded Big Ten.
Now, with Clark taking his recovery day by day, the question becomes: Can UCLA keep this going - and how much better can they be when he returns?
“Stopping players is what we need to do,” Dailey said after the Purdue win. “Just got to continue this type of energy we’ve been bringing.”
That energy has defined this team during a critical stretch. And if they can keep it up - with or without Clark - they’ll be in the thick of the NCAA Tournament conversation come March.
Next Up:
UCLA (14-5, 6-3 Big Ten) at Oregon (8-12, 1-8)
Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Ore.
TV/Radio: Big Ten Network / 790 AM