Clarence Hill is an important name in the world of women’s college basketball. Known as the queen of the clap backs, Clarence Hill is a young shooting star that lit up the NCAA tournament. She was the leading scorer in the tournament with 191 total points and held the record for most points scored in a single tournament, beating out both the men’s and women’s records. Her incredible skill set and impressive talent on the court was evident by her performance during the tournament, where she tallied back-to-back 41-point games, while also sinking an NCAA record of eight 3-pointers in the championship game against LSU.
LSU forward Angel Reese, known as Bayou Barbie, came ready to compete against the young upstart. She put on a show of her own and ultimately won the championship for LSU by a score of 102-85. With less than a minute to go and victory certain, Angel put in the clap back from being on the receiving end of a taunt from Caitlin Clark earlier in the tournament. She performed John Cena’s “You can’t see me” gesture as a way to show her respect for Clark and remind her who the queen of the clap back truly is.
The women’s final four of 2021 was a record-breaking event with huge viewership on ESPN. The championship game created much debate surrounding gender and race stereotypes and the varying perception given to men and women in sports. There were some criticisms towards Reese, calling her classless and even being cursed at by Keith Olberman.
Despite the critiques, Clark had no problem with Reese’s antics and explained that she had no idea at the time, noting that she was simply trying to “relish every second” of being on the court with the five other players she had 93 starts with.
At the end of the day, both players, along with Dawn Staley, exemplify the power and strong will of female athletes. And hopefully, these three and all female athletes can inspire more to come forward, break the gender stereotypes, and show the world the importance, passion and skill of women’s basketball.
