Arkansas commitment and Baton Rouge Madison Prep defensive lineman Troy James wanted a little sister growing up, and about two years ago he met 3-year-old Bre'Aile Clark.
The two developed a brother-sister relationship after James became acquainted with Bre'Aile and her mother, Brittney, who works at nearby CSAL Charter Middle School.
Brittney Clark said her daughter is shy by nature, but that changes when she's around the 6-3, 276-pound James.
"She always looks for him," Brittney Clark said. "She never really tells me anything. She just always looks for him every time."
James first met Bre'Aile and her mother when both visited his school so Bre'Aile could practice cheering.
"We just had a bond; we just clicked," James said. "She was shy around a lot of people, but not to me. She would always come to me."
Now 5 years old, Bre'Aile often reaches out to James before calling it a night.
"She'll tell her mom that she wants to talk to me, and she'll call me late at night just to hear my voice before she goes to sleep," James said.
During the season, James would think about recovering from soreness after games and sleeping in on Saturday morning. That changed after a call from Bre'Aile requesting him to attend her dance competition the next day.
"I'll end up going to just see that smile on her face," James said.
Brittney Clark said youth in James' age group often see young kids as burdensome and have limited interaction with children. She said that's not true about James when he visits the the middle school.
"It's never that way with him," she said. "He always gives them that attention. Whenever they come around and it's Troy, they want to see, and he gives them that attention."
After a 13-12 defeat in the playoffs to St. Charles Catholic his junior season, James remembers being consoled by Bre'Aile.
"Later that night, her mom explained to her we wouldn't be playing anymore," James said. "She was pretty upset. She called me later that night. I remember like it was yesterday, and she said 'It's going to be all right.' "
James and some of his teammates are regulars at the middle school to talk to the kids. Brittney Clark said the kids look at James and others as role models.
"If they get out of school early, they'll come to the middle school and come to the different classrooms," she said.
Busy future Hogs
It might be Christmas break for schools in Arkansas, but the Hogs' three basketball signees were anything but idle while playing in tournaments last week.
Little Rock Parkview senior guard Khalil Garland, 6-6, 190 pounds, helped the Patriots capture third place in the 59th annual Whataburger basketball tournament in Fort Worth.
He averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals for the Patriots, who went 3-1 in the tournament. ESPN rates Garland the No. 12 small forward and No. 54 overall prospect.
Power forward Daniel Gafford, 6-11, 223, averaged 19 points, 17.3 rebounds and 10.3 blocks a game to help El Dorado to third place at the Coke Classic in Fort Smith. ESPN rates Gafford the No. 9 center and No. 47 overall prospect.
ESPN four-star prospect and small forward Darious Hall, 6-6, 210, led Mills to the Spa City Shootout title in Hot Springs by averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals.
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 01/01/2017