Clemente Returns from Injury Tonight

Junior Dan Clemente, who has missed the last 11 games due to injury, will be in uniform tonight when the Harvard men's basketball team takes on Cornell at Lavietes Pavilion at 7 p.m.

Clemente had surgery Dec. 10 to repair a detached retina in his right eye and was expected to miss the rest of the season. However, he was cleared to play during a doctor's visit on Tuesday and will wear special protective goggles.

"Dan has lived through a lot but he's back because he loves to play and contribute to the team however he can," said captain Damian Long. "He's a tough guy who we look to for intangibles whenever he's on the floor."

Before his surgery, the 6'7 Clemente was 24th in the nation in scoring at 21.2 points per game (ppg) and was averaging 4.7 rebounds per game (rpg). In 1997-98 he was Ivy League Rookie of the Year.

The Crimson (7-10, 2-2 Ivy) was 4-7 during his absence. Prior to the injury, Clemente set a school record by sinking a three-pointer in 23 consecutive contests.

Clemente was also supposed to miss all of last season due to an ankle injury, but he played hurt in all 26 games and earned an All-Ivy Honorable Mention. In 1998-99, he was 10th in the conference in scoring with 14.7 ppg and was second on the team with 4.6 rpg.

The Big Red (6-10, 0-4) is tied with Dartmouth for last place, but Cornell played tough against defending league champ Pennsylvania last Saturday in a 50-47 loss in Ithaca. The Big Red is led by forward Ray Mercedes (14.1 ppg), who was the runner-up to Clemente for Rookie of the Year in 1997-98.

Tomorrow Harvard hosts Columbia (8-9, 2-2), which has beaten Cornell twice but was embarrassed by Penn last Friday 63-37. The Lions' Craig Austin (15.5 ppg) is sixth in the Ivies in scoring.