Clark sophomore Ehlad Emerllahu puts up two of his team high 17 points in last Friday’s district game against Taft at Paul Taylor Field House. Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer

Elhad Emerllahu shows his appreciation for basketball every time he hits the court.

It doesn’t matter if he is at practice or a game, the 6-foot-3 Clark sophomore works like everything is on the line.

The attitude involves more than just a love for competition. Having the opportunity to play basketball is a constant reminder of how thankful Elhad Emerllahu is to be living in America.

There was a time when such luxuries as playing basketball were non-existent while living in Kosovo. With tension from Serbian armies surrounding his city the only thing that mattered at times was survival.

He remembers such horrors as friends dying and hiding from the Serbian armies. Fortunately, Elhad and his family escaped and found a home in San Antonio in 1999.

“It is very poor over there and it was dangerous,” Emerllahu said. “We could have died if we didn’t move here. The choice was stay over there and die, or come here. My family came here as refugees.”

Adjusting to American life wasn’t easy. Being a foreigner, he had no friends and spoke no English.

Eventually, the situation improved. He learned to speak English and started making friends. In addition, basketball opened a whole new world.

“I saw some kids playing basketball and it looked like fun,” Emerllahu said. “I was told all you had to do was put the ball in the hole. At first I just played outside on my own.

“When I started speaking English I started playing on teams and learned more about basketball. I started making more friends. That made it better, because friends are important.”

Emerllahu feels right at home in San Antonio. He has taken a liking to Mexican food and Chinese food. He enjoys movies, especially “Rambo” and “Coach Carter.” He considers himself a Los Angeles Lakers fan and is enthusiastic about football.

Still, basketball is No. 1.

Emerllahu played his seventh grade year at Hobby Middle School and was also on an AAU team.

However, his career has taken off at Clark. He made the varsity as a freshman and though didn’t get a great deal of playing time, Emerllahu got enough minutes to make an impression.

This year, Emerllahu has been one of the Cougars’ most consistent shooters with a 14-point average.

Emerllahu seems to be at ease on the court. He can light up the scoreboard all over the court and his strength enables him to be effective on the boards. Still, the Clark sophomore believes he can do better.

Those who have watched Emerllahu grow as a player, believe that perfectionist attitude, along with his appreciation for the opportunity, is the reason he has made quick strides.

“He appreciates things in a light that other players really can’t comprehend,” Clark coach Kevin Hamilton said. “It would probably be hard for some coaches to comprehend it, too. He has been really good for us. He loves the game and is eager to learn. He is a tenacious competitor. He does not like to lose.”