Cliff Tucker
Cliff Tucker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 January 1989 |
| Died | 28 May 2018 (aged 29) |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player |
| Known for | Collegiate basketball at University of Maryland, professional basketball career internationally |
Cliff Tucker (January 12, 1989 – May 28, 2018) was a professional American basketball athlete who played collegiate basketball for the University of Maryland. His life was tragically cut short in a vehicular accident on May 28, 2018.
High school career
During his time at Chapin High School in El Paso, Texas, Tucker distinguished himself in both basketball and football. In his final year, he posted averages of 21.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per basketball game, while accumulating 939 yards and scoring 19 touchdown receptions on the football field. Multiple programs including UTEP, Texas, Oregon, Maryland, and Washington State showed interest before he ultimately committed to Maryland. His high school accolades include being named the All-City MVP in 2007 and earning All-Region and All-State honors twice.
College career
Tucker was recruited by Maryland to participate in both basketball and football but primarily competed on the basketball court over four seasons from 2007 to 2011, appearing in 131 games with the Terrapins. A highlight of his junior year was hitting a decisive buzzer-beating three-pointer against Georgia Tech, securing an overtime win that contributed to Maryland sharing the Atlantic Coast Conference championship with Duke. Coming off the bench that season, he averaged 5.7 points per game and helped lead Maryland to its second straight NCAA Tournament berth. As a senior in the 2010–2011 season, Tucker improved his performance, averaging 9.6 points along with 3.5 rebounds per contest.
In spring 2011, he participated in Maryland's football practice sessions before transferring to UTEP, where he competed for one season as a football player.
Professional career
After college, Tucker signed with the Springfield Armor of the NBA D-League in 2012, where he averaged 6.5 points and grabbed 3.5 rebounds over a span of 13 games. He then embarked on an international basketball journey that included stints in Hungary, Germany, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina. While competing in Germany's ProA league for Nürnberg Falcons BC, he appeared in 14 games with averages of 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. During the 2016–17 season with Lobos UAD Mazatlán in Mexico’s CIBACOPA, he delivered impressive numbers: averaging 20.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across 32 matches. His final professional engagement took place during the 2017–18 season with Argentina's Asociación Deportiva Atenas, where he played four games and averaged 2.3 points per outing.
Death
Tucker lost his life on May 28, 2018, in a motor vehicle accident while traveling from San Antonio to El Paso on Interstate 10 near Balmorhea, Texas. The incident occurred when the right rear tire of the Ford Transit van he was riding in detached, causing loss of vehicle control and a rollover crash. Tucker was among three passengers who died instantly; notably, he was not wearing a seat belt at the time. The driver, Joseph Kennerly III, alongside another passenger who were both restrained by seat belts, survived. His wife Genesis Soto and daughter Andrea Soto were injured during the crash. Former Maryland head coach Gary Williams remembered Tucker as "a great teammate willing to do whatever it took to make us champions."