Greg McDermott always saw the defensive potential of Rahshon Clark. Now the entire nation will know about it, as the senior forward was named to the Big 12 all-defensive team Monday.

“He’s got quickness, he’s got length, he anticipates relatively well and he’s been able to put that all together and have a really sound defensive year,” McDermott said.

Clark ranks 11th in the Big 12 with 34 blocks. He ranks sixth in school history with 107 career blocks and 10th in steals, with 143.

“We’re all basketball players, and we have to take pride in stopping our guy that we’re [defending],” Clark said.

Clark joins three other Cyclones to earn postseason awards Monday. Senior center Jiri Hubalek was voted third-team all-Big 12 and sophomore guard Wesley Johnson earned an honorable mention. Junior transfer guard Bryan Petersen was named to the all-newcomer team by the Kansas City Star.

Hubalek led the Cyclones in scoring, with 12.8 points per game, and rebounding, with 7.5 boards per game. Johnson led the Cyclones with 46 3-pointers this season and chipped in 12.5 points per game, while Petersen helped pace the offense with a team-high 2.9 assists per game.

McDermott said he was most impressed with how Clark has been able to improve defensively in his four seasons at Iowa State.

“It’s a much different kind of defense,” said McDermott. “He’s really had to learn a different way of playing defensively, and he’s accepted that role and has taken that role seriously, and now he’s being rewarded for it.