The diminutive sharp-shooter will inevitably be working away with the help of the shooting machine he brought into the Snakepit on his own dime. 

Former University of Arkansas teammate Delvon Johnson can barely remember a time he arrived Razorbacks practice and Clarke wasn’t already on the floor tossing up shots.

“The first time I watched him practice I remember asking: does he ever miss?” Johnson recalled this week.

It’s a work ethic the former league MVP leaned on last season to bring him out of a personal early-season slump and re-ignite his side’s playoffs charge as a super-sub.

It’s also why he’s confident the Hawks can do the same this season, as they look to avoid falling into an 0-4 hole when they host Brisbane at the WEC on Sunday.

“Last year we started we were 1-4 and we turned it around and I think that’s just a testament to these guys and coaching staff and the character we have,” Clarke said.

“We knew it was going to be a tough start to the year going like we have with three games on the road.

“Even though we’ve started slow, we’re not going to implode, we’re not going to give up, and I know we’ll get going again. 

“We know we have the talent, we know we have the pieces on this team, it’s just about putting it all together for a whole game.”

The Hawks were blown off the court by the Kings last week on the third leg of a tough road treble, but Clarke found plenty to like in his team’s opening two performances.

“The frustrating thing is we feel we could easily be 2-1 right now,” Clarke said.

“I felt we were the better team in Cairns for most of that game and we just let it slip. It felt like we gave that one away.

“In Perth we were the better team for two quarters but that third quarter just wasn’t good enough. We turned over the ball too much and they capitalised on that.

“Going to Perth is always a challenge, let alone coming straight back to Sydney and they got us pretty good.

“Once we clean up some things, and hopefully get a win here at home, it can turn things around for us.”

Few players have lit up the Sandpit like the reigning sixth man of the year, and Clarke expects the home crowd to give the Hawks a major boost in their home-opener.

“For me it’s a special place because it was the first place I played out of college,” Clarke said.

“I’ve got some really fond memories there from my first year and again from last year. Hopefully that continues this season.

“It’s been a tough start for us but we know we can’t get into too big a hole here so it’s a real must-win game for us.

“I’m sure Brisbane are feeling the same way, they don’t want to drop to 0-2, so we’ll get their best shot and they’ll get ours.

“Any team can beat any team on any given night in this league, it’s so good. It’s going to be tough every night out so we’ve got to come ready to play.”