The early morning shooting sessions. The hours in the gym. The sweat. The aches. The pain. The stretching. The late-night extras. Falling asleep in class at school ... Clinton's dream of going to college in the US was finally a reality.

Clinton, a 196cm sweet shooter, will begin a four-year scholarship at St Martin's in Washington State, starting in August.

"Since I was 14, I was settled on going to college in America," said Clinton, who finished year 12 at Saint Francis Xavier's College last year. "I was certain I would be there no matter what. I have been working towards it for the past five years. I used to work out every day before school, at night. Sometimes I would fall asleep by the end of the day in class. I have been talking to colleges for two years and have done a couple of trips to America. To get the offer and commit to St Martin's is everything I had hoped.

"I want to take this thing as far as I can. I'd love to play in the NBL, I'd love to play in Europe. It is a way of pursuing my dream while getting an education."

St Martin's won the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference last season and made the "sweet 16" at the Division Two national tournament.

"A big part of it was that they are a winning team with a winning culture," Clinton said. "The school really fits my style of play. With eight seniors graduating it's a chance to be a part of a new group they are building."

St Martin's University is in Lacey, near the state capital, Olympia.

"It's pretty close to Canada. It is going to be freezing," Clinton said. "It's very different to Newcastle and living in a beach culture. We have two teams in our conference from Alaska."

Clinton will be joined at St Martin's by good friend and former NSW junior teammate, Brandon Freire, who is from Mittagong.

"We played in state teams through juniors and play well together," Clinton said.

In five years, Clinton has made the transition from a lanky kid with a soft touch around the hoop to an athletic wingman, who can attack the rim or light it up from outside.

"I started basketball and was tall, so like everyone else I got chucked in the post," Clinton said. "Marty McLean, in the under-14s, helped me extend my game to the wing. I didn't have a three-point shot straight away, but I really worked on it."

Clinton was a rookie in the Hunter championship-winning men's team last year.

He has stepped up to a starting role in side that has struggled after the retirement and departure of several key men.

They are still searching for their first win against Bankstown away on Saturday.

"All is not lost," Clinton said. "We have some good guys, but we obviously need to work some things out. We can still make a run."

Clinton, who plans to study communications, is the latest in a long line of Newcastle Hunters to play college basketball in the US.

Kouat Noi (Texas Christian), Ryan Beisty (Regis) , Myles Cherry (Lafayette) and Jacob Foy (Pacific Hawaii) are also gaining a college and basketball education in the states.

"I have been surrounded by guys who have been to college," he said. "I'm really close mates with Jacob Foy, who went to Hawaii last year. Newcastle is full of guys who have been there and done it. There are heaps of people to talk to about it."

Noi, who has been in Texas three years, has declared for the NBA draft and in the past week has been working out with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks.