By Anthony Gulizia, Globe Correspondent

Dennis Clifford is a seven-foot center at Milton Academy averaging 15.8 points per game and will be trading in his Milton orange and blue for the Boston College maroon and gold next season. We got the chance to catch up with the big fella and ask him a few questions after practice – no ladder necessary.

An occasional question and answer feature on high school sports players.

• Milton Academy's Dennis Clifford
• Cohasset's Kelly Naegelin
• MC's Mike Vecchione
• Andover's Moira Cronin
• St. Mark's Melsahn Basabe

• "I'm a Player" archive

Clifford: Mostly I think its just being part of the team and playing college basketball. It seems like they’re a family up there and I can’t wait to be a part of it.

Who was your favorite athlete growing up?

Clifford: Id have to go with Shaquille O’Neal. He’s the most dominant center ever and I always try to be like him.

What’s been the best moment of your basketball career?

Clifford: The best moment I think was the open gym last spring when I first saw [Boston College] coach [Steve] Donauhue. I recognized him from Cornell and after the workout I went over to shake his hand and he was wearing the BC shirt.

What’s been the most embarrassing moment?

Clifford: Seventh grade travel, I was going on a fast break and someone threw me a long pass so I tried to outrun it, but it ended up hitting me in the back of the head and everyone started laughing – so I think that’s got to be the most embarrassing part.

What would you say is the best part of being seven feet tall?

Clifford: The best and worse is you get a lot of attention wherever you go – that can come to bite you in the rear end. I’m always getting attention when I go to public places and people are always talking to me.

Do you ever have a hard time finding a date when you’re seven feet tall?

Clifford: They come easier just cause the girls want to get the attention, the only thing is they won’t stop talking about your height.