Stockman, Hobbs anchor inexperienced Clemson

For the first time in years, the campus of Clemson University is actually abuzz about the upcoming basketball season. Notoriously known as a football school, Clemson basketball has always taken a backseat to the excitement generated across campus in Death Valley. But with one of their best recruiting classes in recent memory, not to mention a football team not living up to its preseason billing, the Tigers on the hardwood are looking like something special.

After losing its two best players, Adam Allenspach and Will Solomon, in the off-season, Clemson has just one senior in JUCO-transfer Jamar McKnight. But the Tigers are sporting the deepest team in terms of talent in coach Larry Shyatt's three-year tenure atop the Clemson program. The Tigers will focus primarily on pushing an up-tempo attack to utilize that depth instead of relying on specific sets.

"We don't want to look at it like [a set-up year]," sophomore Tony Stockman said. "We want to go ahead and start this year and see what we can do. We're pretty excited about what's gone on so far. We don't want to say we're young again and keep relying on that and waiting for years to come."

The team also returns two of the most talented young players in the league in Stockman and Chris Hobbs. Both Tigers finished on last year's All-ACC Freshman team and found their way into Clemson's starting lineup for the bulk of last season. Stockman's 12 points per game was tops for all ACC freshmen, while Hobbs' 6.3 rebounds per game led the team.

Stockman and Hobbs will most likely be joined in the starting lineup by Ray Henderson at center, Dwon Clifton on the wing and captain Ed Scott leading the show at point guard.

Clifton almost did not have the chance to improve on his encouraging freshman campaign. After suffering a fainting spell that was initially deemed a life-threatening heart defect, he was cleared by doctors who claimed the sophomore had a much more passive illness related to fatigue.

Clifton's return was perfectly in sync with the first practices for the new freshmen class. The group is headed by swingman Chey Christie and power forward Sharrod Ford, both of whom were top-rated prospects in what Shyatt deems possibly the best recruiting class in Clemson history.

"It's a wonderful class," Shyatt said. "They are going to have to prove their value, just as a Greg Buckner or a Will Solomon did. Those guys came into the program as very much unproven, high-level high school players that are now in the NBA. Individually, they may not be as talented as some of the other Parade All-Americans, but collectively, we think they can have the same impact."