Clemson Tigers
2020-21 record: 16-8, 10-6 in the ACC
Head coach: Brad Brownell
Tenure at Clemson: 12th season
Career coaching record: 368-235
Home court: Littlejohn Coliseum
Starters: G Nick Honor, G Al-Amir Dawes, G David Collins, F Naz Bohannon, F Hunter Tyson
Bench: G Alex Hemenway, G Chase Hunter, G Josh Beadle, F Ian Schieffelin, F/C Ben Middlebrooks, F/C PJ Hall
Overview: While the Tigers have no five-star recruits, they have immense strength in their depth, which will be vital to pushing their way past their ACC preseason poll ranking of 11th. This year’s projected starting lineup features redshirt junior Nick Honor and senior Hunter Tyson, as well as junior Al-Amir Dawes and graduate transfers David Collins and Naz Bohannon.
Dawes started 26 games in his freshman year and averaged an impressive 29.9 minutes, 9.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He still put up almost identical stats in his sophomore season, despite getting pulled from the starting lineup midseason. His return to the court will force opponents to be aware of his offensive threats right off the bat.
Using sophomores PJ Hall and Chase Hunter and junior Alex Hemenway will be instrumental in conducting strong offensive and defensive play in the new rotation. Hall played well offensively when he got floor time last year, averaging 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10 minutes per game. His background as a four-star prospect and the No. 9 power forward recruit in the nation certifies that he has skill when he gets the opportunity to use it.
Duke’s comeback win against the Tigers last year demonstrates that if Clemson wants a higher ranking this season, it will have to put in an extensive amount of work. The Tigers had a strong case against Duke in the 2019-20 season, when they defeated the Blue Devils by seven points using the likes of Aamir Sims, John Newman III and Tevin Mack. However, in last year’s game, the Tigers were down defensively, as only Simms remained on the roster, with Mack graduating and Newman lacking playing time. The loss of key players led to a 79-53 Duke win.
Despite that, Clemson fans still have much to look forward to in the forthcoming season. This year’s starting roster is almost completely new in comparison, and with fresh leaders taking the court, the Duke-Clemson game is prime for either side to take. If the Tigers can improve on their defensive rebounding and turnover margin—they ended fourth in conference play in both categories—they will be able to hold possession longer than last year. And if Clemson can hold onto the ball longer, its deep bench can be used to its ultimate potential.
Team ceiling: The Tigers’ promising starting lineup lives up to its aptitude, and Brownell ensures each player on his bench can get some ball-handling. But even with further expertise, Clemson likely won’t be seeing an ACC championship anytime soon. Still, it will see an increase in chemistry which can mean more credibility to the program’s ability to grow players.
Team floor: The Tigers' deficiency of four and five-star recruits inhibits their ability to compete with higher-level opponents, and the team could struggle to prove its true ability.
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