Former Syracuse star Joe Girard is now with the Clemson Tigers, and he balled out in the Tigers’ 77-68 win over Syracuse on Saturday.
Girard played a phenomenal game against his former team, scoring 18 points, shooting 5-6 from the field, and hitting 4-4 free throws. The fifth-year senior shot 4-5 from the free-throw line. He looked excellent against the Orange and also scored his 2,000th career point.
It was Girard’s first time playing his former team, with some of the Orange faithful booing their former guard of four years.
“I’m an emotional player, no matter where I’m at,” said Girard postgame. “Had it been another crowd, even somewhere else, who’s booing me, I probably would have done the same thing. It’s nothing personal.”
“Glad they had their fun, and we had our fun.”
It was Girard and the Tigers who had the last laugh in this one, with the Tigers getting back on track with a big win over Syracuse following one of the program’s biggest wins of all time over former No. 3 North Carolina on the road. Clemson basketball is happy to have Girard with the program.