Tag: Chase Hunter

Clemson guard Chase Hunter enters his name for the 2024 NBA draft

Chase Hunter is headed to the NBA draft.

Brad Brownell and the Clemson men’s basketball team are losing one of their top players to the 2024 NBA draft.

Senior guard Chase Hunter took to social media Wednesday to announce that he will enter his name for the NBA draft, but maintain his eligibility. PJ Hall did the same thing last season, later opting to return for the another season with the Tigers. A smart decision from Hunter, who can see where he may land in the draft and make a decision on what is best for him.

Hunter was phenomenal for the Tigers this past season, especially in the tournament as they made their run to the Elite 8. He earned West All-Region Team honors as the Tigers’ clear top performer in March Madness. During the regular season, he averaged 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.5 steals per game, while adding in 0.3 blocks per game.

While he could depart for the NBA, there is still a chance he could return for one more season.

Brad Brownell believes ā€˜Thereā€™s a chanceā€™ Chase Hunter returns to Clemson for another season

Could Chase Hunter return for another season?

Could Clemson return one of their best players for another season with the Tigers?

According to Clemson head coach Brad Brownell, this is a real possibility. Recently appearing on Ā Road Rage with Walt Deptula on The Roar, Brownell discussed Hunter’s upcoming decision and whether he could return to Clemson.

ā€œThereā€™s no question he needs to put his name through the process and see what kind of feedback he gets. Weā€™ll see what that is, support him in whatever he decides,ā€ Brownell said.

“I do think thereā€™s a chance he comes back because we do have NIL and because this is a great place and if youā€™re not going to get drafted, you donā€™t necessarily have to just go do that and weā€™ll see.ā€

Hunter was phenomenal for the Tigers this past season, especially in the tournament as they made their run to the Elite 8. He earned West All-Region Team honors, as the Tigers’ clear top performer in March Madness. During the regular season, he averaged 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.5 steals per game, while adding in 0.3 blocks per game.

If Hunter returns to Clemson for one more year, the Tigers could be once again a dangerous dark horse.

Clemson’s dream run ends in the Elite 8 with loss to Alabama

Clemson’s underdog story ends in the Elite 8 with a loss to Alabama.

Brad Brownell and the Clemson men’s basketball team’s dream run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament has come to an end in the Elite 8 as the Tigers fell to Alabama 89-82.

The Tigers hung in with the Crimson Tide for most of the game, but self-inflicted wounds and hot second-half shooting from Alabama led to Clemson’s downfall. The Tigers are a top-ten team nationally in free throws, but they struggled mightily against the Crimson Tide. Hitting 8 of 16 free throws, Clemson came up short at the free-throw line when they needed it the most.

On the other side, Alabama was scorching hot from the three point line. The Crimson tide hit 16-36 threes, a clean 44.4%. Most of that came from Mark Sears who nailed 7-14 behind the arc.

Clemson’s run was an excellent one, with the Tigers winning four three games as underdogs. They worked hard and fought till the end, but couldn’t overcome Bama’s red-hot offense. The Tigers fall short of the Final Four but have arguably the best season in program history.

How Clemson has thrived as the underdog in the NCAA Tournament

Clemson is 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament, with all games being played as the underdog.

Clemson basketball’s historic journey continues as they secure their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980 with a thrilling 77-72 upset over Arizona in the NCAA’s West Regional.

Despite being the underdogs, Clemson showcased unwavering determination, with Hall and Schieffelin leading the charge. Led by Chase Hunter’s 18 points, Clemson defied expectations and capitalized on turnovers to maintain control throughout the game. This victory over No. 2 Arizona highlights Clemson’s resilience and ability to thrive in adversity, making their underdog story all the more inspiring.

The Tigers being labeled as underdogs is not over embellishment, this team has been the underdog in every game they played. As the Midwest No. 6 seed against No. 11 UNLV, Clemson was underdogs and absolutely dominated the Round of 64. Then it was Baylor in the Round of 32, where the Tigers were once again underdogs but found a way to prevail. In the Sweet 16, a spot they haven’t made it past since 1980, Clemson took down Arizona as big underdogs.

That’s been the story of the Tigers tournament run. While there is no denying this team has a lot of talent and experience, they’ve gone into every game with expectations against them. That doesn’t change with their Elite 8 matchup against Alabama, where the Tigers are once again dogs.

Clemson has been so strong in this tournament because of what I mentioned: talent and experience. The Tigers have an excellent blend of the two, capable of running with the best of them while maintaining composure in tough situations. Clemson head coach Brad Brownell has run this team perfectly over the past few games, with the veteran presence on the court following his lead.

Another underdog game for the Tigers on the way and one you know they’re prepared for.

How Clemson has thrived as the underdog in the NCAA Tournament

Clemson is 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament, with all games being played as the underdog.

CLEMSON, S.C.Ā ā€“ The No. 16/16 Clemson Tigers scored at least one run in four consecutive innings, including five in the fourth and three in the fifth, to run-rule Boston College, 10-0, in five innings to clinch the series victory on Saturday. This is the second run-rule for the Tigers during the series and ninth of the season, while also marking the eighth shutout of 2024.

The Tigers offense exploded for 14 hits in the five-inning performance. This is the seventh time in 2024 Clemson has tallied double-digit hits, marking the second-most hits in a game this season trailing only the series finale against NC State where the Tigers finished with 15. Redshirt senior Arielle Oda led the team going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Junior Maddie Moore followed going 3-for-4 with one RBI. In total, seven Tigers produced at least one hit, with Valerie Cagle, Alex Brown and Alia Logoleo adding two each. Cagle finished the game with four RBIs, including three off a walkoff home run, and two runs.

In the bottom of the second inning, Clemson took a 1-0 lead after Oda bunted a two-out single for a base hit. Brown tripled down the right field line to plate Oda and give the Tigers the lead. Clemson added another run in the third inning after McKenzie Clark singled and advanced to second as Valerie Cagle was hit by a pitch. Logoleo tallied an RBI single to left field that allowed Clark to score to put Clemson up 2-0 after three.

Boston College looked to get on the board in the fourth getting its leadoff runners on with no outs. Clemson made a pitching change from starter Brooke McCubbin to Regan Spencer, who made three-quick outs to force the Eagles to leave them stranded.

Clemson picked up steam in the bottom of the fourth after Oda and Brown clocked back-to-back singles to open the frame. Moore notched her RBI with a single up the middle that plated Oda from second. Cagle followed with her first RBI hit of the day with a shot into right field to score Brown, and Logoleo executed a squeeze bunt to score Clark in the next at bat. With two on and two out, Lindsey Garcia ripped a single up the middle that had both Cagle and Logoleo scoring to make it 7-0 after four.

Oda kept things rolling in the fifth with a leadoff single. Moore tallied her third hit of the day with a single through the left side. In an attempt to steal, Moore was ruled out on the play but it was overturned after review due to obstruction by BCā€™s shortstop. Clark joined her on the basepath following a walk to put two on with two out. Cagle stepped to the plate and drove an 0-2 pitch 268 feet out of left field to secure the 10-0 run-rule win. This was Cagleā€™s sixth home run of 2024 and 65th of her career.

McCubbin got the start in the circle this afternoon and pitched three innings before Spencer closed out the game and picked up her first save of the season. Spencer pitched two innings as she faced eight hitters, tallied three strikeouts and only allowed one hit.

Up Next

Clemson concludes its homestand with a midweek against Furman on Tuesday, April 2. The midweek game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and was picked up for broadcast on ACC Network. Tickets for every home game are still available for purchase this season. Fans can grab theirs eitherĀ onlineĀ or by visiting the ticket table outside the main gate of McWhorter Stadium on the day of the game. For more information on how to manage your tickets, including transferring them if you arenā€™t able to make it, visitĀ ClemsonTigers.comĀ today.

– Via Clemson Athletic CommunicationsĀ 

Elite: Clemson knocks off Arizona, advances in NCAA Tournament

March Madness: the Clemson Tigers took down No. 2 seed Arizona on Thursday to advance to the Elite Eight in Los Angeles.

Little ol’ Clemson is headed to the Elite Eight.

Chase Hunter scored 18 points to continue his torrid stretch in March, Clemson’s defense held Arizona to just 37 percent shooting from the field, and the sixth-seeded Tigers knocked off the second-seeded Wildcats, 77-72, in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament Thursday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The win marks only the second time in school history that Clemson has reached the Elite Eight of the tournament. It will be the program’s first Elite Eight appearance since 1980.

Clemson held Arizona’s Caleb Love, the 2023-24 Pac-12 Player of the Year, to just 13 points on 5-of-18 shots Thursday. The Tigers got 17 points from PJ Hall and 14 from Schieffelin, who each staved off foul trouble and gave the team another outstanding performance. The Tigers shot almost 50 percent from the field (29-of-59).

As it did against Baylor, Clemson (24-11 overall) got off to a strong start against Arizona. RJ Godfrey and Chauncey Wiggins connected on 3-pointers as part of an early 10-2 run that gave the Tigers a 16-6 lead.

Clemson would go up by as many as 13 points when Wiggins notched his second 3-pointer of the half to make it 27-14 with 7:16 left until halftime. The Tigers carried a 39-31 lead into intermission. They shot 53 percent from the field in the first half and made 5-of-11 shots from behind the arc.

Arizona (27-9) began making its push in the second half. After an 8-0 Wildcats run tied the game, coach Tommy Lloyd’s team took its first lead when Love made a layup after a steal by Kylan Boswell.

Clemson never backed down in this cat battle.

The Tigers answered with clutch 3-pointers from Jack Clark and Joe Girard to go back ahead, 53-48. When Hall slipped inside a defender and caught a wide-open pass from Schieffelin for a dunk, it gave Clemson a 65-58 lead with 7:45 to play. Arizona had missed eight straight 3-pointers at that point, and they spent a stretch where 14 of their 16 points were scored solely off free throws.

Jaden Bradley struck with a 3-pointer with 52 seconds to play to cut the Tigers’ lead to 72-70. But on the next possession, Hunter was able to drive through the lane for a three-point play after bleeding the shot clock. Bradley fouled Hunter going to the rim, and Hunter’s basket and subsequent free throw put Clemson ahead at 75-70 with just 25 seconds left.

Dillon Hunter caught a wide-open lob for a layup with 10 seconds left for the game’s final points.

Bradley was Arizona’s leading scorer with 17 points.

Clemson will face the winner of Thursday night’s Alabama-North Carolina matchup in the West Region Final on Saturday. The Tigers defeated both the Crimson Tide and the Tar Heels in the regular season, winning 85-77 in Tuscaloosa on November 28 and 80-76 in Chapel Hill on February 6.

Watch Chase Hunter ice the game as Clemson takes down Arizona in the Sweet 16

Watch Chase Hunter put the finishing touches on Clemson’s huge Sweet 16 win over Arizona.

Clemson basketball secured a spot in the Elite Eight in a thrilling matchup with a 77-72 win over No. 2 seed Arizona in the NCAA’s West Regional. This marks a significant achievement for Clemson, as it’s their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980, showcasing the team’s resilience and determination on the court.

Throughout the game, Clemson maintained a narrow lead, with key plays from players like Hall and Schieffelin contributing to their success. Despite facing pressure from Arizona, Clemson capitalized on turnovers and bench contributions, leading to a halftime advantage of 39-31. The team’s strong shooting performance, particularly from bench players like Wiggins and Godfrey, propelled them to a double-digit lead in the first half, setting the stage for their victory and advancement to the Elite Eight.

When the game was in crunch time and the Tigers held a 72-70 lead with 25 seconds left on the clock, Chase Hunter iced the game and continued his historic tournament run for the Tigers. Check out Hunter’s bucket below.

 

WATCH: PJ Hall, Chase Hunter and Joe Girard talk Selection Sunday

Here’s everything Hall, Hunter, and senior Joe Girard told reporters on Selection Sunday.

Clemson had to wait a while before seeing its name appear on screen during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show.

Enough of a wait to give seniors PJ Hall and Chase Hunter a bit of anxiety, it seems.

Clemson (21-11 overall) had nothing to worry about in the end, but it took until the reveal of the final region — the West Region, where No. 6 seed Clemson will face No. 11 New Mexico Friday — before the Tigers learned their fate and where they’d be playing.

The Tigers will face the Lobos (26-9) in a scheduled 3:15 p.m. EDT tipoff. The game will be televised on truTV. New Mexico won the Mountain West Tournament to secure an automatic bid to the Dance.

“Me and Chase had PTSD, man,” Hall said Sunday. “I’m sitting there like, ‘There’s no way.’ But yeah, right before, (Hunter said) ‘I hope we’re not in the first (regional announced) for a little bit of buildup. But I didn’t want that much buildup. It’s exciting. Special stuff.”

Here’s everything Hall, Hunter, and senior Joe Girard said after Clemson learned where and when they’d be playing.

WATCH: Clemson players discuss win over Syracuse, Senior Night

PJ Hall, Chase Hunter, Joe Girard, and Ian Schieffelin met with reporters after Tuesday’s game to discuss Senior Night, the win over Syracuse, and more. Here’s everything the players said.

Tuesday was Senior Night at Littlejohn Coliseum, and three Clemson seniors made sure it was a memorable one for both the team and its fans.

PJ Hall led Clemson scorers with 25 points in the Tigers’ 90-75 takedown of Syracuse in ACC play. Hall had 21 points in the first half and finished 11 of 19 shooting from field.

Joe Girard added 21 points and made four 3-pointers, and Chase Hunter contributed 17.

Jack Clark returned to the starting lineup after missing Saturday’s game against Notre Dame. The NC State transfer played 28 minutes and held Syracuse’s Chris Bell to seven points all night.

The Tigers (21-9 overall, 11-8 conference) played solidly on both sides of the ball in Tuesday’s victory, which moved them one step closer to clinching a double bye in this month’s ACC Tournament. They can do that with a win at Wake Forest Saturday.

Hall, Hunter, Girard, and Ian Schieffelin met with reporters after Tuesday’s game to discuss Senior Night, the win over Syracuse, and more. Here’s a look at everything the players said.

Clemson seniors power Tigers past Syracuse in home finale, 90-75

PJ Hall had 21 points in the first half and finished with 25, Joe Girard added 21, and Clemson picked up a crucial 90-75 victory over Syracuse in ACC play Tuesday.

Senior Night at Littlejohn Coliseum had to include a little fun from Clemson’s senior class.

PJ Hall had 21 points in the first half and finished with 25, Joe Girard added 21, and Clemson picked up a crucial 90-75 victory over Syracuse in ACC play Tuesday.

The win was critical for a Tigers (21-9 overall, 11-8 ACC) team that is hoping to finish in the top four in league standings to earn a double bye in the ACC Tournament later this month in Washington, D.C.

On this night, they certainly played like one of the ACC’s four best.

Clemson jumped out to an early 11-point lead after senior Chase Hunter sank the Tigers’ fourth 3-pointer of the first eight-plus minutes of the game.

When Hall made a jumper with 1:28 to play in the half, he had 21 points and the Tigers had upped their lead back to double digits after it had dwindled to just two earlier.

And on Clemson’s last possession of the half, Ian Schieffelin shot a thrilling no-look pass to Hunter, who had cut under the basket for a dunk to close the half with an exclamation point. The Tigers led, 42-30, at halftime following a 12-2 run.

ā€œWe got a bunch of open shots (early),ā€ Clemson coach Brad Brownell said afterwards. ā€œPJ was getting some open looks. He didnā€™t make many at Notre Dame, but boy was he making them tonight. I just felt like he gave us a shot in the arm.ā€

Hunter sank his third 3-pointer of the game with 8:01 to play in regulation, and the Tigers had their largest lead of the night to that point at 68-54.

Girard, a late-arriving member to Clemson’s senior class after transferring from Syracuse a year ago, made a four-point play against his former team with 5:42 left. Girard drew a foul from Kyle Cuffe Jr. while connecting on a 3-pointer.

Hall made a two-handed slam with 2:53 to play to cap his performance, and Hunter followed with a dunk of his own on the Tigers’ next possession. Hunter had 17 points, one of four Clemson players to finish in double figures.

Schieffelin finished with 16 points to go with 16 rebounds. He was 6-of-6 from the field and 5-of-5 from the foul line.

“Offensively, we were just really good,” Brownell said. “We took care of the ball for the most part. We went inside a lot to Ian and he was able to deliver. We just had a really good mix to our game.”

Hall, Hunter, Girard, and Jack Clark all checked out of the game with 31.5 remaining. They received a standing ovation from an appreciative Littlejohn crowd.

“Great performance and I’m certainly happy for our seniors,” Brownell added. “I thought Chase, Joe and PJ all played great. They were really locked in.”

Judah Mintz had 20 points to lead Syracuse (20-10, 11-8).

Tuesday’s win moved the Tigers ahead of Syracuse for fourth in conference standings. Clemson can clinch a double bye in the ACC tournament with a win over Wake Forest Saturday in Winston-Salem.