CLEMSON, S.C. – Calling what transpired in Littlejohn Coliseum on Tuesday night a defensive struggle would be a massive understatement.
Clemson and Georgia Tech’s latest meeting lacked flow, rhythm or anything resembling competent offensive basketball. It was beyond ugly.
Empty possessions were common. Made baskets were cause for celebration.
Tech found virtually no momentum, but still was left with the distinct feeling of an opportunity lost when the final buzzer sounded.
The Yellow Jackets – playing with seven scholarship players – scored four points and made one field goal over the final 6:40, watching a late road lead slip away in a 45-41 defeat to Clemson.
Clemson improved to 15-6, 6-3 in the ACC and took its ninth consecutive victory against the Jackets at home dating to 2005. It was the 500th victory in Littlejohn for the Tigers in school history. Tech fell to 12-11, 3-7 in the league.
“I’m proud of our effort,” Tech coach Brian Gregory said. “You can’t be disappointed with the effort. You can be disappointed with the result, disappointed with not finishing a game on the road. But our team is not defined by injuries, all the stuff we’ve gone through. We’re defined by our ability to respond to tough times.”
Trailing 43-41, the Jackets had one final chance to tie with 16.6 seconds left. Sophomore forward Marcus Georges-Hunt made a contested drive to the rim, and senior forward Kammeon Holsey’s tip at the left side of the hoop caromed off into Clemson freshman forward Jaron Blossomgame’s hands.
Blossomgame, an Alpharetta native, was fouled and made both free throws with 2.3 seconds left for the final margin.
Gregory said there were two options on the play: Georges-Hunt driving or kicking to sophomore guard Chris Bolden for a potential game-winning 3-pointer, with Holsey and senior forward Daniel Miller down low to clear the way and clean up a miss.
“Marcus did a good job getting to the hole and he just slipped,” said Miller, who scored a game-high 18 and had eight rebounds. “If he would have missed, the two big guys were down there. Kam had a good look at it, just a little too excited, and we weren’t able to finish.”
There were multiple-minute spans between field goals common for both teams – sometimes at the same time. The Jackets shot 34.8 percent from the field.
A pair of Georges-Hunt free throws gave Tech a 37-32 lead with 5:40 to play, but Clemson ran off a 9-0 run capped by a pair of Blossomgame free throws for a 41-37 lead with 3:18 left.
Miller’s jumper with 1:34 left cut the lead to 43-41, and Tech had multiple chances to tie.
But a miscommunication between Georges-Hunt and Corey Hayward led to a throwaway with 56 seconds left, although a defensive stop at the other end gave the Jackets their final chance.
Tech played without guard Trae Golden, its leading scorer at 14 points per game. Golden aggravated a groin injury in Saturday’s victory at Wake Forest, and Gregory said team doctors advised against him playing Tuesday. Sophomore point guard Solomon Poole was dismissed from the team Monday.
Gregory said that sophomore forward Robert Carter Jr., who has missed all of ACC play after suffering a torn knee meniscus in late December, is likely to return for limited action against Virginia on Saturday.
Gregory can only measure his team by the adversity it faces – and the way it responds. In their past four road games in the ACC, the Jackets are 2-2 with an overtime loss at N.C. State and this loss to Clemson.
“It’s not a glib response, but what choice do we have?” he said. “We’re playing in the best basketball league in the country. These guys came here to turn around the program where it was at, they knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
“…If things worked out perfect, things would be much different now. We’re walking a fine line. We’re close, we’re getting there. You have these things, and you can turn around and say, ‘Wow,’ or you can fight. If you’re looking for fairness, you ain’t getting it in this life.”
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