Tech claims win over Clemson

Trapped under the weight of a slew of close losses, Georgia Tech found its way out Monday night.

With a four-minute stretch of some of its most efficient and free-flowing basketball of the season, the Yellow Jackets built up enough of a cushion that even a late-game lapse could not undo. Tech claimed victory at McCamish Pavilion, a 63-52 win over Clemson.

“As our guys have done all year, they got themselves off the mat and came out and fought with an unbelievable intensity level and unbelievable belief in each other,” coach Brian Gregory said.

Forward Marcus Georges-Hunt and his teammates received a standing ovation from the announced crowd of 5,653, thinned by the threat of icy conditions, as he dribbled out the final seconds. Besides providing a much-needed victory, the win also ended a 10-game losing streak to the Tigers.

“You win the game against them, you’ve earned it,” Gregory said. “They don’t give games away.”

Tech (12-14 overall, 3-11 ACC) had lost its past two games after leading late in each game and is 0-8 in ACC games decided by five points or fewer in overtime. The Jackets reduced the chances of another nightmare finish with a 14-0 run begun with 11:37 remaining in the second half that broke a 32-all tie.

The Jackets continued to push, extending the lead to 54-36 with 4:56 remaining when guard Josh Heath drove to the basket and kicked out to Georges-Hunt for a 3-pointer from the wing. It was Tech’s 10th score in 11 possessions, a sizzling rate of production.

It gave the Jackets enough margin to handle the final charge from Clemson (15-11, 7-7). Trapping in the half-court and pressing, the Tigers forced turnovers on Tech’s next four possessions, which helped reduce the lead to 54-45 with 3:12 left after Austin Ajukwa hit a jump shot following his strip of forward Robert Sampson in the backcourt.

However, Heath answered Ajukwa’s score by spinning to the basket for a layup to push the lead back to 11. Nine points was as close as Clemson approached for the remainder of the game.

“I think they were in a zone, and time was winding down, so they were kind of scrambled, and I just had to go,” Heath said.

Tech played without guard Chris Bolden, who was suspended indefinitely for not adhering to program standards. Bolden had played in all 25 games and started 11, including the past seven. Freshman guard Tadric Jackson started in Bolden’s place, his first career start.

Jackson responded with perhaps the best game of his young career, doling out a career-high five assists in 29 minutes. He was on the floor for the 14-0 blitz, finding center Demarco Cox on a fast break and later driving to the basket and slipping a pass to forward Charles Mitchell, who was fouled and made both free throws.