Take two steps forward, take three steps back. It has been that type of season for the Yellow Jackets. Tech’s 81-73 loss to No. 13 Clemson, the team’s six straight, was a microcosm of this season. The Jackets started the game as strong as they have in any game during the ACC season, jumping out to a 25-10 lead. The initial effort was due in large part to a tenacious defense that prevented Clemson from getting easy shots and eight quick points by Lewis Clinch, who finished with 27 points. Gani Lawal also exerted inside dominance, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the first half.
The tide of the game turned when Clemson began to employ its press. While the press caused several turnovers (12 in the first half), it also caused uncertainty on the offensive end, leading to several missed fast-break opportunities. Those missteps, along with an inside-outside spark by Trevor Booker and David Potter, who each had nine points in the first half, helped Clemson go on an 11-0 run and take a brief lead before settling on a 33-33 tie at the half. “There were three or four shots around the basket where we rushed a little bit, instead of gathering ourselves,” said coach Paul Hewitt. “They took advantage of that. They came down and scored on eight or nine straight possessions and took something out of our defense.”
Clemson continued its hot shooting, rattling off the first five points of the second half. The Tigers continued to push past Tech, getting the lead to 10 points at 46-36 before Clinch and the Jackets came back. Clinch went on a personal 9-0 run to bring Tech to within one at 46-45. They would only get that close once more as the Clemson press started to assert itself again, forcing six second-half turnovers, most coming at critical points in the game. Clemson’s inside-outside game seemed indomitable as well with Booker scoring another 11 points in the second half to give him 21 for the game. Freshman guard Andre Young provided the outside spark, going 4-for-4 from the three-point line. “Young really stepped up today and he kinda broke us on a lot of plays where we were right there at him. Following the scouting report we went under (the screen) and he made a great play,” said Mo Miller, who scored 11 points in the game.
When Shumpert tipped a ball in to complete a 10-5 Tech run, the Jackets were once again within one of Clemson at 58-57, but Booker, Young, and K.C. Rivers (19 points) took turns hitting big shots to run the Tigers lead to 77-66 with a 1:33 left. “This is the ACC. We knew that we could come out and make a run but that they could too. But the thing is, when they make their run then you die,” said Clinch.
The Jackets expressed the positives of the performance and their situation. Much is being made of them being a team of brothers, correcting mistakes and moving on to the next games, but at 1-12 in conference, it can be hard to remain hopeful. They cling to the possible spoiler role with North Carolina, Miami and Boston College remaining on the schedule, all desperately needing a win for various reasons. They also cling to a belief that despite the myriad of ways that they have lost games this season that the next win is still just around the corner. “We still got a chance. The ACC tournament; in this league anybody can win and anybody can lose on any given night. That’s how we look at it and that’s how we compete,” said Miller.
Crosskey can be reached at jcrosskey@scoreatl.com.
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