Brad Brownell defends Clemson’s final play vs. NC State

Clemson hoops lost a heartbreaker at home Saturday vs. NC State as the Wolfpack converted on their final possession while the Tigers came up just short.

After three straight victories, Clemson fell in another tight contest at home that came down to the wire, and in some ways mirrored their loss a couple of weeks back against Virginia. Particularly, the final plays of the two games unfolded in very similar fashion, each time with Chase Hunter driving the ball up the court down by one, but ultimately, for an empty possession.

Against Virginia, Tony Bennett sent a double team and Hunter’s best option was to pass to a trailing Jack Clark for a somewhat-contested three that clanked off the back iron. Then, vs. NC State, Hunter steamrolled towards the hoops but just barely missed a layup where there was plenty of contact. Those are some tough ways to lose, but head coach Brad Brownell doesn’t regret those final plays.

In the postgame, Brownell answered that “no” he doesn’t wish he drew up something different, explaining why he was fine with it.

“If you go back and look at it, Chase (Hunter) is at the rim. Now, Chase should have dropped it off. Ian (Sieiffelin) is wide open on a drop off for a layup, but Chase made a great play. He got it in there with speed.”

Brownell even compared the sequence to the Virginia ending, noting that both final sequences did result in a decent look for Clemson, especially this time around. However, they just missed.

“(NC State) did not do as good a job as Virginia did in the same scenario, and so, he got around him and got to the rim, and they came over and contested it hard. It was a good defensive play. You know, obviously, you’re taking it to draw a foul, get to the rim, make a play. You know, everybody wants to do that against Virginia. They were upset that we shoot a wide open three. Now, we’re going to second-guess a guy going to the rim?”

So, the Tiger coach is willing to go down with that type of final play, even if Hunter could have made a pass to a more open shooter.

“Now, he could have dropped it off. I think Ian’s going to make a layup, we’re probably going to feel a lot better right now. But you know, Chase made some big time plays throughout the game, and so, you’re just putting the ball in a good player’s hand trying to put pressure on the defense and he certainly did that .He just didn’t make the final last play.

“The reason Ian was open, is his man came over to help and they didn’t rotate down. They were guarding Joe, and so, you know, if they do rotate down, Joe’s going to get a wide open three, so we have Chase just has to make the right read.”

There was one more question in the postgame regarding that last offensive possession as one reporter asked Brad Brownell to explain his decision not to call timeout and let his guys play out the final seconds vs. both Virginia and NC State.

“You’re trying to read the game, but the hardest thing any coach will tell you, that you know, if you get the ball out and there’s open space. That’s hard to guard,” he answered. “The defense isn’t set. There was even a little more space than Virginia and there was more time, and that that was a difference too.”

Two good looks with the game on the line in the pair of losses, but the shots just didn’t go down. Hard to swallow, but at least Clemson is going down fighting when they do lose.