Confident, unbeaten Tigers head into conference action at Pitt

PJ Hall and the Tigers head to Pitt for a game Sunday.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Sat Dec 02 12:00:10 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - Starting off the season 6-0, especially after taking down a ranked opponent like No. 23 Alabama, can give a team a lot of confidence. However, graduate guard Joseph Girard III, a recent Syracuse transfer, says the Tigers need to balance between being confident and cocky.

“There is a big difference between the two. You can get in trouble when you start being cocky, and I think that’s what coach (Brad Brownell) kind of trying to prepare us with right now, not to get complacent with where we’re at,” Girard III said. “But, at the same time, stay confident and know that we’re a pretty good team going into each and every game. But at any moment, you can lose. So, you got to stay level-headed but make sure you stay confident at the same time.”

Senior center PJ Hall has dealt with various injuries throughout his time at Clemson, but this season he is healthy and having the best season of his collegiate career, averaging 21.3 points per game, which ranks No. 19 in the FBS. Hall says the injuries are physically behind him and are now part of his story to get to where he is.

“It’s definitely behind me in the sense of physical well-being … It’s a great part of my story, my testimony. It’s a great wrinkle in the book, and just kind of adds to the stuff you have to go through. You can’t get these kinds of victories and stuff without having to go through these trials,” Hall said. “Going through that type of stuff for a year, year and a half for whatever it was from December sophomore year to all throughout last year, going through all that and being where I’m at now, it’s very cool to look back at.”

With Hunter Tyson departing for the NBA, there was a gap to fill with the talent around Hall. But, some young players are stepping up to the task. Junior forward Ian Schieffelin has made huge strides this season, particularly when it comes to rebounds. Against Alabama, Schieffelin had a season-high 14 total rebounds - 11 defensively and three offensively. That brought his season total to 48, the highest out of anyone on the team.

“(Schieffelin) and RJ have definitely gotten more confident in what they're doing. But Ian, he’s just, he found this little niche that he has, and it’s going and rebounding,” Hall said. “He typically has a little bit of a smaller guy on him, or somebody his size, and he’s so strong, he can overpower someone like that. So, he’s done a great job filling that role of taking on more rebounding, and he’s kind of filled that Hunter Tyson role of taking on more rebounds.”

Sophomore RJ Godfrey has also had a huge jump in confidence. Oftentimes as a freshman, the game can be a bit fast as you are adjusting from high school to college. This is something Godfrey seemed to experience before, but now, the game has slowed down for him. He averages 8.7 points per game, more than twice as much as last season. Further, his field goal percentage is up five percent from last season.

“He’s had a huge jump in confidence and development. He had a great summer, big summer for him to just kind of feel it out a little bit,” Godfrey said. “The game slowed down for him, and he’s going out there, and a confident RJ Godfrey is scary. He is so strong, so fast, he’s a man, just a grown man out there. So, that’s a huge addition for us.”

Clemson opens ACC play at Pittsburgh on Sunday at 2 p.m. (ACCN).