Hoops Insider: Brownell takes Tigers to Normandy beaches and cemetery

Brownell is taking his team to France next week for 10 days and three games.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Jul 29 15:16:11 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – There are 9,388 servicemembers who are buried in the American cemetery in Normandy, France, and Clemson head basketball coach Brad Brownell wants the members of his team to understand the significance of those white headstones.

The Tigers head to France next week and will play three exhibition games against French all-star teams over the course of about 10 days. The team will take part in a ton of sightseeing, including a trip to Paris and a trip to Normandy, where the D-Day Invasion occurred during World War II.

“I am excited to see the Eiffel Tower, but I am petrified of heights,” Brownell said. “I will not be going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, that is 100 percent assured. But I’ve never been to France, and I am looking forward to checking that box.

“Normandy is what I am actually looking forward to seeing. That is going to be unbelievable. I think that will be an incredible experience for all of us. It’s something we all need to do a little more historical background on. I am going to try and do that with our guys before we head out. We all need to appreciate those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.”

In Clemson’s four previous trips abroad, the Tigers came home and made the NCAA Tournament three of those times and made the Final Four of the NIT the other time.

"All the stuff that happens in hotel rooms, on planes, and messing around when they're out sightseeing together and messing around and doing different things, I think that's all really good," mused Brownell. "We need to get to know each other really well, really fast because teams that really care about each other that's going to be part of our secret sauce."

*Big man PJ Hall had successful knee surgery and will go to France with the team, but Brownell doesn’t have a timeline for Hall’s return to the court, saying he has no idea if Hall will be ready by the season opener.

“He was guarding the ball, but it wasn’t like a contact situation,” Brownell said. “He just kind of went down. It was kind of a controlled drill, if you want to call it that. There’s hope (for the season opener), but I don’t know how realistic it is. I think it’s way too early to get into all that speculation. I think that’s for trainers, doctors, PJ, and how well he responds to everything. There’s hope it could be the first game, but it could not be until December. I don’t know when it will be. We’re not really worrying about that right now.

"It is really disappointing. Your heart feels for him. The mental aspect of it is just as much as the physical. The next few weeks will be hard for him. As he starts to gain ground, his confidence will come back. His spirit will come back a little bit, but it's been hard here the last month."

*Counting redshirt freshman Josh Beadle, the Tigers will have five freshmen on the court in France with Dillon Hunter (Chase Hunter’s brother), RJ Godfrey, Chauncey Wiggins, and Chauncey Gibson.

In the practice we were able to watch, Godfrey (6-7, 235) showed ballhandling skills (Brownell smiled and called him a point forward), Wiggins showed a deft touch and nice moves in the front court, and Gibson showed he has length and an improving outside shot, and Hunter, who played stiff competition in high school, looks like he can handle the point if needed.

“I really like our freshmen class," Brownell said. "I think they're physically probably more ready than most that we've had here. I think they're going to be really good. It'll take time. They've got a lot to learn. I worry about us being a little too young and a little too nice. There's a competitive fight that you've got to have the win. We're going to have to grow that part of it up."

Godfrey and Wiggins both have size and length but bring a different athleticism to their game.

“They're both good players but very different. RJ is very physical and competitive in the paint and the rim," Brownell said. "Chauncey still has to get better in that area, but he's a skilled guy that can make shots and dribble and pass."

Junior Chase Hunter has the inside track to play the point, but Dillon could make things interesting.

"I don't want to just give the job to somebody," stated Brownell. "Is it Chase and he's the guy while his brother backs him up and Josh figures some other things out? Is it Dillon becomes good enough that he plays 25 minutes or 22 or whatever it is and Chase plays with him? I don't know. I think it'll vary and it may vary game-to-game."

Beadle has been making plays every day in practice.

“Josh needed to grow up a little bit maturity-wise. Basketball, off the court, just getting away and understanding how important some things are," Brownell said. “He's talented, he can get to different places on the court, he can penetrate, his shooting is improving, he can play the point a little bit or play the off guard. Josh is a happy-go-lucky kid and confident player who just seems to make baskets."

Clemson leaves on August 3rd and will return on August 13th.