CLEMSON BASKETBALL

Commentary: Shyatt's Team Making Small Strides

Commentary: Shyatt's Team Making Small Strides


by - Correspondent -

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Sometimes giving a supreme effort isn't enough. Even in

the best of circumstances, playing hard for 40 minutes usually can't overcome

a talent deficiency.

Welcome to Larry Shyatt's personal hell.

Though the Tigers are visibly making strides — albeit small ones — in the

right direction, Shyatt's team still doesn't have enough weapons to

consistently contend with the upper echelon of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Witness Sunday's 71-63 loss at Wake Forest.

The Tigers gave perhaps their best effort of the season, pushing the No. 10

Demon Deacons to the limit before running out of gas at the end. Wake, which

at one stage of the second half led by 15, found themselves reeling after a

late flurry by Will Solomon and a 3-pointer by Dwon Clifton had the Tigers

within 66-61 with 2:33 remaining.

Looking into the eyes of the Deacons' players as Clemson rallied, it was easy

to read their thoughts. Wake Forest kept waiting for the Tigers to crumble

under the pressure, much as they had done at Duke and North Carolina in

previous ACC road games.

When Clemson didn't, the Deacons found themselves in the precarious position

of trying not to come from ahead to lose.

But in the end, Clemson simply couldn't muster enough offense. Solomon

finished with a game-high 30, and almost single-handedly shot Clemson back

into contention inside the final six minutes.

But beyond that it was frighteningly like 1999-2000 all over again. Edward

Scott was the only other Tiger to reach double figures, finishing with 10

points despite 3-of-8 shooting and five turnovers. Tony Stockman, who had

eight in the first half, finished with the same number.

Clifton's 3-pointer, though huge in timing, was his only basket.

Adam Allenspach, the 7-foot-1 senior center, was in street clothes for the

second time in three games as he continues to struggle with a bad back. And

Clemson's other big men — Ray Henderson, Chris Hobbs and, off the bench,

Tomas Nagys and Dustin Braddick — combined for just 12 points in 80 minutes

between them.

Therein lies the biggest challenge facing the Tigers. Until the post players

begin to carry a significantly higher portion of the scoring load, Solomon is

going to be hounded as he was a year ago while freshmen Stockman and Clifton

continue to experience growing pains.

But when your "bigs," as Shyatt calls them, are below average size by ACC

standards, a team like Clemson goes into every game trying working at a

sizable disadvantage.

No one will ever accuse Shyatt's Tigers of quitting. They play hard start to

finish, they dive after loose balls, they fight, scratch and claw for every

point and rebound.

And help is on the horizon. Shyatt's incoming recruiting class, ranked 11th

nationally, brings with it 6-9 and 6-10 help in the post.

But given the nature of the business end of college basketball, not to

mention a rumored itchy trigger finger by Clemson's administration, one is

safe in assuming the future of Clemson basketball had better arrive in a

hurry.

Otherwise, Shyatt will be another addition to the trash heap of former

Clemson basketball coaches.

And that truly would be a shame.

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