Brownell feels like he has a good base heading into next season

Brownell likes the pieces he has in place for next season.

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Thu Apr 20 13:32:06 GMT-04:00 2023

GREENWOOD – Clemson head coach Brad Brownell feels like his three returning starters give the Tigers a good base heading into next season.

Brownell and his coaches have been busy since the end of the season and have added two transfers. Clemson on Tuesday got a commitment from NC State transfer wing Jack Clark, who has since signed the necessary paperwork to join the Tigers in an official capacity.

Clark started 17 of the 23 games he played for the Wolfpack this past season, averaging nine points and 6.9 rebounds. Clark joins former Air Force guard Jake Heidbreder. The 6-5 Heidbreder, who projects to play off the ball, averaged 15.1 points while shooting 39.9% from 3-point range a season ago en route to third-team all-Mountain West honors. Unlike Clark, Heidbreder has multiple years of eligibility remaining but could possibly redshirt due to recovery for an injury.

“We're still working on our roster. I can't quite get into specifics just yet, but I feel like we're going to have some success,” Brownell told TigerNet Tuesday. “We just to need supplement some spots. Obviously, Brevin (Galloway) and Hunter Tyson were the two main guys and productive players so we want to add on to that a little bit. I think we've got some good pieces back. Chase (Hunter) and PJ (Hall), certainly, but also (Ian) Schieffelin is a guy who started, so that's three starters back and gives us a good base.”

Brownell said a healthier Hall and a more experienced Hunter make for a good start.

“I feel good about next year. Having PJ and Chase as your two primary players - a guard and a post player that are both all conference type players,” he said. “You have to have multiple good players to win at the highest level of our league. You can't just have one. You have to have two or three. Having those two guys back with experience, I think both of those guys will really grow. The leadership of Hunter Tyson this year was tremendous. I think that's the next big step for both PJ and Chase.

“The thing with PJ is I don't think he was ever 100-percent healthy until later in the season. The first two months he was not himself a lot. He and I had a lot of long conversations. He shed a few tears in my office, disappointed he wasn't playing well at times, wanting to do better, but I think what's happened is he's really grown from that. Already, in the three or four weeks we've been working out after the season, he's much better. He's much healthier, he's moving better.”

Hall can also fill the leadership void left with the departure of Tyson.

“Now, he looks around and there is no Hunter Tyson, so there's a void of leadership that he's got to fill and he's doing that,” Brownell said. “Chase is the next guy that took a big step as a player this year. I'd love to see him take another step like Hunter Tyson, but he's got to get much more vocal. Those guys both have talent. They're both very willing and able, and I think our young guys really respect them.”