PJ Hall says it’s “time to flip the script” after another tough loss

PJ Hall has made one of his last 12 3-point attempts.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Sun Feb 04 07:00:02 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON - Pure devastation. That was the look on the faces of the Tigers Saturday after falling to Virginia, 66-65, following a missed three-pointer right at the buzzer from graduate guard Jack Clark.

After a strong start to its season, things have turned quickly for Clemson, who has now lost three of its last five ACC games, all by three points or less. The loss against the Cavaliers marks the Tigers' sixth conference loss in ten league games.

“When you’re not making shots and you’re not getting any energy, you don’t make shots, the crowd doesn’t help you as much, it becomes hard,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “I thought our guys just kept fighting, and we’d finally make a couple in a row, and then Virginia (would) answer, and then we’d have another drought, and they’d build a little lead, and we’d battle back.”

Coming off a 70-64 victory against Louisville this past Tuesday, Clemson was attempting to get their first back-to-back victories since the end of December. While Virginia led most of the time, the Tigers tied the game with under seven minutes left following a three-pointer from graduate guard Joseph Girard III, who had four successful threes in this game. It didn’t work out for him to get the last shot, however, but if the Tigers could gain some momentum, maybe these plays would start to work in their favor.

“We can’t win back-to-back games to really get the momentum back on our side all the way,” Brownell said. “Obviously, the way we’ve lost, we’ve lost three games - one in double overtime and two in the last second - that’s the emotional drain. I’ve talked about it, it’s real. It’s hard.”

With 3:34 left in the game, senior center PJ Hall had the chance to tie the game up once again with a free throw but missed. That miss ultimately made a difference in the game, but Hall and the rest of the Tigers will keep grinding.

“It’s a tough loss. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple games in terms of games we could have won or should have won,” Hall said. “But, at this point in the season, it’s time to bear down. Coach said, ‘Just keep chopping wood.’ I mean, there’s no reason to give in. As much as we work every day, as much as we care about this team in this season, it’s bound to happen. It’s going to flip.”

The difference between the beginning of the season and now is quite perplexing. After thrilling victories against teams such as Alabama and TCU, both currently ranked, the Tigers continue to struggle shooting, particularly with their three-pointers. Excluding Girard III, Clemson was three out of 14 on its three-point attempts Saturday, including five misses from Hall.

“We got so many guys that can shoot the ball, and I mean, it’s just – just not falling. I mean, I missed (five) from three tonight,” Hall said. “But, every single one is dead straight off the back of the rim, the exact miss you want. They feel like they’re going to rip the next off every single time off my fingers. Just not falling.”

Their schedule does not get any easier, taking on No. 3 North Carolina in Chapel Hill this coming Tuesday (7 p.m./ESPN). The Tigers lost to the Tar Heels earlier in the season at home, 65-55; the 55 points they put up in that game is still their lowest number of points in a game so far this season.

“We’ll take a win where we can get it right now,” Hall said. “We just want to go out there and play, and after a tough loss like this, we’re going to be ready. It’s about time to flip the script.”