247Sports released its ACC basketball power rankings on Sunday, and Clemson is in the bottom half of the mix.
With the Tigers coming off a 17-16 season and an offseason filled with roster turnover, 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter ranked the Tigers at No. 9. Meanwhile, unsurprisingly, North Carolina and Duke took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, while Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech rounded out the list.
Here’s Trotter’s reasoning behind Clemson’s ranking and his prediction of the team’s starting five.
Projected starting lineup: G Brevin Galloway, G Chase Hunter, G Dillon Hunter, F Hunter Tyson, F PJ Hall
Hall and Tyson are two dependable, reliable pieces for Clemson. Hall averaged 15.5 points per game this past season, but even bigger things could be in store. The junior big man has everything it takes to be a superstar and a potential ACC Player of the Year contender. Clemson’s guard play will be the thing to really watch. They’ll play defense. They’ll get great production from hall and Tyson. But if Clemson’s unproven guards do not step up, the Tigers can’t compete with the ACC big dogs.
Clemson finished 10th in the ACC standings last season, so Trotter’s ranking can’t be judged. However, if the Tigers can remain healthy, the team has the talent to return to the NCAA Tournament.
Last season, Hall was in-and-out of the lineup with a foot injury that later required surgery, while Tyson suffered a broken collarbone that sidelined him for eight games.
Hall is the unquestioned offensive leader of the program and, as Trotter points out, has the potential to be one of the most productive players in the ACC. If Hall can stay on the court and carry the load for the Tigers, there’s a real chance of the team finishing in the top half of the ACC standings.
