If Clemson is going to win its first-ever ACC Championship, it will have to do so without a key player.
Dillon Hunter will miss the rest of the postseason after suffering a broken hand in the Tigers’ 57-54 win over SMU in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament Thursday night in the Spectrum Center.
Hunter has been invaluable since being inserted into the starting lineup after a triple overtime loss at home to Georgia Tech on February 4. The junior guard has started all nine games since that defeat, with the Tigers winning each of those games.
“Obviously, it’s a little bit of an emotional letdown for your team when the guy’s been playing so hard,” head coach Brad Brownell said. “You get to this time of year, the time of year you want to play, and it goes sideways.”
Hunter is only averaging 5.4 points per game, but seeing as he’s arguably the best ball-handler on the team there are other areas where he will really be missed. Hunter has just 13 turnovers all season while averaging 22.6 minutes per game. That is less than half a turnover per contest.
Then, there is what he does on the defensive end of the court. That part of his game might be the most difficult to replace.
“Dillon is like the ultimate glue guy for us,” Brownell said. “He’s got an unbelievable assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s an unbelievable defender, ball on and off the field, facilitator, and he doesn’t need to score. He’ll shoot an open shot. And he’s experienced. I should say that, too.”
With Hunter unavailable, the Tigers will need some other guys to step up and fill that void. Most notably, Jake Heidbreder and Del Jones.
Jones is a freshman who has really flashed during his first season in the program. He’s averaging more than 11 minutes per contest. However, he is still learning the game. Heidbreder has more experience but is more of a three-point specialist.
“It’s a little harder,” Brownell said. “Obviously, Del Jones is a freshman. He’s going to get a few more minutes, and he’s kind of a jitterbug guard that’s learning how to play. He gives you great energy. And then Jake Heidbreder, who’s a little bit more of a three-point shooter, but they don’t play like Dillon. So it’s different.”
With Clemson now set to face off against second-seeded Louisville in the semifinals, Brownell will likely once again turn to Chauncey Wiggins to take Hunter’s place in the starting lineup. The junior forward does have 24 starts under his belt this season but has been coming off the bench since that loss to the Yellow Jackets.
With Hunter sidelined, how Wiggins performs in his absence will go a long way towards deciding how deep of a postseason run this Clemson team makes.
One thing is certain. The Tigers need more than they got from Wiggins in the win over SMU. He finished 0-for-3 from the field and pulled down just one rebound.
“It’s something we’re going to have to adjust going forward,” Brownell said. “Certainly, it’ll be a great opportunity for those other guys on our team.”
