Georgia Tech Upsets Clemson in Triple Overtime

Chase Hunter shoots for two in a game against Stanford earlier this season. Photo By: Charles Mays / Tiger View Media

Georgia Tech improves to 11-12 overall on the season and 5-7 within the ACC, as Clemson falls to 18-5 overall and 10-2 in ACC play. The Yellow Jackets were able to force overtime on a floater from Duncan Powell and ultimately came out on top in triple overtime. Naithan George had 28 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while Duncan Powell had 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Chase Hunter and Ian Schieffelin both led the way for the Tigers with 28 and 23 each, but it wasn't enough to take down the Yellow Jackets. Brad Brownell and Clemson will hope that this loss can fuel them to victory over 2nd-ranked Duke on Saturday night. 

Georgia Tech got off to a good start in this one after two threes from Naithan George and Javian McCollum gave them a quick 8-3 lead. The Tigers also struggled out of the gates in their previous game against NC State, which is something Brad Brownell should keep an eye on. But Georgia Tech's fast start would end quickly after Viktor Lakhin and Chauncey Wiggins teamed up for two threes to give the Tigers a one-point lead heading into the under-16 timeout. Neither team was able to find their shooting stroke out of the timeout until Chase Hunter buried a deep three to put the Tigers up by four. Meanwhile, Chauncey Wiggins continued to show why he is the X-factor for this Clemson team, as his three-pointer gave him eight points in a little over eight minutes. Clemson tried to pull away midway through the first half, but Naithan George wouldn't let them, scoring 13 points in just 10 minutes of action. In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Tigers were able to dominate the glass with six offensive rebounds to Georgia Tech's two. The Tigers struggled mightily on the boards on Saturday in Raleigh. Just before the under-eight timeout, Viktor Lakhin was able to continue his dominant season on the defensive side of the ball with a block that turned into a transition three for Jake Heidbreder to put the Tigers up by five. Lakhin averages 1.6 blocks and one steal per game for Clemson. The Yellow Jackets continued to cause problems for the Tigers as a Duncan Powell deep ball and an Ibrahim Souare layup gave Georgia Tech a one-point lead at the under-four timeout. Out of the timeout, Naithan George continued to cook with his 16th point of the night to put the Yellow Jackets up by four. But Chase Hunter continued to do All-ACC things with his second three-pointer of the night to give the Tigers the lead right back. The Tigers were able to take a 34-33 lead into the locker room, but Brad Brownell surely wanted more from his defense after allowing Georgia Tech to make half of their shots in the first period. 

Clemson started the second half off exactly how they needed to. Viktor Lakhin's block led to a Chase Hunter mid-range jumper to get Littlejohn rocking. Neither team could keep their hands off each other to start the half out as the two teams combined for six fouls in just three minutes of gameplay, a stark contrast to the first half. Just before the under-sixteen timeout, the Yellow Jackets took the lead back after an and-one from Duncan Powell to put Tech up 41-40. After dominating the offensive boards in the first half, the Tigers let the Yellow Jackets start to find their groove on the glass with five second-half offensive rebounds. Chase Hunter got the Littlejohn crowd right back in it after his two deep balls forced Damon Stoudamire to call timeout with the Tigers up by three. Clemson's defense settled down in the second half, allowing just six made field goals on 20 shots at the under-eight timeout, but the Tiger offense was struggling to score as well, with just five made field goals on 19 shots. Out of the timeout, Baye Ndongo finished the alley-oop from Naithan George to put the Yellow Jackets up by two. Ian Schieffelin and Jake Heidbreder would get Littlejohn rocking again and force Damon Stoudamire to call time after their deep balls put the Tigers back in front by five. Out of the under-four timeout, the Tigers continued to play relentless defense as Jake Heidbreder's steal led to Chauncey Wiggins's free throws to put the Tigers up by six. Duncan Powell's three-pointer and buzzer-beating floater were able to keep the Yellow Jackets alive and force overtime at 64 points apiece. Neither team could miss to start overtime, with both teams trading baskets for the first two minutes of the extra period to keep the score tied at 68. Naithan George continued to torture the Tigers as he gave the Yellow Jackets a two-point lead with a little under 3 minutes to go. After both teams could not score for almost three minutes, this game headed for a second overtime. As the great Jon Rothstein would say, "GRAB YOUR NITROGLYCERIN PILLS." Duncan Powell and Jaeden Zackery would go 1/2 from the free-throw line to keep this one tied at 71 apiece two minutes in. Clemson and Georgia Tech would continue to trade baskets with one another as the game was tied at 75 with one minute to go. Chase Hunter would miss a potential buzzer-beater which meant a third overtime at Littlejohn Coliseum. Chauncey Wiggins would hit a huge three-pointer to tie the game up at 80 with more than three minutes to go. But Lance Terry would follow that with a deep ball of his own to put the Yellow Jackets back up by three. Baye Ndongo hit his two free throws with 3.5 seconds left to give Georgia Tech an 89-86 win over the Clemson Tigers. It was a tough loss for Clemson as they had a lead late in the second half and multiple leads throughout the three overtimes. The Tigers play next against 2nd-ranked Duke on Saturday at 6:00 PM.