Clemson men’s basketball star Joseph Girard III earned ACC Player of the Week after leading the Tigers to two pivotal ACC victories on the road.
Girard played well against both No. 3 North Carolina and Syracuse, his old team. Overall, he averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the two-game road sweep. The fifth-year guard shot 60% from beyond the arc, shot perfectly from the free throw line and 54.5% from the field.
In an upset over No. 3 North Carolina, the 6-foot-2 guard poured in 21 points, six rebounds and three assists for the Tigers. He hit five shots from behind the arc, one of which kickstarted a 7-0 run for Clemson and stretched the game out of reach for the Tar Heels late in the contest. Girard proved to be key in the success of the Tigers as they defeated Tar Heels 80-76.
In the next game, the graduate transfer returned to his last home court, where he had spent four years at Syracuse. Girard entered the dome just 18 points behind his 2,000th career point as well. With an impressive display of offensive firepower and defensive tenacity, he guided Clemson to a decisive win, further solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with in the ACC.
The New York native scored 18 points for the Tigers and reached his 2,000 career point at the free throw line. He shot 83.3% from the field, with four shots hitting behind the arc and sinking four free throws out of four attempts from the line. The Tigers defeated the Orange 77-68, allowing them to sweep on the road in ACC play last week.
It marks the first ACC Player of the Week honor throughout Girard’s career, who currently averages 15.1 points per game, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He is 13th in the league in scoring and first in the league in free throw percentage.
With the help of the standout, Clemson has been able to secure a 16-7 overall record, with a 6-6 record in the ACC.
Conference play for the Tigers is reaching its pinnacle, and you can catch the reigning ACC Player of the Week in action at Littlejohn Coliseum on Wednesday at 7 p.m. when Clemson takes on Miami.
