Sweet 16 run leaves Clemson basketball hungry for more success
Clemson is proud of what it accomplished in the 2017-18 season after making the Sweet 16 for the first time in 21 years, tying a program record with 25 wins and finishing tied for third in the ACC.
But that doesn’t mean the Tigers are ready to start celebrating a season that ended with an 80-76 loss to Kansas on Friday night in Omaha, Neb.
Getting a taste of March Madness and coming within two wins of reaching its first Final Four has Clemson hungry entering the offseason.
The Tigers will be without Gabe DeVoe’s scoring ability, Donte Grantham’s leadership and versatility and Mark Donnal’s big-man presence off the bench next season. But DeVoe is the only starter from the second half of the year Clemson will lose, unless there are unexpected departures with transfers or players turning pro in the next couple of months.
“You always want more. Nobody in this locker room is satisfied,” Clemson junior Elijah Thomas said. “Everybody knows how it feels to lose. We feel like we could’ve won the whole entire tournament, and that’s our goal going into the offseason.”
The fifth-seeded Tigers were a popular pick to be upset in the first round of the tournament by New Mexico State, but Clemson won by double digits.
The Tigers then blew out Auburn by 31 points before falling to the Jayhawks on Friday.
Tigers players were asked leading up to the game with Kansas if they felt like they were a Cinderella team. Thomas made it clear following the Sweet 16 loss that Clemson did not view itself as an underdog.
“We’re not no Cinderella team. A lot of people had us for a Cinderella team. We’re not a Cinderella team. We’re a team that’s proven in our league, proven around the country. We wanted to win this entire tournament, and that was our goal,” Thomas said.
“I planned on winning the entire championship … and I’m pretty sure every man in this locker room feels the same way. Nobody’s satisfied with getting this far … To the group of guys that are coming back, we’ve just got to improve and get better and get back to this situation and capitalize.”
The returning group includes point guard Shelton Mitchell, leading scorer Marcquise Reed, freshman forward Aamir Simms, junior forward David Skara and Thomas.
Reed and Thomas started every game this season, while Simms and Skara split time in the starting lineup after Grantham was lost to an ACL injury in January. Mitchell started every game other than three he missed with injuries.
“I think we are experienced. I think this is good for everyone, making it to the Sweet 16. I think this shows how far our hard work can take us,” Mitchell said. “Everyone improved and got experience. That was huge.”
While the returning players feel good about what Clemson can accomplish next year, DeVoe and Grantham are wrestling with mixed emotions.
“I wanted to win tonight. We made it to the Sweet 16, cool. But I was wanting more. It’s frustrating. It’s not like I’m happy we got to this point. I really wanted to keep winning,” DeVoe said. “It hurts now, but I feel like, maybe even tonight or a few weeks from now, we’ll look back and feel how special this was for us. I’m going to really miss this team. It’s a special group of guys.”
Grantham, who was forced to watch from the sidelines for the second half of the year, continued to lead the Tigers after going down with an injury. He believes the returning players have the right mindset to have another strong season under Brad Brownell in 2018-19.
“They made it so easy for guys like Gabe and me to lead the team. They were great teammates. I’m unbelievably proud of them,” Grantham said. “They kept fighting and kept battling. I’m excited to see the development of them next year and in the years after that.”
DeVoe echoed his fellow senior’s comments and added that future expectations around Clemson basketball should be higher. The Tigers were picked to finish 13th in the ACC this season.
“I think it bumps it up a little bit, gives some fans some new excitement going forward with the program, leaving a blueprint and a standard for the guys in the locker room coming back,” DeVoe said. “Just giving them motivation. I hope this hurts so they’ll get back here next year.”
This story was originally published March 24, 2018 at 8:43 PM with the headline "Sweet 16 run leaves Clemson basketball hungry for more success."