Cade Klubnik
CLEMSON — There was nothing in front of Florida State’s Daquan Davis but the basket. Only the freshman hadn’t played enough games in Littlejohn Coliseum to know what might be lurking behind him.
Anyone who has watched Clemson guard Chase Hunter over six years knows he doesn’t allow transition layups to fall in the hoop that easily.
“It’s something I’ve done since high school, just wanting to go challenge somebody at the rim,” Hunter said after a 77-57 win on Jan. 11 over the Seminoles. “I think it just comes from that competitive nature inside of me.”
In Hunter’s 150th career game at Clemson, he did the things he does.
Hunter chased down Davis and swatted his layup against the backboard. Then he went the other way and cooly darted a pass to Jaeden Zackery for a corner 3.
The 6-foot-4 senior just as calmly hoisted from beyond the arc all afternoon, nailing 5-of-9 from 3-point range on his way to a game-high 25 points.
There was nothing extraordinary about this, because Hunter dazzled in this way during the Tigers’ run to the Elite Eight in 2024. It was expected, when he returned for a sixth season, he would be Clemson’s main bucket-getter.
But it’s the consistency in which Hunter has done Hunter-like things that has steadied the Tigers (13-4, 5-1 ACC) in the program’s post-PJ Hall and Joe Girard III season. And that consistency is truly different.
Hunter, who averaged 12.9 points per game last season, shot above 50 percent from the field 17 times but also dipped below 40 percent on 13 occasions.
This year, Hunter’s average is 17.6 points per contest, and he’s made more than 50 percent of his shots 10 times and dipped below 40 percent just four.
hment in the context of Hunter’s career.
Hunter very much wasn’t himself in his first couple of seasons at Clemson, losing all confidence as he struggled with injuries. A four-star recruit who was known for highlight-reel dunks at Westlake High in Atlanta didn’t touch the rim for a slam until a game at Duke in his third season.
In the next three years, Hunter has matured from a player who offered occasional brilliance to the steadiest of contributors.
He isn’t just distinguishing himself as Clemson’s best guard. He’s putting himself in the conversation as a first-team All-ACC performer.
“He’s had some ups and downs, and he’s grown as a result of the challenges he’s had to go through,” FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “He’s probably one of the better guards in the league now.”
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