Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin finally healthy at just the right time
No player on the 2024-25 Clemson basketball roster better embodies “Clemson Grit” than senior Ian Schieffelin. Certainly, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound Atlanta native is always willing to do whatever the game asks in order for his team to win.
However, for most of the season, his offensive productivity has been hit or miss as he’s dealt with some nagging injuries. In fact, in late January, head coach Brad Brownell shared that his team’s emotional leader had been struggling with back spasms and tightness.
That injury came after weeks of Schieffelin playing through a calf strain. Still, the forward has played in and started all 28 of his team’s games this season.
For the year, he’s averaging 12.9 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds. Those numbers are solid, but one has to wonder what he could do if he were fully healthy. Well, we might soon find out.
Ian Schieffelin poised to give Clemson even more firepower
In Wednesday’s 83-68 home win over Notre Dame, Schieffelin had one of his best performances of the season. He led the team with 24 points and nine rebounds, to go along with three assists and two steals in 32 minutes of action.
It was only the second time in the last 13 games that Schieffelin had posted 20 or more points. After the game, he said that one reason he played so well was that he is finally feeling healthy again.
“It’s been hard,” he said. “Some games I’ve been probably live 50%, 75%. I think right now I’m back to 100% and I think it’s great to be healthy now and it’s been a battle all year but being able to play, just give credit to Brad our trainer.”
If Schieffelin is truly back to 100%, then the Tigers are going to be a scary team to deal with in March. In fact, he could make them a Final Four contender.
When he was healthy to open the season, he averaged 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in the first seven games. Then, in game No. 9, in addition to scoring 11 points against No. 4 Kentucky, he pulled down a whopping 20 rebounds as the Tigers pulled off the home upset.
Since the start of the calendar year, though, he’s been a hit-or-miss proposition, at least as an offensive threat. Though he’s had ten double-figure scoring games in that time, he’s also had five games of eight points or fewer, and on many occasions, it has appeared that he has been laboring to get up and down the court due to his injuries.
Fortunately, he’s starting to heal up as February ends. In his last three games, he’s averaged 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
What’s more, in that span, he’s shot 6-8 (75%) from 3-point range. At times this year, his outside shot has failed him, likely because of the impact of his calf and back issues.
Now, though, he’s starting to give an already dangerous 3-point shooting team yet another outside threat. That extra offense could make the Tigers one of the most lethal teams in America in March.
We haven’t seen a fully healthy Schieffelin for months now, but that’s what we might get to experience in the final stretch of the regular season and into the postseason. And if that’s the case, this could be another March to remember in Clemson.
