Clemson’s Warrior has Battled to Stay on the Floor
Through his four seasons at Clemson, the forward has played in 128 games, several of which while dealing with an injury, and notched 829 rebounds, averaging 9.4 per game in his last two seasons.
Additionally, Schieffelin has scored 1,004 career points, surpassing the 1,000-point milestone in Wednesday’s win over Notre Dame.
Schieffelin is undoubtedly a key contributor for the Tigers, but according to Clemson head coach Brad Brownell, his biggest impact extends beyond statistics. Instead, his numbers reflect his relentless, unyielding style of play that defines him as a player.
Whether it’s scrambling for a loose ball, battling a taller defender for a rebound, or sacrificing his shot for an assist, Schieffelin is always ready to help his team in any way necessary, no matter the pain he’s enduring.
“He’s a warrior,” Brownell said. “He wants to compete, he wants to win. He knows this is a senior year, he’s trying to have a special year… and he’s just a guy that guys like, and they like to play with him because they respect how hard he plays and the fact that he does play when he doesn’t feel 100 percent.”
Because of his significant contributions in rebounding, hustle plays, and scoring, Brownell and the Tigers cannot afford to have last year’s ACC Most Improved Player on the bench.
To avoid missing any time, the Atlanta native has spent much of this season in the training room. For up to four hours a day, Schieffelin repeats exercises to help his body heal in the short time between games, often skipping practice to focus on recovery. Due to his injuries, Brownell believes the training room is sometimes the “better place” for Schieffelin to be.
This routine has been a “battle” for the veteran but one worth fighting.
“Coming in for treatment for four hours, it’s not fun,” Schieffelin said. “It does build some toughness. The longevity of a season’s hard to stay healthy. I’m really glad I haven’t missed any games.”
The countless hours of treatment, pain, and heating pads have paid off. Against Notre Dame, Schieffelin posted a career-high 24 points, along with nine rebounds and three assists. Though he shared that he’s played some games while feeling 50 or 75 percent healthy, the “Chef,” as Clemson students call him, is now back to full strength, and it was evident in his performance against the Fighting Irish.
Schieffelin’s dedication to staying on the court has not gone unnoticed by his teammates. Following Wednesday’s win, Jake Heidbreder, who also recorded a career-high 14 points, discussed the example Schieffelin sets for the team.
“I think our whole team sees what he does for our team in general, coming in getting extra treatment in, getting extra work in even though he’s hurting every game,” the Air Force transfer said.
“You see what he does out there, so you can imagine he’s hurting pretty bad, so seeing that motivates all of us.”
In Heidbreder’s words, Brownell can add “motivator” to the list of intangibles Schieffelin brings to the table.
