ESPN analyst Jay Bilas on Clemson being ‘undervalued and underrated’
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas admits he has undervalued Clemson men’s basketball, acknowledging Brad Brownell’s squad as a team to watch in the ACC Tournament and beyond.
The Tigers are in the midst of a historic season and can secure their 17th ACC win Wednesday night at Boston College. With some help, they could still earn a top seed in next week’s ACC Tournament in Charlotte. This success builds on last year’s Elite Eight run and includes marquee victories over traditional powerhouses like Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
“I think Clemson is undervalued and underrated. Undervalued by me, frankly,” Bilas said in a social media clip Tuesday. “They’ve got Chase Hunter in the backcourt, who’s having a great year, Jaeden Zackery transferred in from Boston College, still they have Ian Schieffelin, who is one of the best offensive rebounders and rebounders in the country period.”
Bilas believes the Tigers have what it takes to challenge Duke again in the ACC Tournament. “They’re the one team that I think could take Duke — and they’ve already done it,” he said. Currently, Clemson is projected as a No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, meaning a rematch with Duke wouldn’t come until the championship game. The Tigers have never won an ACC Tournament title, but they appear to be peaking at the right time.
