Clemson Basketball Seniors Reflect on Final Home Game While Postseason Awaits

In Clemson’s 79-76 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday, RJ Godfrey, Jestin Porter, Butta Johnson, Nick Davidson and Dillon Hunter all competed in their last ever regular season game.

With a bid to the NCAA Tournament secured, the Tigers will soon face a win-or-go-home game as March gets underway, a moment that will likely carry extra sentiment for Clemson’s seniors.

Dillon Hunter is the only senior in his fourth season as a Tiger. RJ Godfrey is in his third year under Brad Brownell after spending his junior season at Georgia, while Johnson, Porter and Davidson are each wrapping up one-and-done seasons at Clemson after transferring last offseason.

For Porter, adjusting to life at Clemson wasn’t too hard, especially with moments early on that quickly built team chemistry.

“My favorite moment was when we was in Charleston. That's when we came together and we figured out like how good we can be,” Porter said.

Played in mid-November, Clemson won the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic, and Porter was named MVP. The run featured a win over West Virginia and a 97-94 overtime win over Georgia in the final.

As an obvious high point in a strong season, the Charleston trip stands out because of the success found there. But as Hunter sees it, the moments of struggle have been more defining than those of triumph.

“We have ups and downs as a team, so just realizing we have a rocket up, but then just staying sane as a team,” Hunter said, specifically citing the win over No. 24 Louisville that recentered and got the Tigers back on track.

Ending a four-game losing streak, Clemson’s win over Louisville ended up being pivotal to Clemson’s early admission into the NCAA Tournament. With that weight lifted off its chest, Clemson has their eyes set on first performing in this week’s ACC Tournament, before the focus shifts to the Big Dance.

“With the season winding down, you know, the lights get brighter, games get bigger. I feel like this is what I prepared for my whole life. I just feel like that's what we prepared for as a team,” Johnson said.

But when it comes to tournament experience, Clemson doesn’t exactly have a surplus. Only Hunter and Godfrey have played in the postseason for Brownell, with both players featuring in Clemson’s Sweet 16 win over No. 2 Arizona that propelled Clemson to its first Elite Eight since 1980.

But last year, Clemson was upset in the first round by McNeese despite entering as a No. 5 seed with high expectations. Of Clemson’s current roster, only Hunter saw that disappointment, although he did not play in the game.

That game, along with 129 others, makes Hunter Clemson’s eight all-time leader in games played. His brother, Chase Hunter, is in first place with 167.

“Yeah, it means a lot, like just basically how much like we mean to Clemson. It shows how much we care about winning, like bringing a winning culture to Clemson,” Hunter said.

In their final game at Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson’s 2026 senior class took a moment to thank the fans who had supported them throughout their time with the program. Every chant, clap, cheer or boo has helped keep Clemson basketball going, something Godfrey often looks for when the team’s energy is running low.

“These fans, they elevate your game and when the fans are, when they're rocking, it definitely kind of helps us, you know, elevate our game,” Godfrey said.

While Clemson’s five seniors now have more in the rearview mirror than in the front, the opportunity to tie a beautiful bow on a strong final season still awaits. For the sake of the seniors who have faithfully represented Clemson basketball, let's all hope that the biggest and best is still to come.