What We Learned From Clemson's Clutch Overtime Win Over Georgia

The Clemson Tigers (6-1) rose to the occasion again Sunday afternoon, defeating another quality opponent in the Georgia Bulldogs en route to a Charleston Classic championship.

After a roller-coaster game that tested the Tigers’ mettle, here’s what we learned in the 97-94 overtime win.

Jestin Porter Proves His Worth

As Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said in his postgame speech after Friday’s win over West Virginia, “That’s why we’re playing so many guys. It’s going to be somebody’s night tomorrow.”

Part of the beauty of Clemson’s team-building is just that. During their seven games in non-conference play, the Tigers have had a different leading scorer in each. On Sunday, Porter was next in line. He poured in 18 points and nailed four of his nine three-pointers in the thrilling overtime win.

As the Tigers continue non-conference play, Porter has proved that he should remain a part of the starting lineup for the foreseeable future. His offensive potential and high defensive motor frustrated both West Virginia and Georgia over the weekend.

Zac Foster’s Highs and Lows

As a true freshman who might possess the most potential on Clemson’s roster, Foster showed fans the wide range of outcomes he provides at this point in his career.

In the first half, Georgia’s full-court ball pressure forced the Atlanta native into an ill-timed turnover. Foster was also whistled for a shooting foul on a three-point shooter, frustrating Brownell on the Tigers’ sideline.

After halftime, Foster showed more flashes of brilliance, scoring six points and grabbing a rebound. He remained on the bench over the final 9:23 of regulation and the entire overtime, but is still a critical piece to Clemson reaching its ceiling this season.

Butta Johnson’s Emergence

Faced with another crunch-time game, Brad Brownell turned to a lineup that hadn't seen the floor under game-deciding pressure.

Butta Johnson paid that decision off with a tremendous performance late in the second half and overtime. After playing just five minutes in the first half, he saw the court for 13 second-half minutes and the entire overtime period.

In that pressure-filled playing time, the senior from Huntsville, Ala., scored 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting and nailed all four of his free-throw attempts. Those makes at the charity stripe were crucial as Georgia attempted to wage a late comeback on the Tigers.

"He was outstanding,” Brownell said postgame when asked about Johnson’s impact. “I've kind of been waiting for him to play a little bit better. I just sensed that at this tournament it was going to be his turn….He's just a guy who's played a lot of big games. He’s played against high-level competition. He has a lot of experience. In this game, we wanted a third ball handler, and I think he did a great job of being that third ball handler [for us].”

Next up

With the Charleston Classic title in tow, the Tigers continue non-conference play on Friday against Alabama A&M. Tip-off between Clemson and the Bulldogs (3-1) is set for 7 p.m. at Littlejohn Coliseum. ACC Network Extra will televise the game, which will be the second all-time matchup between the two programs. Clemson won the first meeting 87-51 on Nov. 21, 2019.