2020-21 CLEMSON BASKETBALL CLIPS FILE FEATURE CLIPS What Aamir Simms’ return means for Simms and Hall can space the floor for one an- Trapp. Among players who appeared in at least 20 Clemson men’s basketball team other and team up in the paint to bully opposing games, the team also returns four of its top five defenders. rebounders, starting with Simms and extending It’ll be interesting to see how Brownell deploys to Newman, Trapp and junior forward Hunter BY JOSH NEEDELMAN, POST AND COURIER Simms as a senior. The addition of Hall — and the Tyson. If the Tigers can stay healthy, improve their JUNE 19, 2020 continued development of Newman and Dawes, shooting and put the pieces together, a NCAA CLEMSON — Aamir Simms is coming back. who both showed flashes of brilliance down the Tournament bid for a team that has struggled with The forward opted to pull his name from the stretch — means Simms should have options to consistency is feasible. NBA draft portal and return to Clemson for his play with as a ball-handler. “Last year was completely different because final season of eligibility in a decision that elicited But Simms might want to use the campaign we (had) seven new players and we (had) four excitement from fans. primarily to show scouts what he can do on the senior starters all graduating, and to be honest In a 2019-20 campaign characterized by defensive end. with you, it was like starting over in a lot of ways,” peaks and valleys — Clemson finished 16-15 but Last week, during an appearance on the ACC Brownell says. “This year, it’s not. I really like our secured three wins over top-six teams — Simms Network’s Packer and Durham, he said NBA team. I think we have probably more good players was a steadying presence: He led the team in teams were impressed with his offensive ability than we’ve had in a while.” points per game (13), rebounds (7.2), assists but wanted to see more from him on the other The big question (2.6) and blocks (.8). side of the ball. The injury bug hurt Clemson last season, so In an effort to better understand Simms’ “They know how versatile I am on offense, much so that it’s now the most important factor on-court production — and what his return will playing on the perimeter, the post, the mid- behind consistent success in 2020-21: Can the mean for Clemson next season — The Post and range,” he said. “They just kind of want to see Tigers stay healthy? Courier referenced basketball analytics database me do a little bit more on defense. When I get Though Trapp played in 21 of 31 games last KenPom.com. switched onto a guard, stay in front of him a little season, he tore his ACL last summer and was The findings reveal a portrait of a player may- bit longer. You know, protect the rim a little bit never 100 percent when he returned to the court be more valuable to the program then previously more and guard the post a little bit better.” about six months later. Bender says it’s possible understood. Trapp’s role in 2019-20 as a facilitator first and Simms, for example, led Clemson in posses- Two keys to Clemson’s success: a scorer second could have been because he did sion usage (24.1 percent) in 2019-20. For com- not fully trust his knee for explosion around the parison’s sake, the national leader in possession Improved health and better shooting basket. Trapp got out of his brace last week, and usage, Marquette point guard Markus Howard, Brownell expects him to be 100 percent by the registered 37.4 percent. But the 5-foot-11 How- BY GRACE RAYNOR, THE ATHLETIC start of the season. ard is a more traditional player for an offense to be JULY 30, 2020 Then there’s senior forward Jonathan Baehre, built around. CLEMSON, S.C. — In any other offseason, the who suffered two ACL tears in an eight-month Simms, at 6-9 and 240 pounds, played more project that Brad Brownell’s Clemson staff under- span. The first came in May 2019, just after of a point-forward role for Clemson, and the took over the course of these last several months Baehre had completed his sit-out requirement as Tigers’ offense often revolved around him in the most likely would have been impossible. Regular a transfer from UNC Asheville. He was diag- absence of a more experienced high usage point workouts would have taken priority, recruiting nosed with another ACL tear in the same knee in guard. would have put coaches on the road and the jug- January, capping his number of games played last Simms also led the Tigers in effective field gling act that is coaching at the ACC level would season at two. goal percentage (53.2 percent) among players have certainly been in full swing. “It’ll be close,” Brownell says. “I don’t know if who averaged more than 14 minutes per game; But COVID-19 forced the sports world to take he’ll be ready right at the beginning of the season. effective field goal percentage adjusts for the fact a step back and look at things differently this It may take another month or so to get him all the that 3-pointers account for three points while field offseason. The Clemson basketball team was no way.” goals count for two points; traditional field goal exception, so Brownell and his assistants buried Newman had his knee scoped during the percentage does not. themselves in a massive film project. offseason and sophomore guard Chase Hunter Behind Simms in that category was guard/ “We watched every shot of the whole season,” was limited to nine games and four starts last forward Tevin Mack at 52.1 percent. Mack, who assistant coach Dick Bender says. “It’s rolling — season because of a foot injury. Both should be has expended all of his college eligibility, was also every shot (of) every game.” ready by the start of the season, a promising sign second in possession usage (22.4 percent). His Clemson attempted 1,717 field goals in for Brownell. departure creates a hole in a Tigers offense that 2019-20, and the staff analyzed every last one of “Against some of the better teams in our already battled inconsistency last season. them. The idea was to chart the shots, picking up league, I don’t know if we have as many great That could mean even more responsibility for on any trends that could equip returning players players. But we have a lot of good players, I think,” Simms, who also led Clemson in offensive rating with more detailed data. For example, one of the Brownell says. “I just think being healthy for depth (107.2 percent), which measures a player’s things Bender says the staff noticed was that — and us improving our shooting to be more efficiency by dividing points produced by posses- although senior forward Aamir Simms shot 40 consistent scoring — are probably two things that sions used. percent from beyond the arc last season, he made are really important for our team.” Mack’s departure could also mean more just 28 percent of his 3-point attempts when he important roles for guards junior John Newman III set a screen, then popped back out for the shot. Roster analysis and sophomore Al-Amir Dawes. Now that Simms knows shooting on the move is a Guards Coach Brad Brownell’s most frequently used priority, he can focus on that in practice. The Tigers return their backcourt duo in Al- lineup over Clemson’s last five games featured Combine such data with Brownell believing Amir Dawes, the point guard, and Clyde Trapp, a Dawes at point guard, Clyde Trapp at shooting this is one of his deeper teams in recent memory, senior whom Bender thinks will play off the ball guard, Newman at small forward, Mack at power and the Tigers have a clear path to take a step more in an effort to make him a more assertive forward and Simms at center. forward from their 16-15 record of last year. scorer. In 31 games with 26 starts last season, With 7-footer Trey Jemison transferring to The players have to do their part, though. Dawes averaged 9.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 Alabama-Birmingham, incoming 6-10 freshman “We tried to break it down, that detailed, to assists per game. Trapp averaged 6.0 points, 3.9 P.J. Hall might be the most logical choice to slide give them some direction, and I think sometimes rebounds and 2.5 assists. into Mack’s spot in the lineup. when you do that, it gives them extra motivation “The best part about Clyde is his basketball Hall, the No. 1 ranked incoming player from as well,” Bender says. “They feel like you’ve taken IQ,” Bender says. “He’s a versatile player. There the state of South Carolina, shot 55.8 percent (24 even more interest in their game.” are things he has to improve on, but you can plug for 43) from long range with Upward Stars (SC) Clemson returns four of its five top scorers in him in at almost three positions.” on the 2019 adidas Gauntlet. Hall is also a strong Simms, junior guard John Newman III, sophomore To complement the duo, Clemson can rotate post player, and his versatility could help Simms guard Al-Amir Dawes and senior guard Clyde in junior Nick Honor and Chase Hunter.