CLEMSON — Recently, Brad Brownell took his three star players on his Clemson team and brought them into his office.

Center PJ Hall, guard Chase Hunter and guard Joe Girard sat down together with Brownell to get everyone on the same page. Brownell’s message to his star players was simple. He wanted them to appreciate the opportunity they currently have at Clemson and their teammates.

Brownell explained how they are the three players that have the ball in their hands the most. They take the most shots, they play the most minutes, and more importantly, everybody in the program is okay with it, which is not always the case.

“It is fun to get interviewed all the time, go to media days and the press writes nice things about you, but when you guys play poorly, we are probably going to lose,” Brownell told Hall, Hunter and Girard. “So, there is responsibility with being the best players. They know that…it is no earth-shattering thing.

“My point was, ‘You guys need to work together. You three guys on the court, you are more connected than anybody. You are out there the most, you’re taking the most shots, the ball is in your hands, you should be communicating the most.’”

That was not happening as much during the Tigers’ three-game losing streak. At times, all three struggled with either shooting, turning it over or lapses on the defensive end of the court. As a result, Clemson could not stop Miami in the second half, could not buy a basket against North Carolina and struggled to defend Virginia Tech.

“There are times, and this is the hard part with Joe being new and Chase being quiet, is getting them to do all of that,” Brownell said. “I said, ‘Everyone is watching you three. The coaching staff, the other players. We are reading your body language. How excited are you? How nervous are you? Where is your poise? Where is your fight?’

“That just goes with the territory of being a good player and it goes with the territory of being a head coach. Everybody is watching me too. Really, all four us have to be connected at all times.”

They were all connected in Saturday’s win over Boston College. Girard and Hall each dropped in 26 points, while Hunter added seven points and two assists.

“They all really care. They all really want to win,” Brownell said. “They’re disappointed in themselves when they don’t play well. That’s hard.”