CLEMSON – The 2023-24 basketball season has been a rollercoaster for the Clemson Tigers, and lost in it all is the rise of a key playmaker and leader for Brad Brownell’s squad.

Starting guard Chase Hunter is in his fifth year at Clemson, one that’s been riddled with nagging injuries and it may not be most obvious because he doesn’t show it. That is represented in his play, often posting up smaller guards and driving to the rim relentlessly. Following the win over Louisville, one of his teammates took a moment to appreciate what he brings to the team.

“Pound for pound, probably the strongest guy on our team. I’m dead serious,” PJ Hall said as Hunter appreciated the praise beside him.

During the month of December, Hunter lost his rhythm and shot 17-56 over that six-game stretch. He was battling, but the Tigers were still winning so it often went unnoticed that one of Clemson’s key pieces was working through such a slump.

That trend truly ended over the last two weeks as Hunter scored in double-digits in four-straight games. This was capped off by his 16-point performance against the Cardinals in which he started 5-5 from the floor and eclipsed 1,000 points for his career.

This wasn’t a moment he expected to reach, but his relentless nature got him to this moment in Littlejohn Coliseum with a large applause from the Tiger faithful.

“Scoring 1,000 points is something that not a lot of people do so I’m definitely honored to be a 1,000-point scorer,” Hunter said. “Back then, I definitely wouldn’t think I would get here…worked a lot to stay confident in myself and coaches pushed me to get to where I wanted to be.”

When he gave his statement on the milestone, Hall was waiting to take a moment and appreciate everything that Hunter has battled through during his career.

“Chase is one of the most mentally strong people on this team for the last five years. People don’t know about the injuries and all the stuff he’s fought through to get to where he’s at right now and 1,000 points is a huge margin for him. That’s awesome,” Hall said.

As Clemson continues to battle for an NCAA Tournament bid, Hunter is key to that goal and his recent success can be a catalyst for a win streak moving forward. The gauntlet of the Tigers schedule is over, and now the physical veteran can help lead this group to a real chance in the postseason.