Tigers Outlast Bulldogs 97-94 in Overtime to Claim Charleston Classic Championship
Clemson boasted six double-digit scorers for first time since 2021; Third-straight regular season tournament championship.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Clemson University men’s basketball outlasted Georgia in overtime to claim the 2025 Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic Championship – the program’s second (2008) in five total trips.
Jestin Porter (Houston, Texas/Cypress Ridge/Middle Tennessee State) earned the Charleston Classic tournament MVP award, finishing with a team-high 18 points on seven made field goals and four threes.
The Tigers (6-1) boasted six double-figure scorers for the first time since Dec. 14, 2021 against Miami (Oh.). Porter (18), Dillon Hunter (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) (16), Butta Johnson (Huntsville, Ala./Grissom/UAB) (13), RJ Godfrey (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett/Georgia) (12) and Carter Welling (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon/Utah Valley) and Zac Foster (Atlanta, Ga./Woodward Academy) each finished with 11 points each.
Two Godfrey free throws with two seconds left gave Clemson a one-point lead after the opening stanza, 41-40. It marked the second game in as many days that the Tigers trailed by double-digits and would come back to win. Clemson trailed 24-14 midway through the first half.
Clemson used a 13-3 run out of halftime to open its largest lead of the game with a 10-point advantage. The Bulldogs were able to close the gap and take a three-point lead midway through the second half.
Both teams traded leads toward the end of regulation with Georgia tying the score at 80-80 with 12 seconds to go. A Porter offensive rebound and put-back bounced multiple times and rolled off the rim and the game moved to overtime.
In the extra period the Tigers opened up a five-point lead on a Johnson 3-pointer to go up 88-83. Clemson finished 8-for-10 from the free throw line in overtime to help hold off the Bulldogs comeback attempt.
Hunter finished with a season-high 16 points and career-high seven rebounds, while finishing 6-for-6 at the free throw line. Nick Davidson (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mater Dei/Nevada) pulled in a season-high nine rebounds, while adding six points.
Clemson finished 22-for-29 as a team from the foul line and shot 44.0 percent from three (11-25).
The Tigers return to the court on Friday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. when they host Alabama A&M on ACCNX.
