Terrence Oglesby's Absence the Missing Link For Clemson This Year?

It’s nearly the mid-point in this ACC season and the Clemson Tigers are missing something.  With the potential this team has, it’s hard to accept three consecutive losses, especially since there was only one the Tigers were really competitive in.

Clemson made only two three-point attempts against Duke and three against Boston College. Could this season’s missing link really be Terrance Oglesby?

Oglesby was a defensive liability and a guard who lacked true ball handling ability.  His momentary lapse of reason and subsequent ejection in the NCAA Tournament against Michigan last year left a sour taste in the mouths of many Tigers fans.

T.O. also was one of the best snipers in recent ACC history.  He was perhaps the best true shooter to play at Clemson since Chris Whitney.

Of course he was streaky. 

All three-point specialists are. 

Still, Oglesby shot right around 40 percent from beyond the arc both seasons he played for Clemson. This can be attributed to Oliver Purnell, who knew to sit him immediately when he started removing paint from the rim.

Two years ago, his late three helped propel Clemson to victory against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinal.  When Duke visited Littlejohn last year, Oglesby poured in five threes and finished with 17 points.  Clemson won that game in blowout fashion.

Maybe the best aspect of Oglesby’s game was his range. 

The longer three-point shot the NCAA instituted a few years ago wasn’t really an issue.  Once he got past the giant orange Tiger Paw on the court and had a semi-open look, he was probably going to shoot.

It doesn’t seem that the move to Italy has worked out that well for Oglesby, but it’s hard to fault him for making the move.  His game wasn’t one that would have taken him to the NBA. 

He wanted to play professional ball—despite his struggles in Europe—he is doing so.  It just makes you wonder what another season with him wearing orange could have done to elevate Clemson in the ACC standings.