On Monday, the ACC announced that Clemson guard Joseph Girard III is the ACC Player of the Week for his performances last week.
The graduate transfer from Syracuse had an incredible stretch of games to help the Tigers steal two away wins against No. 3 North Carolina and Syracuse, the team he played for over the last four seasons before joining Clemson this past summer.
Over the two contests, Girard averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the Tigers’ successful road trips last week. Over those two games, he shot 60% from three-point range as well as 54.5% from the field.
The Glens Falls, New York, native started the week with a 21-point performance over the Tar Heels last Tuesday, grabbing six rebounds as well. While sinking five threes in the win, Girard hit key shots throughout the contest to stifle the North Carolina comeback, winning 80-76 at the buzzer to grant the Tigers their second win at Chapel Hill in school history.
A game later, he would have his return game at Syracuse, where he continued to perform at an elite level. The guard would score 18 points in his first game back home, which would lead all scorers in the contest. Girard sank an additional four threes off of five attempts in the win.
Perhaps the biggest moment for the Clemson standout was his final free throw in the victory against the Orange. When Girard sank his last foul shot, it would be marked as his 2,000th point in his collegiate career, joining only a few that are still currently playing at the NCAA level.
This is Girard’s first time with this honor in his five-year career in the ACC. With recent performances, the New York native will hope that his contributions are enough for an All-ACC team in the upcoming weeks. He has yet to make an All-ACC team in his career.
The Tigers will be back in action on Wednesday, where you can watch Girard and his team look for revenge against Miami at 7:00 p.m.
