Stitt stepping up leadership on the court

CLEMSON -- Entering the locker room last month ready to lecture the Tigers about a poor first-half performance against Texas A & M, Oliver Purnell was surprised to see the task already under way by Demontez Stitt.

"At halftime, normally, I would have to come in and pointed out things we were doing," Purnell. "I saw him talking unsolicited to the team. That is the vocal leader you like to have in a point guard."

In the Texas A & M loss, Clemson responded with a second-half rally to make the game interesting. Later in the Anaheim, Calif., tournament, the Tigers defeated then-No. 10 Butler.

When Purnell conducted exit interviews after losing to Michigan in the first-round of the NCAAs last March, he asked Stitt to take more ownership of the team. He added further incentive to improve by guaranteeing only Trevor Booker a starting position.

"The leadership wasn't quite there," Stitt said of last season. "No one really stepped up to the plate to become leaders.

"We didn't finish as well we could have."

Purnell is hoping such leadership continues today when the Tigers host Furman at 4 p.m.

Stitt's improvement doesn't end with his new role as an on-court extension of Purnell.

Stitt has made gains in other important areas, namely a suspect jump shot.

While Stitt was asked time after time this summer about the loss of perimeter scorers K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby, about how quickly the freshmen could adapt, few asked about what gains the Tigers' two returning point guards could be expected to make.

Along with backup Andre Young, Clemson's point guards have combined for 20 points in 51 minutes per game this season. Last year, the duo combined for 12.8 points in 40 minute per game.

"There was skepticism about our offense," said Young, who has often played alongside Stitt this season. "I think (returning both point guards) was overlooked, we had a considerable amount of playing time last time."

Stitt is shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc after shooting just 27.3 percent a year ago and taking 66 3-point attempts.

This season the junior has already attempted 28 3s, citing greater confidence in his shot, not giving up on it as he had last season.

"This summer I spent more time just working on the mechanics of my shot," Stitt. "Last summer it was 'OK guys are playing off me, I'll get up as many shots as I can.' This (summer) I got shots up and watched film to see what I was not doing."

Stitt, said balance is key after "hoping" into his shot last season.

The other area of improvement is his ability to finish. Creating shots and driving to the rim hasn't been an issue, finishing has, and he failed to make a game-tying, time-expiring attempt against Illinois.

Still, through what Purnell calls improved "concentration," through contact drills, he has improved his shooting percentage each season. From 40.8 percent as a freshman, to 41.3 as a sophomore to 42.7 as a junior.

While Stitt's turnover-to-assist ratio is less than ideal (1.36) that can in part be explained to building continuity with four freshmen and the difficulty in distributing the ball to Booker, who has drawn the attention of sagging defenses.

Stitt's defensive value and hustle has never been in question.

After practice Friday, Purnell said Stitt again led the team in deflections and Clemson has doubled the number of deflections through the same number of games last season.

They are intangibles, like leadership, that don't show up in the box score but might be the most important contributions from Stitt.

"We talked about him becoming one of best point guards in the ACC," Purnell said. "He is showing more leadership ... he is aggressive and attacking."

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at www.postandcourier.om/blogs/tiger_tracks.