Knockout Blow

ATLANTA -- Another Georgia Tech- Clemson meeting, another critical holding call.

In September, Thomas Austin was flagged for a hold late against the Yellow Jackets, ending Clemson's chances for a come-from-behind win against Paul Johnson's football team.

Five months later, with No. 17 Clemson at No. 19 Georgia Tech on the basketball court, it was Trevor Booker drawing a critical holding call with 3.2 seconds to play, leading to the Tigers' 66-64 loss Tuesday night at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

On an inbounds play with 5 seconds left and the score tied, Booker was called for holding Zachery Peacock, who converted both free throws. Clemson failed to get off a shot on its final possession.

Tigers head coach Oliver Purnell wouldn't comment on the call.

Said Booker: "It wasn't a foul."

Demontez Stitt said he was fouled a possession early and it wasn't called.

Stitt played 36 minutes after he was expected to sit out with a mid-foot sprain. With the score tied at 64 and 25.9 seconds left, Stitt worked the clock to below 12 seconds, using a flat screen to drive into the lane. The ball was stripped from Stitt as he went up for a layup, giving the Yellow Jackets the ball with 9 seconds remaining.

It marked Clemson's last best chance to steal a conference road win in a wide-open ACC race.

"They squeezed it, I made the right choice," Stitt said of the play. "I got fouled. They grabbed my arm. They didn't call it."

How Clemson lost its third game in two years to Tech (14-4, 3-2 ACC) was especially demoralizing considering how the Tigers (15-4, 3-2) rallied against a physically superior Georgia Tech team.

The Jackets' front line includes 6-10 freshman Derrick Favors and 6-9 Gani Lawal, both potential NBA first-round picks. Golden State Warriors GM Larry Riley was so intrigued he was in attendance.

"They have athletes at all five spots," Stitt said.

Favors capped two alley-oop dunks in the first half, one a reverse, showing why he was considered by some to be the top high school player in the country last season.

The pair combined for 24 rebounds and 33 points on 15-of-23 shooting.

The Tigers were further handicapped as perhaps their best shot blocker, Jerai Grant, played just 16 minutes, picking up his fourth foul early in the second half.

Tech beat Clemson down the court with their big men and grabbed 13 first-half offensive rebounds to extend their lead to 10 points with 4:34 to play in the first half.

"They were just more aggressive," said Booker, who finished with a game-high 19 points, "(like) we were more aggressive against North Carolina."

Unlike Clemson's road win at N.C. State, the Tigers failed from the free-throw line, converting on only 10 of 20 attempts Tuesday.

But like Saturday, the Tigers were tough in the final minutes. Clemson produced three straight stops as Booker delivered a thunderous breakaway dunk and a pair of free throws to give Clemson a 64-62 lead with 1:25 to play.

"We regrouped," Purnell said. "I thought they were physically handling us. I thought we played through that."

Perhaps no player better illustrates such toughness than Stitt, who had a Willis Reed-like night, playing through pain to score 10 points on a night backup point guard Andre Young was battling the flu.

Stitt said he again tweaked his mid-foot sprain late but expects to be ready for Duke on Saturday.