Brad Brownell is wasting no time making sure the Tigers stay loaded for another run.
The news broke on Sunday and Littlejohn Coliseum is already buzzing: Clemson has landed its first big portal prize of the offseason. Cole Certa, Notre Dame’s sharpshooting guard, is coming to Tiger Town. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound sophomore is swapping out the golden domes for the sea of orange, and he’s bringing the kind of scoring firepower that Clemson fans have been craving in the backcourt.
Certa was a four-star recruit for a reason, and his journey from Illinois to IMG Academy to the ACC shows he’s built for this stage. He’s already proven he can handle the grind of ACC basketball, and now he’s ready to do it wearing Clemson across his chest.
A Proven ACC Sniper
Notre Dame might have stumbled to a 13-18 finish last season, but Certa was the guy who kept them in games. He played in all 31 contests, started 16 times, and put up nearly 13 points a night—numbers that would make any Tiger fan take notice.
Here’s what should have every Tiger fan fired up: Certa is a flat-out sniper. He drilled nearly 37 percent from deep and was automatic at the line, hitting 89 percent of his free throws. For a Clemson squad hungry to get back to the second weekend of March Madness, having a guard who can close out games at the stripe is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Building a Tournament Mainstay
Bringing in Certa is the first big move for Brownell as he looks to build on last year’s 24-11 campaign. Sure, the first-round loss to Iowa in Tampa still stings, but snagging a proven ACC starter right out of the gate sends a message: Clemson is all-in for a fourth straight trip to the Big Dance.
Certa is stepping into a program that went 12-6 in the ACC last year, a world away from the four-win grind he just left behind. With his size and shooting, he’s not just another body—he’s a difference-maker for a Clemson team with big-time goals.