Ex-DWS star Young back in area today

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Albany native and Clemson starting guard Andre Young — arguably the most prominent Division I college basketball recruit from Southwest Georgia in the last decade — will make a rare trip back to the area today when the Tigers take on Florida State at 6:15 p.m. in Tallahassee, Fla.

Young, a junior and Health-Science major at Clemson who led Deerfield to two state title games and a Final Four appearance in his four years with the Knights, is making a huge impact in his third year for the 5-3 Tigers, starting all eight games and averaging 32.8 minutes a game, the most by any of the team’s starting five.

He’s second in scoring at 10.8 points a game, first in steals (13), first in 3-point percentage (.444, going 19-of-43), first in total minutes played (262) and second in assists (20).

“He’s having a great season,” Young’s dad, Colie, told The Herald this week. “We’re looking forward to going down and see him. I think a bunch of people are going (today), including his (former high school) coach (Gordy) Gruhl. We’re excited when we get a chance to see him play this close (to home).”

The game, which will be broadcast on FSN, marks the ACC opener for both teams.

Clemson started the season 6-1 before losing its last two games (vs. Michigan, 69-61, and at South Carolina, 64-60), while the Seminoles enter the game in a similar situation, starting out 6-0, then losing two of their last three, including defeats to Top 25s Florida (55-51) and Ohio State (58-44), before winning its last game vs. Hartford in a rout, 60-38.