BYU Cougars Triumph Over Clemson in Dramatic Comeback

The BYU Cougars called on guard Robert Wright III during an intense game on Tuesday night. In a nail-biting finale at the Jimmy V Classic in New York City, BYU managed to tie the score against the Clemson Tigers in the closing moments. Wright caught a pass from way beyond the 3-point line, quickly facing two defenders. Yet, somehow, he powered through and launched a long-range shot.

Wright’s clutch 3-pointer clinched a thrilling 67-64 victory, saving the No. 10 Cougars from what would have been a surprising upset. Players rushed to celebrate with him amidst the excitement.

Interestingly, BYU found themselves down by 22 points at halftime. Head coach Kevin Young had to rally the team during a locker room pep talk. “The look in their eyes changed,” he mentioned after the game. “We seemed a bit dazed and lackluster in the first half, so I challenged the guys to bring more competition.” It seems his message resonated.

Meanwhile, BYU delivered one of the most significant second-half comebacks in its history, with standout performance from AJ Divanza, an NBA prospect. Divanza scored 28 points, including 22 in the second half. In those crucial final moments, he found himself double-teamed, leading to Wright getting the ball.

“AJ was covered, being double-teamed, so I told Mihailo Boakovic I would return to the ball. He trusted me and gave me the pass,” Wright reflected, describing the moment as surreal. He ended the game with 17 points, while Divanza contributed nine rebounds and six assists. This victory improved BYU’s record to 8 wins and 1 loss.

Clemson’s Justin Porter was the leading scorer for his team with 17 points, but despite a strong second-half performance, where they outscored BYU 45-21, they couldn’t secure the win.