Clemson Basketball Adds Much-Needed Sharpshooter from Portal

Q: What are Cole Certa's statistics from his time at Notre Dame?

Cole Certa made 81 of 221 3-point attempts, achieving a shooting percentage of .368 during his last season at Notre Dame.

Q: How does Cole Certa's performance compare to Clemson's previous top shooter?

Certa's .368 shooting percentage from 3-point range surpasses Clemson's Jestin Porter, who had a .348 shooting percentage last season.

Q: What impact will Cole Certa have on Clemson's basketball offense?

Certa's presence is expected to force defenses to focus on him, which will open up opportunities for scoring in the post, addressing a key need for Clemson.

Clemson Basketball Adds Much-Needed Sharpshooter from Portal

TL;DR

Clemson Tigers have acquired sharpshooter Cole Certa from Notre Dame, who excelled as a 3-point shooter with a .368 shooting percentage last season. His addition is expected to enhance Clemson's offensive strategy significantly.

Feb 28, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Cole Certa (5) celebrates making a 3-point shot during overtime at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers have landed 3-point dynamo, Cole Certa from Notre Dame.

Cole Certa was a top 100 high school recruit that played two years at Notre Dame. While he didn’t play much as a freshman, last year he was the Irish’s most valuable offensive piece according to Evan Miya. His contributions came primarily in the form of 3-pointers as he made 81 of 221 attempts (.368) from deep. For context, Jestin Porter led Clemson in made and attempted 3-points going 65-187 (.348).

Based on Evan Miya’s offensive value metrics, Certa would have been the second more valuable offensive contributor on Clemson last season behind only RJ Godfrey. He immediately changes the complexion of the offense by forcing defenses to stick to him and not collapse in to defend the post. The key here is Clemson needs to add a major scoring threat in the post to replace Godfrey.

Cole Certa’s defense is a bit more questionable as Evan Miya rates him below everyone who played for Clemson last season. Brownell has always been a great defensive tutor so it is feasible that Clemson’s coaching can elevate him there. They wouldn’t have made the offer if they didn’t believe he could be adequate in this area. At 6-foot-5, he offers more height than the departing Jestin Porter, but don’t expect the loads of steals.

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