CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson University men’s basketball guard David Young, a starter on the school’s 1990 ACC regular season championship team, died Friday after battling an illness. Young’s passing was confirmed by his high school coach, Bill Johnson, to local media outlets.
Young lettered for the Tigers for four years between 1988-92. He finished his 97-game career with 751 career points – an average of 7.7 points per game. He made 138 career three-point goals, 330 assists and 116 steals. His 138 three-point goals were a Clemson career record when he finished his career.
Young had his best game on Jan. 12, 1991 against Wake Forest when he scored 34 points on 9-for-11 shooting, including 8-for-10 from beyond the arc. The eight three-point goals are still tied for the most in a single game in Clemson history. He did not start the game, and the 34 points are still the most in Clemson history off the bench by a single player.
Young started 27 games on Clemson’s 1989-90 team that won the ACC regular season and went to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 6.1 points per game that year and had 142 assists – second on the team.
The native of Greenville, S.C. made a three-point shot with 12 seconds left against Connecticut in the 1990 NCAA Tournament to put Clemson ahead 70-69. It is a field goal that would be considered among the most important in Clemson history had Tate George not connected on a shot at the buzzer to defeat the Tigers 71-70 in a Sweet 16 game in the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Young’s best scoring season was his junior year when he averaged 10.9 points per game. He led the Tigers in three-point goals, assists and free throw percentage that year.
