CLEMSON – During an all-star camp roll call this summer, the names of prospects and their accompanying college choices echoed in a quiet gym.

Names of top powers streamed along in perfect natural order. Florida, UCLA, Duke, Clemson. … Clemson? Charleston native Milton Jennings’s college choice drew curious glances.

“A bunch of guys asked ‘where’s Clemson?’” Jennings said. “If they don’t know they will.”

Florida, UCLA and Georgetown all came courting Jennings, but Clemson’s first McDonald’s All-American signee since Sharone Wright (1991) elected to stay and build something at home.

And he’s in a hurry.

As the Tigers begin their season Friday, Jennings says the Tigers’ freshman class he headlines, arguably the school’s best, combined with returning star Trevor Booker can begin a golden era of basketball - this season.

Despite losing two starters in K.C. River and Terrence Oglesby, Jennings isn’t alone in his bullishness. No. 24 Clemson is ranked in major preseason polls for the first time since 1997.

“I felt I could play at the top schools,” Jennings said. “But I’d rather be part of something that is great in state.”

As a consensus top 30 prospect at Pinewood Prep last season (20.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.2 bpg), the 6-foot-9 forward was often found seated behind the Clemson bench in Littlejohn Coliseum, seemingly needing to be restrained from joining Tigers’ huddle. Bounding with enthusiasm, he popped in the Clemson basketball offices to talk basketball with assistant coaches.

“I wanted to play last year,” Jennings said.

He wanted to see Tyler Hansbrough. He wanted to witness the ACC’s elite. He celebrated on court with the Tigers’ following the rout of Duke last February, and sulked following the disappointing one-and-done tournament performances against Georgia Tech and Michigan.

To get Clemson to the top of the ACC and over the NCAA tournament hump, where it has fallen in the first round in back to back seasons, Jennings is joined by three other top-rated freshmen: Noel Johnson, a 6-foot-5 swing man rated as the 30th overall prospect by ESPN; Devin Booker, the 6-foot-8 carbon copy of his brother Trevor, rated as a top-100 prospect by Rivals.com; and 6-foot-4 freshman combo guard Donte Hill, who Jennings compares athletic to former Clemson standout Cliff Hammonds.

“The recruiting class is arguably the best in Clemson history,” said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell, who has improved Clemson’s record in six straight seasons. “It’s real simple: to win in the ACC you have to put together some good recruiting years, grow them up with positive experience and that is the tough part. Teaching them how to win.

“Then the kids gain confidence, the program gains confidence.”

Of the fab four, Jennings and Johnson – a natural scorer - figure to be immediate rotation members, if not starters.

While Booker, Jerai Grant, David Potter, Demontez Stitt and Tanner Smith started in the exhibition against Francis Marion, Jennings (22) and Johnson (21) logged the most minutes off the bench.

“They want to be part of this,” Smith said. “They want to be on the floor and they’ll do whatever they can.”

Both are learning Purnell’s pressure defense, which Jennings says is more of a concern than the loss of 3-point shooters. Jennings says this team will shoot more effectively by not forcing shoots “five, six feet beyond the arc” like last season.

Jennings often gets compared to former Duke star Shane Battier, a cerebral, unselfish stretch forward.

While Jenning’s shooting range as a four is an added element that should take pressure off Trevor Booker, he said he needs to become more than a shot-blocker to earn that designation. He has room to grow, picking up the game late as a teenager. He says his family was about “work,” not basketball, watching a mother who worked multiple jobs.

“When I start playing defense like Shane Battier,” Jennings said. “I’ll start taking comparisons a little more.”

If Jennings starts playing like Battier, he may very well place Clemson on the basketball map.

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/tiger_tracks.

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