Pearl Breaks Down 2011 Team

Pearl breaks down returning players

By Mike Griffith, Knoxville News-Sentinel

Posted April 3, 2010 at 9:24 p.m.

There are pressing issues ahead for the Tennessee men's basketball team.

The Vols are looking to capitalize on the momentum built by their Elite Eight run in the NCAA tournament.

But UT coach Bruce Pearl isn't getting ahead of himself when it comes to his plans and strategies.

"It's too soon to tell if we'll get back into the press,'' Pearl said. "But we will get better in the offseason, as my coaches and I will continue to grow and learn and study.''

Pearl said he plans to visit NBA camps with hopes of gleaning more beneficial information and schemes, as UT did last summer when it learned its "ice" defense from the Denver Nuggets.

Ice represented a new way to defend ball screens, with the defender cutting off the ball handler before he could dribble into the screen action.

Whatever strategy Pearl chooses, he likes the players he has returning.

Here's what Pearl said about each of the returning players in his season review interview:


Brian Williams, 6-foot-10, 278 pounds, junior

"Brian Williams has put himself in position to be watched very closely next season by the next level. This is not a surprise to us. In fact, this could have happened sooner.

"We're very happy for Brian He's a very bright, intelligent, gifted young man.''

Scotty Hopson, 6-7, 200, sophomore

"Scotty made progress from his first year to his second year, and this will be the heaviest load Scotty will have to carry since he has been here. The team lost Ryan Childress, and then Tyler Smith, and now we've lost Wayne Chism, J,P. Prince and Bobby Maze. So this next season will be a real opportunity for Scotty to be aggressive and take more ownership of the team."


Cameron Tatum, 6-6, 197, sophomore

"Cameron has got great toughness, and he is a real competitor, and an extremely competent offensive player, and with his first healthy offseason we'll see if he can physically get his body to the point where he becomes a better defender.''

Melvin Goins, 5-11, 195, junior

"Melvin demonstrated what a great defensive guard he's capable of being and that he can score. He's got a toughness to him also. The thing Melvin needs to develop is his ability to play-make and make others better. He's got major step-up abilities, and he's a terrific competitor. He's a guy, if we don't sign him late, we don't have the kind of year we just had.''


Steven Pearl, 6-5, 232, junior

"Steven needs to add an offensive dimension to his game. It exists, but it wasn't something we looked for. Less was more last season, but his ability to defend, his rebounds and basketball IQ will be great, especially for Tobias (Harris) coming in."


Skylar McBee, 6-3, 190, freshman

"A lot of what happened to Skylar (not playing more at the end of the season) was the mental aspects of the game. He's so much better physically than what people understood or what he even believes himself. The way he trained in the preseason and the way he trained throughout the year, and as productive as he was throughout the year he'll pick up on that continue.''


Josh Bone, 6-3, 195, junior

"Josh has got a toughness about him, and he can make shots. He'll need to add the dimension to put the ball on the floor and create."


Renaldo Woolridge, 6-8, 208, sophomore

"He can rebound and he has proven he can make shots, and if he can continue to improve his defense and can continue to get that ability to put the ball on the floor a bit more and create, that would be ideal. Then, it's a matter of him taking advantage of his experience.''


Kenny Hall, 6-8, 220, freshman

"I think Kenny surprised a lot of people with his athleticism and I was pleased with his toughness. He doesn't back down, and the thing about it when you go up against the guys he does every day, and he's been terrific. He needs to add 20 points onto the 25 he has already added. He'll live in the gym. He could be a big man that can shoot the basketball. And he'll compete at some four because he's got some skills."


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UT associate head coach Tony Jones was heavily involved in the recruitment of the Vols' three signees and watched incoming transfer Jeronne Maymon compete for the scout team each day in practices. Here's what Jones had to say about the new players:


Jeronne Maymon, 6-6, 240, freshman

"He was a consensus top 30 recruit in 2009 and the two-time Wisconsin state player of the year. He'll bring us a dimension of toughness. He's a multi-facet guy, a little like Draymond Green of Michigan State. Good passer and ball-handler.''


Trae Golden, 6-3, 190, signee

"He can score the basketball from all over. Trae is a combo guard who can play the 1 (point guard) or the 2 (shooting guard). He's quick, he's strong and he's a very aggressive player.'


Jordan McRae, 6-6, 180, signee

"Jordan is a very intense player, an explosive player and a great leaper. He'll remind people of a Cameron Tatum in that he can shoot the basketball really well with unlimited range.''


Tobias Harris, 6-8, 220, signee

"He'll be a very special player for us. He can shoot the 3, dribble the basketball, and score with his back to the basket.''

2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.