Threes rained down early and often on a cloudy day in Knoxville for Tennessee’s season-opening exhibition win against the Lenoir Rhyne Bears.
While this one won’t count in the official record books, the 103-62 win was a chance for Vol fans to see a gaggle of new players for the first time. Tennessee ended recruiting season ranked fourth nationally and first in the SEC, so it’s safe to say that this installment of the Vols is among its most anticipated in program history.
Those wearing orange and white for the first time included freshman Kennedy Chandler, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Jahmai Mashack, Quentin Diboundje, Zakai Zeigler and Auburn transfer Justin Powell.
The two standouts were Chandler and Huntley-Hatfield. The latter dropped 11 in his first half of collegiate basketball and looked great around the rim when the Vols had the ball. He finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds. “He surprised me today…In the last two weeks, he’s taken a giant step,” says UT head coach Rick Barnes. “He was locked in more defensively than I thought he would be. Both he and Kennedy are going to have to continue to get in elite shape. They gotta get there mentally. That’s going to be the next step.”
Chandler, who looks a bit like former Vol Josh Richardson in a few different ways, was smooth and decisive and showed a soft touch from the outside. He was the number one point guard in the country and the eighth ranked player overall in the most recent recruiting rankings. He possesses obvious confidence and he seemed to notice the crowd in a good way. He scored 18 in the first half alone. It looks like he can play.
“He sees it,” says Barnes after the game. “I was on him today. I think he can be a great on ball defender. He wants to learn and he’s constantly asking me questions. As he learns to control his speed and his pace…he’s gotta figure out the difference in driving in New York City and on the freeway. And he’ll get there.”
After a barrage of made and missed threes to open the season, UT subbed at the under 16:00 break with Josiah Jordan James and Victor Bailey Jr. being the only Vol veterans in the lineup. Each of these players, along with Santiago Vescovi and the noticeably absent John Fulkerson, will look to share the role of leader this season. Don’t be surprised if JJJ ends up taking the lead on the role as the season progresses. He began taking that step during the middle of last season and could really grow into it. He hit the first bucket of the year for the Vols, a three.
Lenoir-Rhyne showed fight through most of the first half. It pulled within one at 19-18 with just under 12 minutes remaining but Powell hit his first three as a Vol to stretch the lead. Bears forward Tim Steele came back on the other end to answer but Chandler put in a three of his own. After another three almost fell for L-R, Chandler added another triple to push the score to 28-21. Bears coach Everick Sullivan called timeout to slow the storm but Chandler hit yet another shot from deep on the Vols next possession and it was off to the races. The Vols shot 10 of 25 from the arc or further in the first half. That’s 40 percent. Tennessee led at the half 54-33.
The first ten minutes of the second half were a big stagnant, as is often the case for games of this kind. At the under 12:00 media break, the Vols were up 67-49. Offensive rebounding improved for Tennessee in the final ten, though, and it led to multiple second and third chance opportunities for buckets. Huntley-Hatfield seemed to assert himself a bit more in the latter half on the defensive end, something that will be important for the Vols when the season kicks off in earnest. Powell added a trio of threes and another bucket or two as well and Chandler dazzled with a few shakes that will end up on his highlight reel come draft night.
Exhibitions don’t have much to do with the price of butter, but Tennessee was able to play in front of a real crowd in a real game with real consequences. Tennessee came out unscathed from an injury standpoint and displayed some touches of brilliance and cohesion. Tennessee will perhaps need to focus less on the three point shot before the season begins on November 9th at Thompson Boling Arena. The Vols first big test could come in its third game, when it plays Villanova in the Hall of Fame Tip Off Tournament in Pennsylvania. UT will play either North Carolina or Purdue in the game following.
Notables:
-Three Six Mafia played from the speakers during second half warmups. First they win an Oscar, now this.
-Uros Plavsic finally got a chance to shine when he poked the ball away in the early moments of the second half and gathered for a big dunk. Vescovi was caught chuckling as Plavsic crammed it home. Plavsic finished with 10 points and six boards, four of them offensive.
-Kennedy Chandler fell into the crowd with around eight minutes to go on to an elderly lady. She loved it and he gently shook her hand as he went back into action. Chandler ended the contest with 21 points on 8 of 10 shooting (4 of 5 from three), five rebounds, six assists, two steals and one turnover.
-Auburn transfer Justin Powell got 14 in his first game as a Vol. Olivier Nkamhoua dropped 12 points, six rebounds and three assists
-Santi Vescovi ended the game with three points, seven assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes. Victor Bailey had four points and two steals in 29 minutes. JJJ finished with nine points, five rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes.
