University of Tennessee Athletics
Basketball Time In Tennessee
October 13, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 13, 2010
As media day kicked off the 2010-11 Tennessee basketball campaign Wednesday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena, coaches and players eagerly answered questions, recorded videos and posed for photographs, the only things standing in their way from the season's long-awaited first practice.
One thing is certain: It's basketball time in Tennessee.
"As you guys know, it's my favorite time of the year," head coach Bruce Pearl said. "The opportunity to put a team together, combining all the different pieces that you anticipate having, both from recruiting to the offseason workouts and the development of the players individually and the challenge of putting them all together and seeing if you can become a competitive, championship basketball team."
Despite losing seniors Quinn Cannington, Wayne Chism, Bobby Maze and J.P. Prince from last season's Elite Eight squad, the Vols remain optimistic that their tournament run in March wasn't the program's peak but rather something to build upon.
"Our expectations are just to get better every day," senior point guard Melvin Goins said. "Every day we come in and every day we get together, we want to get better. We want to learn more and we want to become a better basketball team overall.
"We had a great season last year. The standards are set high and our goals are always going to be high for everything that we do. We just want to compete for an SEC Championship, advance to the NCAA Tournament and see how far we can go."
If the Vols are going to match their success from a year ago, it will undoubtedly take a lot of hard work, a problem that doesn't seem to worry Pearl too much.
"This has been a group that together has worked harder than any I've ever had because it's been top to bottom," Pearl said. "Occasionally, you'll have a couple of guys that will really stand out--and we do--but they then sort of separate themselves from the rest and don't bring anybody with them or don't bring enough guys with them. I think to this point, that's different. So that's a very positive thing."
IN THE BACKCOURT WITH Melvin Goins
After losing Maze, the Vols starting point guard a year ago, Pearl provided some comfort for Vols fans in calling out Goins as an individual who has taken his leadership to another level.
"I think Melvin Goins has stepped up as a leader," Pearl said. "I think both on and off the court, with his play, with the way he communicates to the team."
Goins is looking forward to the challenge and relishing the opportunity.
"Being in the position to lead this team is a blessing in itself," Goins said. "This is big time basketball in the SEC here at Tennessee. There are big shoes to fill from the Wayne Chism's and the J.P. Prince's so I feel a big responsibility. It's also challenging but it's also fun for me. It's something that I can look forward to just to know that I'm in the position that I'm in to lead these great guys to something that we want to accomplish."
The San Diego, Calif. Product ranked third on the team in 3-point shooting (.327) in his first season as a Vol and averaged 5.3 points in 31 contests.
FRONTCOURT FASTBREAKS WITH Steven Pearl AND Brian Williams
Minus Chism and Prince, the Vols lost two core pieces to their frontcourt. Chism was the Vols' leading scorer and rebounder while Prince nearly averaged double-figures in his junior and senior campaigns.
Their production will be missed but senior center Brian Williams is confident that the Vols were able to bring in top-notch talent while his role will be increased.
"As much as depth as we lost, we brought in just as much and maybe even more," Williams said. "No one can replace Wayne Chism. Having him on my side on the blocks was definitely beneficial but that's my role now. I'm stepping into the same role that Wayne had as a big man and a senior leader. I'm ready and I've worked hard enough to take over that responsibility."
Williams echoed Pearl's sentiments regarding the Vols' work ethic.
"I've been here for four years but this is the hardest working team I've ever been a part of from top to bottom and that's making everybody better because it's a competition at every spot."
Another senior who will have his hands full with filling the shoes of the departed seniors in Chism and Prince is forward Steven Pearl. The Knoxville native played in 31 games last season and has already taken the initiative in sharing his experience with the younger Vols.
"I've been through a lot of ups and downs," the younger Pearl said. "I just have to use my experience to my advantage, helping these guys out and helping them carve their niche. I just need to be kind of a mentor for them. If they have any questions, I can help them out with that because I've been through the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs. Using my experience on and off the court for these younger players will be a big thing and just being a leader on the court will be helpful."
Having leaders such as Goins, Pearl and Williams goes a long way. If the Vols maintain their hard work ethic, it might even go all the way to Houston, Texas, the site of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball Final Four.
