"We cannot be complacent (defending Southern Conference champs) as we will not sneak up on anyone this year. We have to get better each day."
UTC men's basketball coach Matt McCall
If a handful of UTC students walked through McKenzie Arena Sunday afternoon and watched a few minutes of a greys vs. whites “pick up game”, they should have been impressed.
But this was no ordinary “pick up game” complete with coaches, a game clock and officials, as the 2016-17 edition of UTC Men’s basketball held it first scrimmage of the new season.
There was plenty of talent on both teams, including returning senior starters from a 29-6 Southern Conference championship season – Greg Pryor (SoCon tourney MVP), Justin Tuoyo (SoCon Defensive Player of the Year), Casey Jones, Tre Mclean and Chuck Ester – and new faces including sophomore guard Nate Dixon (East Miss. CC), sophomore center MaKinde London (Nashville/Xavier Univ.) and true freshman Rodney Chapman (Lithonia, Ga. HS).
Dixon led all players with 16 points, while Ester scored 15, London added 13 (and 10 rebounds), Tuoyo had 10 points and Chapman had five points and six assists
“I felt the effort was pretty good today and the tempo and pace of the game was great,” said UTC coach Matt McCall. "We did a decent job of not fouling and moving our feet.”
Pryor said, “the new guys played hard and they are learning the system faster than I thought they would.”
McCall stated, “We are allowed 30 practices and we have 21 more before we open at Tennessee on Nov.11 so every practice counts.”
contact B.B. Branton at wiliam.branton@comcast.net