High Schoolers in the Rocky Top League

[IrishBBall]

Here are my final thoughts on the high schoolers that played in the Rocky Top League:

 

Jalen Steele- Played absolutely fantastic on the championship team. Was a silent assassin that knocked down big shot after big shot. More than held his own against all comers. Solid in all areas but ball handling needs to improve to move to a higher level.

 

Tyler Hood- Showed flashes of why he is one of the top high schoolers in the area. Was usually overmatched from a strength standpoint playing with the older guys. Needs to hit the weight room hard over the next few months and he will see huge dividends. Never appeared to be intimidated just couldn't always match the physicality inside. Had some high light reel dunks.

 

Lester Wilson- Put on great show in warm-ups with freakish hops. Saw limited minutes playing on a veteran-laden team. Outside shot has improved. Looks like a man playing with boys when compared to other high schoolers. Super athlete.

 

Brandon Lopez- Saw limited minutes also playing behind JuJuan Smith, Skylar McBee, Alex Oliver, Dane Bradshaw, etc. Has a nice upside and I hope the move to NC pays off.

 

Dwight Tarwater- Saw limited minutes also but really did not match up well at any position and was a tweener in this league. Not big or strong enough in the post and didn't have the quickness to play or defend on the perimetr.

 

Lester, Brandon and Dwight all ended up drafted by the same team and unfortunately didn't get the minutes needed to show what they could do. Great experience to see how the older players worked but I know they had to be frustrated with lack of time.

[GovMan]

Irish Bball ...

 

Got a question ... don't want to open up a can of worms, but i heard something on Thurs night during championship game that I couldn't figure out and I thought you (or anyone else) might have an idea ...

 

Second half I think, Wayne Chism is at the free throw line, it gets kind of quite and someone yells, "Learn how to drive a straight shift!". It obviously got under the normally fun-loving Chism's skin, cause he scowled up at the guy and replied, "That's why you're up there and I'm out here."

 

What the heck did the guy mean, "Learn how to drive a straight shift?" I couldn't figure it out ... maybe I'm out of touch?

[IrishBBall]

Irish Bball ...

 

Got a question ... don't want to open up a can of worms, but i heard something on Thurs night during championship game that I couldn't figure out and I thought you (or anyone else) might have an idea ...

 

Second half I think, Wayne Chism is at the free throw line, it gets kind of quite and someone yells, "Learn how to drive a straight shift!". It obviously got under the normally fun-loving Chism's skin, cause he scowled up at the guy and replied, "That's why you're up there and I'm out here."

 

What the heck did the guy mean, "Learn how to drive a straight shift?" I couldn't figure it out ... maybe I'm out of touch?

 

I heard it too but didn't get it. Wayne didn't say anything about it at any point so who knows???

Might have had something to do with his YouTube commercials.

 

Fun-loving is a great way to describe Wayne. He told one of the refs coming out of the huddle that he figured out why he kept making bad calls. Said you couldn't ref in shorts that tight.

[sportsnut624]

I heard it too but didn't get it. Wayne didn't say anything about it at any point so who knows???

Might have had something to do with his YouTube commercials.

 

Fun-loving is a great way to describe Wayne. He told one of the refs coming out of the huddle that he figured out why he kept making bad calls. Said you couldn't ref in shorts that tight.

 

In one of his videos he was learning to drive a stick shift car, so that is where it came from. I think he got mad about it because the university made him take them off Youtube, and he might've taken the comment to be making fun of him for that. Doesn't make too much sense to me either.

 

 

I agree with all of your comments. I thought Brandon Lopez struggled with his shot when he got in. Steele was the best out there by far. I thought Lester played with a lack of confidence, but that is understandable considering the competition. Tarwater didn't impress me at all, but in the one game I saw Hood play he blew me away with his talent. Like you said, it was too bad that Lester, Brandon, and the Tarwater kid all got on the same team that was already loaded with talent.

[Turtle]

Well I for one thought the Rocky Top league was a little bias toward the big dogs anyway. If they're going to allow these high school kids to play, "Put'em in the GAME" Yes, you may say they're not ready, well at least you can see. But I thought it was a great experience for Lopez because he'll face that type of atmosphere night in and night out this year..

 

I think next year, some of the Lady Vols players should be drafted instead of the high school kids.. Maybe that'll be better..I know Pat ain't going but hey, if a lot of people talk to her it may happen..

 

When will the fall Rocky Top league start? Who's coaching?

[downtown247]

Here are my final thoughts on the high schoolers that played in the Rocky Top League:

 

Jalen Steele- Played absolutely fantastic on the championship team. Was a silent assassin that knocked down big shot after big shot. More than held his own against all comers. Solid in all areas but ball handling needs to improve to move to a higher level.

 

Tyler Hood- Showed flashes of why he is one of the top high schoolers in the area. Was usually overmatched from a strength standpoint playing with the older guys. Needs to hit the weight room hard over the next few months and he will see huge dividends. Never appeared to be intimidated just couldn't always match the physicality inside. Had some high light reel dunks.

 

Lester Wilson- Put on great show in warm-ups with freakish hops. Saw limited minutes playing on a veteran-laden team. Outside shot has improved. Looks like a man playing with boys when compared to other high schoolers. Super athlete.

 

Brandon Lopez- Saw limited minutes also playing behind JuJuan Smith, Skylar McBee, Alex Oliver, Dane Bradshaw, etc. Has a nice upside and I hope the move to NC pays off.

 

Dwight Tarwater- Saw limited minutes also but really did not match up well at any position and was a tweener in this league. Not big or strong enough in the post and didn't have the quickness to play or defend on the perimetr.

 

Lester, Brandon and Dwight all ended up drafted by the same team and unfortunately didn't get the minutes needed to show what they could do. Great experience to see how the older players worked but I know they had to be frustrated with lack of time.

 

 

Steele is currently being recruited by South Carolina, Ole Miss, Clemson, Virgina Commonwealth, Dayton, Missouri State, and I am sure their are more that rivals has not posted. I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but no matter how much he improves his handles it's going to be hard to be at a much higher level.

 

Hood is a workaholic and I'm sure that he is living in the weightroom.

 

As for the rest of the high school kids I was a little disappointed that some of them didn't get more minutes. But like you say it's hard to get minutes playing behind pro and college players. Either way this was a positive experience for them.

[QSouth89]

Steele is currently being recruited by South Carolina, Ole Miss, Clemson, Virgina Commonwealth, Dayton, Missouri State, and I am sure their are more that rivals has not posted. I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but no matter how much he improves his handles it's going to be hard to be at a much higher level.

 

Hood is a workaholic and I'm sure that he is living in the weightroom.

 

As for the rest of the high school kids I was a little disappointed that some of them didn't get more minutes. But like you say it's hard to get minutes playing behind pro and college players. Either way this was a positive experience for them.

 

I used to think Jalen Steele was overated and over hyped, but when I saw him play this summer at team camps then at the Rocky Top, I became more and more impressed with him. Great shooter, really good hops, hardworker, great defender and very unselfish. However, I agree with downtown247, unless his ballhandling improves, he may struggle at a major D-1 school. I'm not saying he couldn't play there, a shooter can play anywhere. He would be great at a school like (I'm being really biased here) ETSU. But then again as hard as he works he could do it. Good luck this season. Why is Tennesee not looking at him, since he played in the Rocky Top 2 years straight.

[terop]

It seems like this league is still going great. I really wish Memphis would try to bring back its Bluff CITY Classic games. Similar to the Rocky it was nice seeing old players mesh with current players and overseas players.

[downtown247]

I used to think Jalen Steele was overated and over hyped, but when I saw him play this summer at team camps then at the Rocky Top, I became more and more impressed with him. Great shooter, really good hops, hardworker, great defender and very unselfish. However, I agree with downtown247, unless his ballhandling improves, he may struggle at a major D-1 school. I'm not saying he couldn't play there, a shooter can play anywhere. He would be great at a school like (I'm being really biased here) ETSU. But then again as hard as he works he could do it. Good luck this season. Why is Tennesee not looking at him, since he played in the Rocky Top 2 years straight.

 

 

UT has a commitment from Josh Selby the 7th overall prospect in the class of 2010 and the 2nd best PG in the country. UT also has a commitment from Jordan McRae a 6'6" SG from Atlanta who is the 39th overall prospect. Combine these 2 with Mcbee, Hopson, and Tatum and it looks like Coach Pearl thinks he's got all the guards he wants/needs for a while. Personally I would love to see a true homegrown talent wear the orange and white, but only if he's going to get some run. If not I hope he goes somewhere else and has a great career. Steele is definitely a high major recruit whether he improves his handles or not. He simply does to much too well.

[QSouth89]

UT has a commitment from Josh Selby the 7th overall prospect in the class of 2010 and the 2nd best PG in the country. UT also has a commitment from Jordan McRae a 6'6" SG from Atlanta who is the 39th overall prospect. Combine these 2 with Mcbee, Hopson, and Tatum and it looks like Coach Pearl thinks he's got all the guards he wants/needs for a while. Personally I would love to see a true homegrown talent wear the orange and white, but only if he's going to get some run. If not I hope he goes somewhere else and has a great career. Steele is definitely a high major recruit whether he improves his handles or not. He simply does to much too well.

 

I'm sure he would like to play for UT, seeing as how he held his own with them the last 2 years, but I hope he makes a decision based on his mind and not his heart. Go where you will get playing time.

[Cookevegas3]

Any word on a league similar to the rocky top league just for high school players. It suppose to be located at Maryville and played on Saturdays. Curious if anyone had any info or website

[QSouth89]

Any word on a league similar to the rocky top league just for high school players. It suppose to be located at Maryville and played on Saturdays. Curious if anyone had any info or website

 

I was told by Andre Whitehead that the games would be at various sites. Karns, Anderson County, Maryville. I think they start towards the end of August.