Vols must prove themselves again

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

This is the fifth in a series previewing SEC basketball teams.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Never mind that Tennessee won the SEC East last season, its first conference championship since 1982.
Never mind that Tennessee posted its first back-to-back 20-victory seasons since 1984-85 and swept Kentucky for the first time since 1974-75.
All most people remember about Tennessee and last season is that it ended for the Volunteers with an 81-51 beating at the hands of Southwest Missouri State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
"That's just the way it is," senior forward C.J. Black said.
And the "way it is," this year for Tennessee is the same way it has been for most of this decade. The Volunteers, despite returning four starters, are picked to finish third in the SEC East.
But Black is used to the not-so-great expectations from those outside Knoxville.
"I don't feel discouraged," Black said. "I think, more than anything, it makes us want to work harder and go out and re-prove ourselves. I guess they figure last year was a fluke, and that we shouldn't have won it."
Actually, the Volunteers earned last year's championship by stringing together six consecutive victories to end the regular season. Clearly they earned it.
And that kind of accomplishment is what Coach Jerry Green would prefer to dwell on rather than the Vols' flop in the Big Dance.
"We tried to go back and look back at the big picture, and all the things in the past year that we accomplished that Tennessee hadn't [accomplished before]," Green said.
But Green isn't naive. He knows that Tennessee's detractors won't be silenced until the Volunteers prove they can win in the postseason.
To help his team's chances, Green signed a pair of highly touted point guards -- Harris Walker and Terrence Woods -- that should help when junior point guard Tony Harris needs a breather or a refresher on team basketball.
The hot-and-cold Harris often played out-of-control last season, looking too much for his own shot instead of trying to get his teammates involved in the offense.
And with some of the weapons Tennessee has, Green wants everybody involved.
Black is a proven veteran, while junior Isiah Victor and sophomore Vincent Yarbrough were both on the All-SEC Freshman team.
Add the freshman forward tandem of Marcus Haislip and Slay, and it's easy to see why Green would like to see Harris exhibit more patience on the offensive end.
Black also hopes to see Harris more under control this season, and believes he will be. Black said Harris is listening more closely to coaches and asking more questions.
"It's just a matter of [him] knowing when to shoot, when to pass or when to drive to the hole," Black said. "That really is a big concern in my eyes, and I think that by me taking leadership, I can be the one that helps [him] control that.
"I don't think it will be as bad as last year. He's not acting like he knows everything or that Coach Green doesn't know what he's talking about."
But while Green hopes Tennessee's increased depth will help settle things at the offensive end, he hopes it will create chaos at the defensive end.
"I think [depth] gives us an opportunity to have an exciting game from a defensive standpoint, not just from an offensive standpoint," Green said.
"And our offense is a little ahead of defense at this point, which is unusual."
Anchoring the Volunteers' defensive efforts should be 6-10, 265-pound senior center Charles Hathaway. Always a physical presence as a defender and rebounder, Green said Hathaway has also improved his shot-blocking skills. And those are exactly the things Green wants from Hathaway.
If Hathaway can patrol the lane effectively, Black will be allowed to concentrate on rebounding and getting downcourt in transition, where he could be surprisingly effective this season after slimming down from roughly 270 to 255 pounds this summer.
"That has allowed him to jump up and score over people, like he did two years ago," Green said of Black, who toured Greece and Japan with All-Star teams last summer. "I think he's in a position to be the best player he can be."
If Black does reach his potential -- as a player and a leader -- and Harris plays under control, Tennessee may finally get a postseason worth remembering.
Tomorrow: LSU

Tennessee at a glance
Coach: Jerry Green (41-18 in two seasons at Tennessee, 263-196 overall in 16 season)
Last season: 21-9 (NCAA Second Round)
Key returnees: F C.J. Black, G Tony Harris, F Isiah Victor, Vincent Yarbrough
Key losses: G Brandon Wharton
Key newcomers: F Marcus Haislip, F Ron Gray, G Harris Walker, G Terrence Woods
Projected finish this season: Third SEC East

This article was published on Monday, November 8, 1999

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