LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The gym at Division II Bellerman College was a sweatbox Friday night, jam-packed with fans anxious to get a look at big-time college prospects.

So what if the evening's festivities consisted only of 2-on-2 games, a 3-point shooting contest and a slam-dunk exhibition?

It was basketball, it was in Kentucky, and so it was big, just as the Bluegrass State's folklore would have it.

Just one difference this time: Three of the 20 players in the Derby Classic all-star game are headed to the "football school'' to the south, Tennessee.

The fans at Bellerman, the majority wearing Louisville red, the rest in Kentucky blue, didn't discriminate against the future Vols.

In fact, Duke Crews, UT's future small forward, drew some of the loudest cheers of the night with dunks in his 2-on-2 games and the slam-dunk contest.

Tennessee fans in Knoxville thought they saw the Vols arrive this season under first-year coach Bruce Pearl with a 22-8 record, winning the SEC East, making it past the first round of the NCAA tournament, and finishing the season ranked No. 20.

But with the players in this year's recruiting class -- four of them rank among the nation's top 50 -- it figures to be the tip of the iceberg.

At least, that's what the future Tennessee players who played in Louisville are thinking.

Marques Johnson, a 6-foot-5 combo-guard from Ft. Wayne, Ind., sank seven 3-pointers in a row during the competition, showing a touch that goes beyond the previous scouting reports.

It turned out there wasn't anything Johnson couldn't do well, even if his athleticism wasn't of the "wow'' variety possessed by the six McDonald's All-Americans in the game.

Johnson's laid-back, mature personality is as important as his skills, as far as the recruiting class goes. The first player to give a verbal commitment to Pearl at UT, Johnson knows and has the respect of the other signees and looks to be the glue from a chemistry standpoint.

"There were a lot of people wanting me to go in-state, IU (Indiana), Purdue or Notre Dame,'' Johnson said. "But I thought UT was right for me, and it turned out there were more Tennessee fans in Indiana than I ever expected.''

Johnson played shooting guard in high school, finishing as his school's all-time leading scorer, but he was a point guard in AAU ball and plans to compete at the point at UT.

Johnson said he has "no hard feelings'' after the Vols added highly rated point guard Ramar Smith of Martin Luther King in Detroit to the class last Wednesday. Guard Josh Tabb, a fifth-year prep school player, is also part of the signing class.

"I'm definitely coming in to compete at the point, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes for the team to win,'' Johnson said. "I've played against Ramar at the NBA camp. He's an athletic guard, more of a slasher, a great player. The more great players we get, the more we'll win.''

UT associate head coach Tony Jones on Marques Johnson:

"He's a classy player who's very versatile. He plays the point with size, and he makes other people better. He's big enough and talented enough to make plays on his own.''

JOHNSON ON JOHNSON

Strength: "My court awareness, vision and ball-handling.''

Weakness: "I need to get in the weight room and get even stronger.''

Surprise skill: "I shoot the 3-ball well.''

Favorite UT win: "The Texas game.''

Wayne Chism, a 6-8, 235-pound power forward from Bolivar Central in West Tennessee, did a quiet burn Friday. McDonald's All-American Javaris Crittenton, the nation's No. 1-rated point guard, played ball-hog during the 2-on-2 game, and with the golden-shoed Crittenton missing long-range shots, the duo was quickly eliminated.

"You noticed I just walked off after that game,'' the soft-spoken Chism said. "That guy wanted to be the show, so, whatever.''

Chism spent most of the game putting his athletic frame on 6-11 McDonald's All-American Brook Lopez, who's headed to Stanford. Chism's desire to win was obvious, and so was his defensive prowess.

Chism was the second in the class to commit to the Vols, fending off local pressure to play at Memphis.

"(John) Calipari is a good coach, but he came at me too late,'' Chism explained. "Bruce was straight-up with me and didn't beat around the bush.''

Chism was just as direct when asked about competing with incumbent Dane Bradshaw for a starting spot at power forward.

"I've got to go in and play hard and play harder if I don't get the starting spot,'' Chism said. "It will be hard competing with Dane. He played big this season. He gets low on you, and he plays strong.''

UT associate head coach Tony Jones on Wayne Chism:

"He's a big man that will flourish in an up and down game because of his size and ability to run the floor. He can play the 4 because he can knock down the 3-point shot.''

CHISM ON CHISM

Strength: "My rebounding.''

Weakness: "My jumper and jumping skills.''

Surprise skill: "Shooting range and ability to take guys off the dribble.''

Favorite UT win(s): "The Texas and Florida wins.''

With deep-set eyes and a pointed goatee, the 6-7 Crews' menacing appearance sets off his aggressive style of play.

Crews, whose offensive skills conjure up images of NBA great Julius Erving, should be an immediate fan favorite upon arriving in Knoxville.

"I can score from anywhere on the floor, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to win; that's my thing,'' said Crews, the highest rated of the UT recruits. "It's been fun spending time here with my teammates and building a chemistry. We've clicked like this (snaps fingers).

"I had a lot of options, (North) Carolina, Georgetown ... but I want to go somewhere I can leave a mark.''

Crews speaks with great charisma, translating his confidence in a non-offensive way. That will be important as UT tries to fit all the talent on the floor next season.

"There will be plenty of ball for all of us,'' Crews said with a chuckle. "We're the best players in the nation. We want to win.''

UT associate head coach Tony Jones on Duke Crews: "Duke's got all the bases covered. He's a difference maker in a classic sense. He was the key to the recruiting class, and he came to Tennessee to do something special. We fit his mentality, as far as him coming in wanting to prove something.''

CREWS ON CREWS

Strength: "I play with passion.''

Weakness: "Everything. I can get better at everything.''

Surprise Skill: "My ball handling, decision making and passing.''

Favorite UT Win(s): "The win at Texas, the first win against Florida, and the win at UK.''

Classic Results: In Saturday’s Derby Classic, Crews finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 7 blocked shots; Chism had 5 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block; and Johnson did not attempt a shot and finished with 4 rebounds and 2 assists. The trio’s team lost 118-106 in overtime.