Dave Hooker audio:
Dave Hooker audio:
Think of it as fantasy sports on steroids.
No, this wasn’t you and your buddies in a dark basement picking players over chips and dip.
This was the Pilot Rocky Top League Year II, complete with television coverage, a live radio pick-by-pick broadcast and
a packed house at Ray’s E.S.G. on Kingston Pike.
“Ain’t no way,” former Tennessee forward Ron Slay said when asked if he would have ever believed such a basketball event could take place in Knoxville, especially in June. “Is football going to be playing, too? Lady Vols would have to join or something. There’s no way I would believe it’s going to be packed like this.”
Yet there was the crowd, anticipating every pick, all for the (essentially pick-up) basketball games to be held at Bearden High School starting Monday night.
To no one’s surprise, Tennessee forward Tyler Smith was the No. 1 overall pick, going to the H.T. Group, which secured the top selection via a random drawing.
News Sentinel coach Andy Rines was sure he’d miss out on the draft elite when he drew the fourth pick. Then, good fortune shined on Rines when he was able to select former UT player Damon Johnson and Slay with the first and second pick.
“I thought going in that Damon and Ron Slay were two of the best three players in the draft,” Rines said. “I didn’t think I’d get either one of them and ended up with both. I couldn’t be happier with what we got.
Johnson was one of the surprise performers last summer, when he was picked in the draft’s fourth round yet was one league’s MVP.
“I think last year showed how the older, more experienced players took over the league,” Rines said.
Rick Campbell, the coach of defending champion Toyota of Knoxville, shared the older-is-better sentiment, but couldn’t pass up UT forward Wayne Chism with the second pick.
“Wayne’s probably going to be motivated to play really hard in this league, plus he’s looking to go to the NBA,” said Campbell, who took former UT guard Dane Bradshaw with his second round pick.
“I think Dane will come in finally healthy. Just a diehard leader.”
Ray’s E.S.G, led by South-Doyle coach Chad Smith, picked UT signee Scotty Hopson with the third overall pick.
Smith, who also coaches high school all-stars for a traveling Nike team, wasn’t afraid to pick the young and unknown in the draft. Smith also selected UT transfer point guard Bobby Maze.
“I wanted to get the two guys that this town hasn’t seen before, with Maze and Hopson, so they were there and I took them,” Smith said. “… We’re going to really spread the floor out and try to let them show their offensive skills off.”
Mixing UT’s basketball past, present and future is part of the intrigue of the Rocky Top League. Nowhere is that more evident than on the News Sentinel team, where Slay is teamed up with UT signees Phillip Jurick and Renaldo Woolridge. Slay knows he’ll be expected to be mentor, as well as scorer.
“Go out there and go hard,” Slay said of the lessons he’ll impart. “Don’t let anybody punk them or try to beat them up. Try to take the fight to the other guy.
“That will carry over.”
Rocky Top League
Teams and Draft Order
Overall pick in draft in parenthesis.
HT Group
Tyler Smith (1); Courtney Pigram (11); Daniel West (12); Michael Jenkins (23); Cole Rose (24); Greg Hamlin (35); Kyle Huckins (36); J.T. Blair (47); Chris Conner (49); Ryan Walden (60)
Toyota of Knoxville
Wayne Chism (2); Dane Bradshaw (10); Rashard Lee (13); Andy Tipton (22); Tony White Jr. (25); Kirill Yakvolev (34); Isiah Brown (37); Jared Stevens (48); Jimmy Boone (50); Dan Walter (59)
Rays ESG
Scotty Hopson (3); Bobby Maze (9); Brian Williams (14); Logan Johnson (21); Steven Pearl (26); Alex Oliver (33); Alex Bowers (38); Ben Williamson (46); James Gallman (51); Mario Mcclurie (58)
News-Sentinel
Damon Johnson (4); Ron Slay (8); Renaldo Woolridge (15); Phillip Jurick (20); Jalen Steele (27); Raul Placeras (32); Cameron Sharp (39); Jeremy Saffore (44); Chauncey Thompson (52); Keith Bauer (57)
Richardson Construction
John Mueller (5); Terrence Oglesby (7); Stanley Asumnu (16); Josh Tabb (19); Bobby Guyton (28); Elmar Kuli-Zade (31); Michael Blue (40); Rob Zalucki (45); Skylar McBee (53); Adam Plavich (56)
1st Tennessee
Cameron Tatum (6); John Higgins (17); Jordan Howell (18); Zach Hyatte (29); Ben Bosse (30); Eryk Watson (41); Marko Costic (42); James Boo Jackson (43); Justin Walker (54) Dustin Brown (55)
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee 60, Connecticut 57 men's…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 25
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
Another basketball article....Hey Foolmore!!!!!
Pearl is a Certified Genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Silent_Fulmer writes:
Wow, Pearl turned basketball into a year round sport in just 2 short years by last summer. I never thought I would see the day when basketball is #1 in Knoxville.
I don't know if anything like this in the country has ever happened. Our former AD didn't really care about mens basketball, and now we have a Pearl, who has gotten things done and surpassed King Tut of Knoxville himself in the excitement category. I know deep inside Fulmer has to be pissed we hired Pearl.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
wtf is wrong with you guys?? this is about bball!!! Does EVERYTHING have to be turned into an attack???
course, what would I expect. way too much to see a post: 'CBP and the UT men's bball players continue to promote the game and the turnaround of the bball program' or 'man, it's great to see this thing take off!!!'
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Can we get a little anti-John Adams lingo goin round? It's the fourth comment already on a totally unrelated article for cryin' out loud!
volnknox writes:
forget football, its always going to be basketball time in tenn.
see ya fulmer!!!!!
DandyVol writes:
I hope the games will be on radio.
Go Everyone!
GreerVol22 writes:
I hear Fulmer is repainting his office. Kind of a medium ocre I think. He's also has Chavis working on concessions. I hear we are going to be using the "8-Time Lady Vol Champs" cup this fall. Oh, I almost forgot, several 4XL sweater vest just arrived from Adidas, and get this...they are black.
That's about all the excitement from the football front, back to you in the booth Dave.
Hoss44 writes:
Dave,
Wheres the love for Team First Tennessee, Brent Watts is by far the best coach in this league, they're taking the title this year.
juicetke#226846 writes:
Did I miss where they said what radio and TV channels these games will be on? Why mention that the games will be broadcast and not mention where.
BADGES0413 writes:
Workin- Foolmore
Silent- Jackson Hole
Hiresanders- T is for Thug
TouchTenn- FOOLmore (has to copy workin)
Henny Youngman - Take my wife please.
Workin- Foolmore
Silent- Jackson Hole
Hiresanders - T is Thug
TouchTenn- FOOLmore (has to copy workin)
Henny Youngman - Look a Dead Bird.
Come on Workin, Silent, Hire and Touch even Henny Youngman had a second joke. Come up with some new material to make our day. I look forward to your next syllable's with great anticipation.
I saw where Workin' was yearnig to get back to the Majors years of 77 to 84. Wow we were 51-39-3 and soaking up the Sun in the El Paso Sun Bowl and Steve Alatorre was dancing in the Meadowlands End Zone over Jimmy Hoffa's dead body in the Garden State Bowl. Oh for the good ole days. Oh yeah, he had one good year and made it to the Peach Bowl.
aspenvol writes:
FIRE JOHN ADAMS
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
there's volfan5521, appearing after I make a post. What a loser.
bugman (Inactive) writes:
Toyota of Knoxville for year #2. They are loaded
Wayne Chism
Dane Bradshaw
Tony White Jr.
JeffBleedsOrange writes:
Sleeper team..... 1st Tennessee, that squad has got some shooters..........day-um!
kaplan#211944 writes:
Games are not televised or on radio. You can see highlights and photos on govolsxtra.
ncvol writes:
I think anytime you can have this much excitement
about a sport that it has to be good for UT.
I think that I would love to be there and see our former and present players play....
Can't wait till football time in Tennessee either.
alfrizzle097 writes:
I'm thinking News Sentinel. They have last year's MVP and a former SEC player of the year. With two other legit big men, I really think they have an advantage. Woolridge should make it his goal to learn as much from Slay as possible. He had an NBA skill set. Just not quite enough size for PF and not quite fast enough for SF. Made a spectacular college player though. Best player Tennessee had in the Lamerson (not any worse than Foolmore) years.
juicetke#226846 writes:
Whoops! Sorry I took the quote, "This was the Pilot Rocky Top League Year II, complete with television coverage, a live radio pick-by-pick broadcast," differently than it was intended. I see now it was only speaking of the draft.
ballewville6 writes:
i wished i lived in knoxville i would go to every rtlg but instead ill go 2 or 3 nights,its going to be great to see the ut players of the present and past im in bearden 2 or 3 times a month now it will be more
jclowers writes:
Hey Hooker is J.P. Prince not playing in the Rocky Top League this year?
Hoss44 writes:
Watch out for First Tennesee, I hear that their actually going to play some D. Watch out for the Matchup zone B.Watts is going to bust out. His coaching alone is worth 20 points a game. Cameron Tatum will capture league MVP!!
Hoss44 writes:
Eric "Randy" Watson, you'll all know that name when the summer is over
Hoss44 writes:
John Adams putts from the rough
Hoops43 writes:
There is no "D" in First Tennessee or Brent Watts so I don't expect D will be their strong suite. Watts would only suggest a matchup zone because he could play no D. Hoss44 you must have been listening to Watts own version of his press guide. He was only made a head coach when one of the coaches last year got nixed by the NCAA.
egwillo#238660 writes:
All this whining sounds like a bunch of Kentucky fans. Where is the loyalty to Tennessee?! Be it football, basketball, basketweaving, whatever. GO VOLS!!!
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