He shoots before practice. He shoots after practice. He shoots on days off.
Scotty Hopson gets it.
The Tennessee freshman shooting guard knows what was expected of him when the Vols signed him as a McDonald's All-American out of Hopkinsville, Ky.
"I want to get to that level I need to be at,'' said Hopson, who led the Vols with 14 points in a 77-58 loss at Kentucky on Saturday and ranks as the team's most accurate 3-point shooter at a .374 clip.
Hopson, perhaps more than any of the players on the team, has more upside in reserve as the Vols hit the deciding stretch of the season.
It starts at 9 p.m. Wednesday, when UT (16-10, 7-5 SEC) plays host to Mississippi State (17-10, 7-5) in what amounts to a "bracket busters.''
Vols coach Bruce Pearl has said it's a game Tennessee must win to ensure itself an NCAA tournament bid - even though UT's RPI is 25th in the nation.
Hopson knows better than anyone that for the Vols to be at their best, someone needs to be a threat from the perimeter. It might as well be him.
"Going into the game, I have to have that (aggressive) mindset,'' Hopson said, "to take over the game, to show my talents and all aspects of what I can do.
"I really want to win this game because this will make or break our chances to make the NCAA tournament.''
Pearl has praised Hopson at times and been patient with him at others, lauding his improvement, consistency and even-keel approach.
UT junior center Wayne Chism said Hopson could be the key to the Vols' season.
"If he keeps stepping up, we can make a mean run,'' Chism said. "People have to respect him; they'll take that jumper away, and he'll go to the cup.''
Hopson's defense has been just as impressive, according to Chism.
"Out of all the freshman, Scotty's gotten better . . . he has a reputation where he can say something (to the team),'' Chism said. "At the beginning of the year people were driving by him. Now, there's no one really scoring on Scotty.''
Hopson said he feels the pressure to perform - and he likes it.
"I should have done a lot more this season,'' said the 6-foot-6 Hopson, who's averaging 9.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. "I can play better, and the next few games I have to show that.
"If I don't step up and do what I can, we won't have success.''
Shay Says: The Vols will try to change some things up for the remainder of the SEC season out of necessity.
"There's more tape and more info out there, so you have to ad-lib a little more out there,'' said UT assistant coach Jason Shay, who scouts and gameplans with Pearl the majority of the contests. "We have to understand that we have to execute and create in space in the half-court (offensive sets).''
Adding Hopson as a fourth scoring option - along with Chism, Tyler Smith and J.P. Prince - could provide the balance the Vols strive for.
The teams that have been successful have been balanced,'' Shay said. "We've been top-heavy.''
Smith leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.2 points a game, followed by Chism (13.1), Prince (9.7) and Hopson.
Wayne's Pain: Chism said he takes blame for some of the quit in the Kentucky loss.
Asked about Patrick Patterson's late dunk, Chism took all of the blame.
"It was a lack of focus on my part,'' Chism said. "You could see the position I was in - and I only had one freakin' foul. It made me look so bad, and they had another run after that.''
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
NCAA Tennessee 83 - Ohio 68
Vols' spring practice wit…
NCAA Tennessee Lady Vols 75-4…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 82
navyvolinva writes:
Step up youngin
MrBamSeydu writes:
Hopson just needs to realize he is the best player on our team, he just hasn't proved it yet.
He is by far the best "prospect" we have, although I think an argument could start to be made that Chism may make an okay NBA player. Tyler Smith just isn't going to cut it. You can't drive into the lane and spin 14 times and shoot some goofy hang-time jumper in the lane when you get to the NBA. It just isn't gonna happen.
smashmouth98 writes:
It's time for Scotty to live up to the HYPE!!!!
MANVOL writes:
Can you say rainbow?!!?!
grvol writes:
Chism: "we can make a mean run..." This bunch is all talk.
Volsfanstuckintx writes:
If he doesn't improve dramatically over the last few games and help carry this team to at least one win in the tourny he will quite possibly be on of the most overrated freshman ever.
Volsfanstuckintx writes:
Very true. If Chism played with the motivation that his mouth runs at he would be dominate. He shows flashes of it at times, and then it appears he is a no show. I dont understand how he can dominate people one game and then be shut down by so so teams on other nights.
volunteer11 writes:
just because hes not a one and done everyone is hating on scotty. hes going to be so real, our whole team will be alot better next year if no one goes pro and we get more recruits. i think next year could be our year
MikeTheTiger writes:
No kidding! Mean run where, NIT?
Plasticman writes:
Rainbow or not, he is our best 3-point shooter. He is developing into a very nice player who I think will dominate in the next year or two.
AlWilsonFan writes:
"Posted by bruceforpres12 on February 23, 2009 at 9:18 p.m.
If he doesn't improve dramatically over the last few games and help carry this team to at least one win in the tourny he will quite possibly be on of the most overrated freshman ever"
ever? Really? ever?
Comeon guys lets get real, Scotty will be fine. It's just not coming all together this year, the outside shooting, the point guard play. (And don't blame B Mays either, like they were saying on the Animal, he didn't come to Knoxville to play half-court ball.)
Just had some things not come together right, but I'll put money Hopson is bigtime next year.
... if he doesn't get his confidence shot that is.
AWF
AlWilsonFan writes:
oops, guess I doubled up on the quote. :)
WestTennVol writes:
I am honestly sick of you guys talking trash on here about our BBall team, this is Tyler's second year on THIS team (not to mention his first as the marquee player), Chism has only had real minutes for a year and a quarter, Prince has gone from being in a coma to endless shoulder and ankle injuries and we lost our three best guards last year, if you ever played competitive basketball you know that losing your top THREE guards who combined were what 40/10/10 per game? (not even mentioning JaJuan's steals, team record btw...) is DEVASTATING..take it easy they'll come around. Bruce has never had a team this big and this YOUNG. What they need is confidence, and trashing on a 18-21 year old kid on their home website is well...you do the math
VOL_FREAK_91 writes:
good post!
Volsfanstuckintx writes:
I understand they are young and all, but this season is almost over and these guys don't look like they have a clue. Maybe they will develop by next year and be phenoms, but honestly at this point in the season age shouldn't be a factore anymore, nor an excuse.
mparker writes:
Scotty is going to be excellent. that he isn't now is just a funcition of some pretty lame competition at his HS, apprarently.
I will stick with the contention that HS ball does little to prepare you for good bball. No defense, few practices, most of it is showboat.
utucla writes:
Couldn't have said it better myself....talk...talk...talk...we'll see....
AlWilsonFan writes:
Fair point BFP12.
Oh and I know it's Maze, wish there was an edit function.
Volsfanstuckintx writes:
Just another odd thing I've noticed, I am a college student and I know this facebook thing is taking over the world. But you dont even have to have that to figure out that Woolridge isn't focused on basketball first and foremost. Just go to YouTube and look up his name and see what comes up, it's not basketball, it's his dream of being a rapper apparently. His facebook is promoting his rap dreams all the time and from what it looks like he spends his nights in the dorm room writing down new lyrics instead of in the gym learning how to drive the ball to the rim, or even learning how to make one of those three point shots we all know he loves to put up. I know it's kind of random but that's just something i've noticed.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
you couldnt have this shooter on the court when Woolridge is in----he wouldnt get a shot---------renaldo is going to take as many jacks as he gets minutes
BigOrange_supporter writes:
Slowly put the bottle down, and go back to bed.
VolJunkie writes:
While Scotty may be developing into an outside threat, I think the biggest improvement has come in his inside game. He has a good first step and can get to the basket, not consistent inside 8-10 feet yet but he is getting there. Scotty seems to have good vision and can find the open man, agree that he is a work in progress. Every time I see this kid on TV I am visibly reminded how young he is. A little more seasoning for him and Negedu, add a true point guard ...
Vols need to go at least 3-1 the rest of the regular season starting with a win at home tomorrow night against MS. Some posters have suggested fans boycott the game, just the opposite, we need to remember the effort against FL and turn out in force. Yeah, my glass is half-full and as I posted earlier, I will still wear my orange, this is still my team.
Go Vols!
HtownVol writes:
I just dont think Hopson has that killer instinct. I dont think he can take over a game. Yes, he has the talent. But I think that there are too many characters on this team. No one really knows who the leader is. We do not have anyone that will get in the others faces and let them know that they need to focus. If someone would step and be that leader we might start playing more consistant. Until then we will see the VOLS in the NIT.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
Beam me up!
Scotty just take your oppurtunities. Don't get in a "give me the ball" contest. Team effort. Good D. I think you're gonna be great. You are blessed.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
Maybe theirs too much competition on the current team? He has at least as much talent Our players need to work with each other more , especially at guard.
MBEACHVOL writes:
And we were worried about him being a one and done player, just like Vincent Yarbrough and Tony Harris. Right now he looks about like these guys, could turn into a good college player not pro material. Hopefully he will work harder and actually develop skills. Then the sky is the limit.
elizabethtonvol72 writes:
Is it just me, or have we heard all this before? All these guys are good players, however, untill they come together as a team. what you are seeing now, is what you will get! Come on guys! It is a team sport. Therefore, it has to be a team effort. I know you all have the tools to do it. You just need to come together as a team, and put those tools to work! Scotty! If you are reading these posts, please, Chism was quoted as saying you have a reputation now, to were you can say something to the team. Please ask the other guys, what it is going to take to come together, and become the winners that we all know you can be? Crush them Bulldogs!!!! GO BIG ORANGE!!!!
TurboFan writes:
Asked about Patrick Patterson's late dunk, Chism took all of the blame.
"It was a lack of focus on my part,'' Chism said. "You could see the position I was in - and I only had one freakin' foul. It made me look so bad, and they had another run after that.''
That's not what I saw, Wayne. I saw you move to cut off the driver and NOBODY (aka not Hopson) rotate over to cut off Patterson.
bleed_orange writes:
Defense, Rebounding, & BETTER % FROM THE FOUL LINE! Create better O out of better D! Maybe create some transition easy baskets. GO VOLS-BEAT THOSE MS BULLLDOGS!
goeltzd#649642 writes:
Bark Bark Bark
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Isn't there a little box where you type your comments in the first place? You DO know you can backspace and use the directional cursors to go to any word to change it if necessary, right? On my computer anyway, there is even an automatic spell-check red-line warning that comes up for common words. Don't mean to be ragging on you, but I just wondered if everybody doesn't see the same format. BTW, again not calling anyone out specifically, but "dominate" is usually a verb: "We must dominate the boards to win this game." "DominaNT" is usually an adjective: "Scotty has the potential to be a dominant player." Here endeth today's lesson in English usage, and sorry for being such a pedant--look it up(;-P)!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
May be something to it. Don't know much about his work ethic in basketball, but his game looks like he takes his talent for granted, since his dad was a long-time NBAer, and he hasn't really worked on weaknesses in his game. JMHO; like I said, I don't know the guy at all.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Agree with all except maybe more playing time for Woolridge. He just hasn't shown me that he is at all ready to really compete at this level. Maybe next year, if he is still here, but based on what I have seen so far this year, he should just stay on the bench.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Agree; Chism is much better in nearly every way than he was last year. He needs to improve as much again for next year to be the player he COULD be, but we would be MUCH worse off without him this year.
Volumnus writes:
PMan,
You are right, he is the best we have.... OUCH! I hope you are right, I do hope he develops. The shot is not so much a rainbow as a launch trajectory with a serious apogee.... if the apogee were any higher the ball would burn up on re-entry.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Good for you! Wish I could be there! Support the team and hope until there is no hope. This team is all we've got this year, and they'll be MOST of what we will have next year. They need all the support we can give. I know I have been, and will continue to be on occasion, critical of some aspects of their play but I really DO want them to play well, give it their all, and win. GO VOLS!!!
mocsandvolsfan writes:
I just thought this should be read again. While I think it's ok to "bash laziness" I agree with every thing you said. They probably aren't lazy and are still learning the system. We expected a lot from this group and maybe we've been too harsh. Some for sure have and still will be. Those people ignore positive posts.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I see your point, but not every talented player, or even every productive one, is a natural leader. It is rare, though surely not unheard-of, for a freshman to be a real team leader. Even Lofton wasn't that much of a leader until his last two years. The natural leaders on this team should be Tyler and Wayne, but Tyler, I think, has too many other concerns on his mind--not so much selfishness as awareness of adult responsibilities apart from basketball--and Wayne just doesn't seem to be a take-charge kind of guy, though a reasonably decent player. Agree that there is a major deficiency of on-court leadership on this team.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
Yeah Team!
TurboFan writes:
John, I've seen a few others mention the squiggly red line on misspellings but I don't get it in my "Post your comment" box. In Word or an email yes, but never in the GVX comment box. Is there some Internet Explorer box that needs to be turned on? Just wondering.
Basketball_Jones writes:
Didn't we hear this like 2 months ago? Talk is cheap, Pealr needs to ban these guys from the media. Wayne "This isn't Tennessee basketball" then goes out and hides for the UK game. Just shut up and play
Volumnus writes:
I agree with some of what you say:
Skylar, Yes, they need to make that call, TODAY WOULD BE A GOOD TIME!!!
Recruit a defender/true point(not a scorer per se, but a true point with speed and defense. (Please note this beast is out of fashion on the internet, rivals does not even rate one.)
Scotty, needs to shoot in his sleep until he becomes the 3 point shooter that we need. He and Tatum can drive open but are too slow in traffic.
Tyler and Wayne should never shoot another 3 point unless we have 3 rebounders hanging on the rim. It is a wasted possession 75% of the time.
Williams, has improved, but what you see, may be all you are going to get.
Negedu, tremendous upside...a bit of an enigma.
Get Woolridge a scholarship from the communications/music dept. and let him pursue his dream. Use that scholarship to recruit a point with some court vision, speed and defense and hopefully without an ego.
The only thing to add is that CBP has to coach the TEAM concept more, if it means running them 5 miles a day before and after practice, then he needs to get it through everyones head that they need to be a team. I suspect that this is a fine collection of good players that will never be a good team.
VolJunkie writes:
Turbo, this depends on what browser you use, IE (microsoft) no spell check, Firefox works great. You can get a free Firefox download at www.mozilla.com. Firefox does not work well with all web sites so you need to keep both.
Hope that helps ...
steelers6rings writes:
Vols lose to MSU, Florida, S Carolina... Win against hapless Bama... Win one in sec tourn.. lose one in SEC tourny... Finish..18-14...... and host a NIT game in Knoxville !!!
JSGJWG writes:
Oh scotty, that was tiger dust from a REAL all american, TYREKE EVANS, freshman of the year from the UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS. 54-52, YEA, THATS THE ONE!!!! #4 in the country!! XAVIER HENRY(the #1 prepster per espn) will be blowin more TIGER DUST (2009) in your faces next year. Enjoy the nit.
marc_ash#231781 writes:
If Scotty wants to do something better, move your feet on defense.
If he feels the pressure to perform, it should ALL be on defense.
itsme, please come over to the football article and lets talk about UT/Memphis there. Would love to hear your thoughts on UM's football tradition.
KENVOL writes:
What happened to the walk on kid who made the team? It seems to me every time he gets on the floor he hits a 3 pointer. Why not put him in to shoot some? Childress use to be fairly decent shooting the 3. We have people on the bench who might could loosen up the D. I don't understand why we don't use them.
TrouserCough writes:
Notice the volume on comments. Few care enough anymore to even comment on rediculous blather from the players. They have decided to man-up with a handful of games left. Whoo-hoo.
jzt writes:
This team needs to play more sound basketball, better help defense, solid effort on the boards, and better passing on the offensive end
bowlinggreenvol writes:
How can he be one of the most overrated freshman ever, when he's averaging 10ppg and he's not one of the our top 3 scroing options? Shay himself said adding Scotty as that 4th scoring option may be what we need. The problem is not Scotty the problem is the offense is stuck in. We need him to score more, he recognizes it, the team recognizes it, and the coaching staff recognizes it. They recognize it so much they're gonna make him the number 4 scoring option, yeah expect that "change" to get it done. First of all, J.P. should never be a scoring option. He's a great "playmaker" and makes a lot of unbelieveable decisions when the balls in hands, but he's not a scoring threat. Second of all, when your "leader" is shooting 5-18 vs Memphis, 1-11 vs UK, etc. he's no longer your go to guy. Tyler has proven to me that he can't handle the pressure of having to be THE guy. This offense should run through Scotty starting Wednesday and from here on out. Shooting 38%-40% on 3's can yall imagine what he'd do if he was given the freedom to take 18 shots a game like Tyler? Wow!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.