Tennessee men's basketball signee Melvin Goins is ready to close one chapter of his basketball journey and open up a new one.
Goins, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound point guard, will receive his associate degree from Mount San Jacinto Junior College in California on Wednesday.
"I had a summer school class I needed to finish up before I could come to Tennessee,'' said Goins, whose degree features a dual major of Social Sciences and Physical Education. "It's been frustrating because I've wanted to get down there and get into the swing of things, but I realize I had to finish this chapter before I could move on to the next one.''
Goins, 21, said he'll call UT coach Bruce Pearl today to let him know he's ready get on a plane and fly to Knoxville for the start of the fall term.
Pearl said earlier this week he expected no less.
"Everything is on track with Melvin, and there won't be any glitches,'' Pearl said Monday on the News Sentinel's Sports Page radio show.
Goins is expected to share playing time with incumbent Bobby Maze at the point, as the Vols will look to get back to their uptempo, pressing ways.
Pearl said the demise of last season's SEC East Division winning team could be traced to UT's issues at the point guard position.
"We won the SEC East in spite of what happened to us, graduating three guards in Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Jordan Howell, and then dismissing Ramar (Smith) and losing Daniel (West),'' Pearl said, referring to West being declared academically ineligible last October. "Bobby was new to the system, Josh Tabb had to play the point out of position, and we played Scotty Hopson as a guard as a true freshman and Cam (Tatum) as a redshirt freshman.''
Goins brings the Vols another experienced veteran, and as a penetrator, another offensive dimension.
"This is really a business trip; I'm not too worried about the transition because I've been moving around for a while,'' Goins said. "I moved from San Diego to Texas halfway through high school, then I went to college in Indiana (at Ball State), and then I came back out here to California.''
Goins started at Ball State two seasons ago and made the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team before transferring to Mount San Jacinto. Last season, Goins earned Foothill Conference Player of the Year honors, averaging 17.4 points, five assists and two steals per game.
"I'm really looking forward to getting to Tennessee and getting in the gym,'' he said. "I want to get worked out and hang with the guys, because getting to know my teammates is the most important thing.
"All the other stuff, the football games, the campus, that will come.''
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
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Comments » 28
BasketVols writes:
Welcome on board, Melvin!
txvolsfan writes:
Love having another PG, we need him!!!
TXVOLSFAN
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Hope we really do get back to the fast transition game. If not, it will be another long season.
oldsmokey67 writes:
Hopefully he will be another CJ Watson.If he produces half of what watson did we will win 20+ games.
oldsmokey67 writes:
I wish we could find more guys like jajuan smith.Not only could he shoot but he was a ballhawk on defense.and he was a former walk on.Guys like that will play their guts out for you.
BasketVols writes:
11:43 AM
And the second bet is a trick question, because she doesn't wear panties on days of low flow....
tennrich1 writes:
Lady,,PLEASE take english as a second language...it's so hard to take someone seriously........read rules for don't and doesn't.....
BasketVols writes:
Then why waste your time on a second-rate team's stupid message board? Why not go troll the board of a more reputable team, like Duke? Afraid you'll get owned w/o the obvious disparity in the programs' histories?
I really want you to answer these questions. If you don't address each of them, then you'll just solidify my points. So crank up that thing between your ears and let us in on what the truth is, TarHeelRules...
BasketVols writes:
You didn't answer my questions, so I no longer care what you type. You're an idiot and a loser, who latched on to North Carolina for no other reason than to nurse an insecurity issue.
At least I'm a fan of the team that we are supposed to be discussing here, and have been a fan of all my life, through the good and the bad.
And you're on here just as much as me... But you never answered, why?
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Not to speak for them, but I think the main point of those who replied to you today is to ask just WHY YOU CARE ABOUT US AT ALL. Since we have no rivalry with UNC to speak of and since I seriously doubt any UT fans have homesteaded on UNC sites the way you have here, it is easy to impute some personal shortcoming to you as a reason for being here. You have never answered that simple, basic question; in that absence, many of us have concluded that you are just a dip**** with no purpose in life except to cause trouble. Hope you are happy with that.
BasketVols writes:
Make my check payable to the Volunteer Athletic Scholarship Fund in the name of TarHeelRules, please...
johnlg00#206211 writes:
What you said. The only other answer that makes sense is that he is a KNS plant on here to provoke more posts, even if 99% of those posts have nothing to do with the articles.
Back on topic, I hope Maze or Goins or both raise the level of our PG play this year. This is clearly the biggest single area of the Vols' on-court performance needing improvement, both on offense and on defense. And if UT is to continue to build on the momentum CBP has established in his first four seasons, the team REALLY needs to step up this year! GO VOLS!!!
oldsmokey67 writes:
Please do not say billy donavon is a good coach.was a good coach is more suitable.It does'nt take a rocket scientist to figure out that donavon is bored at florida.and the last time i checked he did'nt have any players that are great.maybe 3 years ago.not right now.he's bored and we need another cj watson to knock out all of joakim noah's teeth.donavon will leave after pearl spanks him for a 9th time.by the way turdheel.we all know you are not a turdheel fan.so you can come clean about your love affair with memphis.
BasketVols writes:
Especially with Hopson sounding like he's ready to REALLY bring it, Tyler back and humbled, Weezy being Weezy, JP not being too hurt, and the rest of the gang a year older.
I really believe in the two PG approach. They'll push each other for PT and hopefully elevate their games. Bobby is a talent, and Goins sounds steady and reliable. Tatum won't have to spell Bobby, which will leave him as the backup to Scotty. I truly think Goins CAN make all the difference. Don't know if he will, but he CAN.
BasketVols writes:
Yep, I'm a fan of the Vols! Great reason...
oldsmokey67 writes:
I'M waiting on TURDHEEL to tell me how great memphis is.I have only been on this site for a week.but i have been reading posts for months.and about half of the time turdheel comments on a article he's praising memphis.if you would just come clean and admit it we would respect you more.quit hiding behind a team that you clearly know nothing about other than micheal jordan.my 12 year old step son knows more about north carolina basketball than you do.
thevoice writes:
to answer your first question, it's because you and others keep replying to him. leave him alone, sit back, and watch what happens.
BasketVols writes:
Well, if it bothers real fans that much, and I type this with no whining or sarcasm, then this is my last post. I'll just read the articles and let TarHeelRules tick everyone off.
BasketVols out!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I would hate for you to leave because you often contribute positively to the discussion! Don't let THR and the stupid replies to his stupidity run all the real fans--of whatever program, as long as they are civil--off this board. Then we will have ONLY trolls on here, which would be a tragedy. I generally try to avoid replying to trolls, but I do stumble occasionally, like I did today. Forgive me!
rockytop#413695 writes:
I think TarHeelRules is none other than Buzz himself. PO'd that Bruce was able to come in and take his players to new heights. Only thing that makes sense to me. Why else would he care? I live in Tarheel country and no real Heels fan would give a rats azz about what's going on with UT basketball. They're too worried about the upcoming season when they have to play without all those great players.
Volunatic writes:
I see you did a google search on "UNC BB history" when you abandoned your Tiger High fandom.
Volunatic writes:
Good TV ratings.
You seem terribly concerned, though.
Bigger_Al writes:
If you want to talk Bad about Bruce, let's give it up for that Clown Bruce Weber! How 'bout them Cheating Illini? Wonder what the over/under is on how much they are paying their incoming class. Illinois is the most dishonest, corrupt state in the union.
Bigger_Al writes:
You need to check your records, loser. Weber inherited Bill Self's talent and still managed not to win a title. And your comments on "Pearl's payroll" is that of a bitter Illini fan caught cheating.
The Cheating Illini have been caught cheating in evey sport known to man.
Probation: The Illini Tradition!
oldsmokey67 writes:
turdheel is a liar on wikipedia i found a descent write up on ut basketball.
GhostofRobertNeyland writes:
THR, I know who you are and I know why you come on here and write the things you do. You are a sad, little boy who has no friends. I know guys like you who have no life and have been laughed at and made fun of their whole life. You are an A-hole, always have been and always will be. The only reason your parents bought you a computer was so they didn't have to spend time with you. I bet you have a closet full of Playboy mags, a big jar of vaseline, and some pimple cream. If only you realized how sad you are. What a wasted life. Please go out and play in the road during rush hour traffic. Please forgive me for being so cruel, but I would really like to spend my time on here reading some news about our VOLS and not some BS from all the trolls.
Slystone writes:
On paper this team yet again should be deep in talent. The Big Questions are if certain players(Hopson) can separate themselves into star players and will this team find the right chemistry and leadership. Defense wins Championships. As for point guards Pearl better be out there trying to re-recruit his lost point guard or try to entice Joe Jackson.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
No one is happy with the way the team underperformed last year. I have said often that this season will pretty much show us whether CBP is the one to take us to the upper echelon of the game. However, WE are disappointed right now because CBP didn't coach up to the level HIS success led us to expect! I am not a CBP-worshipper, BUT I appreciate where we are NOW compared to where we were for way too long before he got here. That and a (mostly) full TBA and the Vols on TV often are WAY better than what we had before.
It sometimes seems to me that, for you, we are either championship contenders or we are nothing. I agree that the championship should be our GOAL, but, by your criteria, there are 300+ "nothing" programs in the country every year! Being reasonable in our expectations is not the same thing as settling for mediocrity, especially since the general trend has been upward for the last several years.
We will see if last year's "hiccup" was a fluke or a trend. In the meantime, let's support the team and the coach we have NOW, rather than pine away for a status we have never reached YET.
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