Goins takes another step closer to UT

Juco point guard to get degree today

By Mike Griffith

Originally published 10:14 p.m., July 28, 2009
Updated 10:14 p.m., July 28, 2009

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.''