Tennessee Men's Basketball
RUTLEDGE - Skylar McBee was known for making big plays at the old Rutledge High School and new Grainger High.
Big plays were expected from the star quarterback. Big shots in basketball were routine.
So when McBee launched a 3-point shot that may have saved Tennessee in its 76-68 victory Sunday against No. 1-ranked Kansas, most people in Grainger County only expected one thing.
It was going in.
"Oh yeah," Jack Hipsher said. "You can bet on him."
Hipsher, 77, former pastor at the McBee's family church in the Buffalo community, was warming his hands beside a kerosene heater Monday afternoon inside Cameron Service Center.
"They called A.W. Davis, 'The Man with the Golden Arm,' " said Charles Cameron, owner of the service center. "I wonder if they'll start calling Skylar that?"
McBee, freshman walk-on guard at UT, has a long way to go before he can match Davis, the former all-state player at Rutledge who became a star at UT 1962-65.
Yet McBee's shot Sunday might be as big as any Davis made for UT.
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Basketball coach Derrick Combs talks about his former player Skyler McBee's heroics on the court Monday, January 11, 2010 at Rutledge County High School. Combs remembered what a unselfish and hard worker McBee was on his high school basketball teams as he sits in McBee's former locker. Combs was at the game and watched McBee make the winning shot that helped defeat No. 1 ranked Kansas.
It came at a setting far different than McBee was accustomed to the past few years while playing in small high school gyms. There was a frenzied sellout crowd of 21,936 at Thompson-Boling Arena, and a national television audience smelling one if the biggest upsets of the season.
UT led by seven late in the game. Kansas scored four straight points and cut the deficit to 71-68 with 1:10 left.
The Vols worked for another shot. McBee got the ball late in the shot clock, seemingly unaware that time was running out.
"I thought first of all, the adjustment from high school to college, they don't have a shot clock in high school," said Doug McBee, Skylar's father and assistant coach during his high school career. "I've seen him get to where he might pass up a shot and not realize what was on the shot clock. It's an adjustment to make, even though he's played 14 (college) games.
"I really thought he didn't know how much time was on the clock and he might not get the shot off. I think the impact of the crowd triggered him to look at the shot clock and get the shot off."
Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor was guarding McBee on the left wing. After glancing at the clock, McBee made a move around Taylor and hit the 3-point shot for a 74-68 lead with 34 seconds left.
"He made a great crossover dribble and got the shot off," said Grainger coach Derrick Combs. "He's made that shot 1,000 times. I wasn't at all surprised he made it."
Not after watching McBee the past four years. McBee, who averaged 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists last season, was accustomed to double- and triple-teams throughout his high school career.
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Doug McBee, the father of University of Tennessee basketball player Skyler McBee, talks about his son's heroics in the final seconds of the Kansas game Monday, January 11, 2010 at Rutledge High School. McBee was in Thompson-Boling to watch his son sink a clutch 3-pointer that sealed the win for the Vols against the nation's No. 1-rated team. He is an assistant coach at Rutledge.
"Skylar was like a coach on the floor," Combs said. "He's just a clutch player. We were in a lot of close games last year. I think we were in 10 games that were decided by two points or fewer and won nine because Skylar stepped up and made big plays."
Somehow, all those big plays did not land McBee the high-major Division I scholarship he wanted.
Combs said McBee had Division I offers from Santa Clara, Marshall, Winthrop, East Carolina, and College of Charleston, and Chattanooga, East Tennessee State and Belmont made early offers that went to other players when McBee was undecided.
Wake Forest recruited McBee hard, but never got around to making an offer.
UT coach Bruce Pearl, meanwhile, also was in the hunt for McBee, but didn't have a scholarship. Combs said Pearl scouted McBee twice last season and sent assistants to five other games.
There was the thought that if McBee spent a year at UT as a walk-on, a scholarship would be there his second year. Yet there is never a guarantee of that happening.
"Like a lot of people, I may have thought, 'Take the scholarship, the sure thing,' " Combs said. "But you can't fault Skylar because it's always been his dream to play big-time Division I basketball."
Combs believes McBee will get a scholarship next season.
Photo by J. Miles Cary // Buy this photo
Jared Kincer, left and Robert Myers talk about hometown hero Skyler McBee's basketball heroics Monday, January 11, 2010 at the Down Home Restaurant in Rutledge. Both men watched the game on television as the University of Tennessee player walk-on player and Rutledge native made the clutch shot that beat No. 1 ranked Kansas. Kincer went to school with McBee's older brother.
"That's the deal," Combs said. "I think Pearl even said on his post-game (Sunday) he will be on scholarship next year."
When Skylar decided to walk on at UT, he had the full support of Doug and Sue McBee, whose two older children have graduated from college.
"As a family, you want your kids to stay close to where you can see them play," Doug McBee said. "I know if he went to Santa Clara or Marshall, we'd get to see him some but not like playing here. I was really pleased when he made the decision to stay here."
So were his fans in Rutledge.
"I've known his parents, his grandparents," said Hipsher, rubbing his hands in front of the heater. "I've known Skylar since he was a small boy. I've seen him grow up. He's a fine young man."
Across the street, at Down Home Restaurant, McBee had other proud fans. Waitress Marsha Greenlee, 60, has known McBee since he was born. She played softball with Sue McBee and has waited on Skylar for years at the Down Home.
"He's just a good kid, a really good kid," Greenlee said. "I have never seen or heard anybody say anything against Skylar."
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Comments » 50
leedsvol2007 writes:
It's always difficult to judge certain players game intelligence and ability to deliver at the big moment.
Skylar did exactly what he needed to do and delivered. Let's hope its the beginning of a special career.
GoVols!
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
That clutch 3-pointer was my fav. shot in the game. I knew at that moment, we were gonna pull the upset!
allvol32 writes:
No matter what else Skyler McBee does over his UT basketball career (and I think he'll do a lot for sure) his clutch basket against Kansas will rank among the all time great highlights of TN basketball.
volsn3 writes:
THIS IS JUST WHAT THE DR. ORDERED.....A REAL HERO IN A SENSE.....NOW LETS GET IT GOING IN THE SEC....COME AND GET YA SOME AUBURN
kb7398#233189 writes:
This story makes me homesick! I miss Rutledge so much living in Cincinnati now...Go Sky-Man!
Voluvr writes:
This is the kind of player that can take your team where it hasn't been before. The kind of kid that has a proud town behind him. The stuff legends are made of.
Voluvr writes:
Oh wait, did someone say star quarterback?
hillsborovol writes:
Sometimes we put too much emphasis on getting great athletes instead of great ball players. Skylar McBee is a ball player.
SEC__Headgear writes:
McBee like some of the other guys has been playing but knowing he was not depended on. Once the need arose he and the others responded with game instinct. You can not respond that way with any fear in your being. McBee had no fear and that is why he would not miss.
Hopefully as the conference schedule progresses, McBee and the other potential shooters will play without fear. Continuing to play as we did Sunday will earn better than a 500 league record and a 6 seed or better in March.
arvolfan writes:
His play on Sunday reminded me of Dane Bradshaw- a lot of scrap, a lot of fight for a little guy...
tmartin writes:
except mcbee is a basketball player
allvol9 writes:
Great story. Passing up smaller schools to play at UT....way to go Skylar. That shot with 1 second was amazing.
beatlecakes writes:
Skylar makes the Grainger County tomato take a back seat! Great story about an East Tn player that everyone can take some pride in appreciating.
FolxyWhite writes:
Good job, Skylar. Keep it up!
teampenny#658108 writes:
Nice kid! This is what makes college sports so great.
tlallman writes:
Dane Bradshaw was the second most valuable player on the team next to Chris Lofton. His style of play made everyone else play better. He gave it all for Tennessee when he played. Those critical of him obviously have never played the game. McBee has the potential to give us the same level of excitement. Go Vols!
jakethevolguy writes:
I'm not sure but, I think Phil Garner played at Young High School.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Kudoes, young man.
Keep at it, you won't go unnoticed by the opposition any longer.
easleychuck writes:
Thought that Garner was a Bearden High School product.
Dane Bradshaw was a player. He did all of the little things that make a team go. If Coach Pearl hadn't come along, we would have never had the pleasure of seeing the intangibles that Dane Bradshaw brought to the floor.
People like DB, Chris Lofton, etc. from those early teams don't come along very often.
Chris Lofton fought cancer and never said a word about it...are you kidding me? If he had been in the ACC or Big East, Vitale would have licked his sneakers.
Tyler Smith is gone but he brought a ton of good memories to me. He screwed up but he is paying the price.
Hopefully, the truth will be determined and proper punishments handed out to the other 3 young guys. I rode around in a few cars growing up with people who were doing stupid things....luckily for us, nobody was hurt.
I believe that something like what happened can make a lasting impact on someone's life...in a good way if they realize how close they were to losing something very important to them.
Skylar McBee is a skilled shooter, you can't teach it. He has done the work and because of his insistence on playing big time college basketball, we as UT fans are going to get to enjoy it. His quickness will improve. He will get stronger. And the shot that he has developed from practice, practice, practice will bring smiles to our faces for many years to come.
tgiles1944#654264 writes:
Phil Garner went to Bearden High in Knoxville - Played baseball for 3 years at UT
Fall_Creek_Vols writes:
No scholarship available for his freshman year. He turns down scholarship offers from other schools to go to UT. He becomes one of the heroes of the upset of an undefeated #1.
By the way, don't we have a scholarship available now?
tmartin writes:
i couldn't agree more. he will forever be etched on the "all-glue" team for his efforts.
KevDVol writes:
There is a particular court length YouTube replay of the shot. It shows McBee dropping his arms and lighly bouncing/drifting away from the spot...like He knew, as soon as it left his hands, where that ball was headed...BOTTOM!!! (use your best John Ward inflection here please)
cmoore7 writes:
I am very happy for Skyler McBee and all the attention he is recieving, but Steven Pearl played his butt off on Sunday,too. Pearl was in there rebounding and boxing out when nobody else was. He played like a coach's son plays on Sunday.
pj_ladyvolnMI writes:
AND I'm pretty sure he would have seen very little playing time if the New Year's Day incident hadn't happened. We definitely wouldn't be sitting here reading and talking about him! I'm so glad he grabbed this moment and helped turn a really bad start to '10 into one of the best feel good stories ever. So proud of him and the rest of the team. Thanks, Skylar!
pj_ladyvolnMI writes:
Agree!
go_vols_go writes:
Money!
Southland writes:
yep good to see Steven Pearl playing hard and doing a good job. Seen him blasted on here several times in the past. No call for it. No one ever said he was a big time recruit. He only gets trash minutes but when he had to he played fine. If McBee was a start QB maybe he needs to think two sports cause we sure do need a QB as well as a basketball player ( I initially typed shooter but that sounded bad)
roloyo writes:
I thought that's what I read.......Naaah, we couldn't be that lucky.
GBO
richvol writes:
Skylar McThree...a star is born.
WytheVol writes:
Just watching McBee's shot over and over, you can tell he was designed for that. Although he was off balance, his release and upper body form were perfect on that particular shot.
However, all these guys on the court were hero's from the game perspective. Woolridge had three great 3's to get us back into the game in the first half. Bone had a great 3 shot. Maze was nothing short of amazing the whole game. Chism had some good points in the paint (ill-advised fouls clouted his offensive performance), Prince played exceptional on defense, again minus the fouls. Hopson stepped up and contributed in the manner we always expected, that dunk was huge over Aldridge and maintained the tempo we needed to win. Hall shut down Aldridge the entire game from a defensive standpoint. All these guys are MVP's as far as I'm concerned. Even Steven Pearl contributed some great minutes. And CBP has done a great job getting these guys to realize they had to pull together and finally become a team.
CoverOrange writes:
Absolutely. But I remember Dane Bradshaw being a total liability on the court his freshman year. We can hope and believe a similar transformation will occur for Sky through that hard work and hustle.
MOTOWNALUM writes:
I sure am glad to have a player with no Tattoo's that my sons can see as a good sports role model. Here last year he played for a town that most people can not find on the map which has only 1 red light. He has worked hard and went from Grainger High to knocking down 2 big 3-pointers against the #1 team in the nation.
The beauty is the lesson of working hard to get what you want and not taking the easy road.
I am pretty good with #'s since I have a degree from UT. Let's see 1 scholarship player dismissed for being stupid, leaves 1 scholarship for someone who deserves it. Yes, he still needs to work on defense and improving his game as some negative person noted. One thing for sure he will work hard at being a better player, person, student, and role model. You will not have to worry about him on grades, drugs, guns, tattoos, and etc.
GO VOLS DON'T LET DOWN NOW!
shaymous writes:
This "TEAM" came through a rough spot on the road and showed the basketball world what it was made of...What strength and determination did they show...Everyone played great, no exceptions, Skyler stepped up and hit a big time shot, that sealed victory... a shot that he took on instinct, and sunk because he is a WINNER...You are all winners....Awesome game "TEAM....
mdvol writes:
Wish he had the ball at the top of the key against Purdue with 4 seconds left.
UTByrd writes:
I've said from the start that Skylar would be the "glue" on this team, just like Dane.
The ONLY criticism i have for Skylar is he takes too long to set up his shot. He needs to elimanate bringing the ball down and leaning forward before he takes his shot. I am definetly not complaining. I absolutely love his hustle and love for the game as well as for UT. Keep the Elmer's flowing.
Go VOLS!!!!!
mnvol writes:
In Division I, scholarships can't be transferred from one player to the other during the academic year. McBee's going to have to wait till next year to get his scholarship.
indorider writes:
DAGGER BABY!!!
TSNVol writes:
MCBEE POPS, IT DROPS!!! WHAT A SHOT!
This is what college sports is all about. It don't get no better.
FEARinSEC writes:
Voice, why is it that all you ever have to say is negative and degrading??? I don't care if you are a Ut fan or not, I am sick and tired of all your negative posts!!
Sure would be nice if you could find a life outside of GVX!! I'm sure that will never happen, though!!
Good luck with all that negativity in your pathetic, meaningless life, I'm sure it will never get better, as you will most assuredly "reap what you sow".
Good day!
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
He will be able to go on a vacated Scholly for the first summer semester.
UT may actually have one unused right now however, Josh Tabb's wasn't used that I know of.
cdldoc#211897 writes:
How can anyone playing in that game be a "nonscholarship player"? That seems wrong somehow.
Would you be thinking, "I just helped bring down the number one team in the nation, but I don't deserve a scholarship? Lame!"
sideline77 writes:
Phil Garner went to Bearden,,I think
kb7398#233189 writes:
Concerning Phil Garner, he was a Rutledge guy for the first few years of high school before his father moved them to the Bearden area. His dad was the pastor at Rutledge Baptist for quite a few years.
And for crying out loud...it's Grainger County, not Rutledge County. Rutledge is the county seat and was the name of the old high school.
eefor10c writes:
I have watched Skylar play since he was in the eighth grade and he has just continued to get better. The time spent in the gym is nothing new. Many times after school he would shoot for a couple of hours with just a few minutes to come outside during baseball season to see how the Pioneers/Grizzlies were doing. In football he was totally outstanding and could have gone to college on a football scholarship but he knew what he wanted to do and where he wanted to be. He is there. A UT basketball player. As the article says this is nothing new to those who have watched Skylar at Rutledge/Grainger High. In one game I saw him drain seven three-pointers in the first half. When a basket was needed he produced in the clutch. On the issue of Phil Garner--he attended Rutledge High School for one or two years and then went to Knoxville since his father, a minister, was transferred to a church there. Go Vols!!
Mule_Days_King writes:
He can't get a scholly until next year. This year's scholarship allotment has already been filled. Tyler's scholarship can't be transferred to Skylar.
BTW, it just shows that being a non-scholarship player is not indicative of how talented a player is. The kid is a class act.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Thanks for clarifying that. Garner went to Bearden a few years after I did and one of my sisters was in his class, but even I didn't know he came there from Rutledge. BTW, Garner was a multi-sport athlete, excelling in football and basketball as well as baseball.
volsgirl writes:
YES HE WAS QUATERBACK IN HIGH SHOOL
bigOutfan writes:
Seeing Sklar McBee make that shot reminded me of a similar shot, Kelly Jollie made some years ago, for her team. Two nice young people and a nice story.
LibertyVolance writes:
Glad we get to see him make clutch baskets at TB now.
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