Usually it's the media that requests which player they want to interview, but the tables were turned at Tennessee's practice Friday night.
Senior wing J.P. Prince had a message he wanted to get across.
"I've got to be more mature on the court and handle myself better,'' Prince said. "I think we all know my emotions can get the best of me, and it's something I want to handle better.''
Prince received two technical fouls in the loss to Vanderbilt on Wednesday night. The first was of the scrappy variety, with Prince mixing it up in the paint with Andre Walker, who fouled him twice and grabbed his jersey. The second was for hanging on the rim.
"You walk a thin line playing with so much emotion,'' Prince said. "I've just got to learn from it.''
Prince said he wants to represent UT in a positive light, and he's intent on altering his style of play.
"Of course I want to be liked, but it's not like you can entirely change who you are,'' he said. "I do need to mature, but I think sometimes people misunderstand our team.
"We all play with a lot of energy, and we get excited about our plays.''
As for the dunking, Prince said he plans to continue to bring a great deal of authority to the rim when the opportunity presents itself - minus excessive hanging on the rim.
"The only people who can really understand the dunking is the people who can or have dunked themselves,'' Prince said. "There's just such an emotion and a rush.''
UT coach Bruce Pearl said Prince came to him earlier this week to discuss what happened.
"I think it's good J.P. wanted to come to me and apologize, because he's realized he has crossed the line on a couple of occasions,'' Pearl said. "He has taken great pride in coming back to Tennessee and playing here; he's one class away from graduating and he's been working hard.
"He doesn't want a couple of incidents to take all of that way. I know the goodness in him and how competitive he is, and I'm proud of him for being accountable.''
Prince averages 7.6 points and 3.3 assists per game,but he leads the team in both charges drawn (14) and steals (30).
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Comments » 40
77VolFS writes:
To have Scotty consistently play both sides of the court with that same intensity and emotion would be huge.
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
Good or you JP to apoligize and admit your deficiences...thats the way to "Man up". We will be watching and hoping that you will mature and be the great player that you can be!!!!!
JP.......TCB......KOKO.......GBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
stayingorange writes:
The Vols need JP's emotion because sometimes it seems to be lacking from the others. That dunk wasn't a true T, but the game was getting away from the refs and that's the way they roll. I also don't think the loss can be blamed on that.
Volborn writes:
JP...let your play do the talking! When u were talking smack in Memphis before the game started and Maxwell(the ref) had to stop the game before the tip to shut your arse up......that phooey embarrasses most Tennessee fans. And do you think u are going to get one call when u act like that? Just duck the damned ball and go play defense and stfu!
VOLKING writes:
I still can't believe he made two three-pointers in a row. Nothing but net, either. Iwent from, "Oh No!!!" to "WTF" to "great shot!" Well, maybe I never said "great shot". I think it was more like "please don't shoot any more 3's."
Volborn writes:
oops....dunk the ball....dont duck it!
Cash writes:
you've had a few years to mature Princess.
sorry, times up. you MIGHT be an NBA bench warmer if you're lucky. ya just don't have the shot dude.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
good to hear JP say these things but its 2 or 3 yrs. late in coming. Can the showboating really stop or is this just another rambling. By the way, we don't want you to "duck it".
wildcatbasketball writes:
Cash---I agree...No disrespect to any player on UT's team but I don't think they have any player on their team that is NBA caliber...Chism maybe...but that is a stretch as well....If Loften did not make it then I don't see any player on this team making it...
magicbyswh#221420 writes:
I hope the showboater Prince follows up on what he says. I will have to see it to believe it. Once a showboater always a showboater He cost the Vols this game and has almost cost them others.
pomp_and_circumstance writes:
JP presents a very strange image. His expression never changes, on the floor or on the bench. His eyes are always on a somewhere distance, but not focused. It is as perfectly natural for him to throw the ball to an opposing player as it is for him loft a perfect pass for an ally oop slam dunk. His rebounding and defence is what keeps him on the floor at all. What a pickle for Peral!
Highlands_Whisky writes:
I would love to know what it feels like to dunk.
-average white guy
VolsToTheWall writes:
J.P is braindead. You can't help kids like him. He plays to be on Sportcenter. He's plays to be on highlights.....Which is okay....IF YOU'RE NAME'S BRON-BRON.
UTfan4life2 writes:
Wwildcat what in the hell are you talking about? Hopson is projected a top 20 pick by nbadraft.net and is top 15 in many other sites. LOOK IT UP.
You are an idiot UK basketball fan, a HOMER, a band wagoner. Get back to your cave.
Ayres_Hall writes:
2011 cannot come soon enough.
rockytopatl writes:
Prince coming forward to say this is a positive sign. I admit I have not liked him or his style of play -- he never seems to play "smart" basketball, even when scoring a career high. But maybe he's starting to grow up. I hope so, because if we are going to make a run, he has to be a leader. (And could someone PLEASE teach him a little technique at the free throw line?)
UTfan4life2 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
vol_4_fan writes:
It is ok to play with emotion,,,,,but you have to play smart! Just not sure that not only JP but others are able to make that adjustment? Go Vols
Fryinpansvols writes:
I think Prince can make it in the NBA. The league is a forward driven league and college basketball is more guard driven. Prince is a slasher with decent ball handling skills and most importantly he plays defense. GBO!
Fryinpansvols writes:
Easy guy! Take it easy on our boy J.P. Without him we wouldn't even been in the game against Vanderbilt. Whats most important about him is his defense. Stop trashing our own and support them. This kid obviously cares about UT or he wouldn't be there. And how many basketball players can say they are about to graduate? Beat Florida and GBO!
Fryinpansvols writes:
I'm tired of talking about the loss to Vandy, but you're right J.P. didn't cost them the game. UT was up 5 points with under 12 minutes to go and they fired up 3 straight 3's and Vandy took advantage every time when they had the ball. UT got complacent. They went away from what was working. Drive and dish seems to work for our Vols in a half court set. If we want to get back on track thats what we need to do. Use the 3 ball in spots, but we have to hit some. Beat Florida and GBO!
richvol writes:
You are exactly right...poor shot selection and not valuing each possession is what got UT beat the other night. With all our height and athleticism we should be able to work the ball inside and cause the other teams foul trouble but Pearl continues to let them throw up 30 footers whenever they want. Makes me angry while watching them...how many of you fans get angry while watching something that you should enjoy. There's a reason why...
tennrich1 writes:
My gosh, people, the man is apolozing...get off him...he's trying to do better...he's a good kid from good parents and family....well respected in the Memphis area....
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Still too early to say for sure, but Hopson and Hall may become NBA-level talents. Hopson needs a bit more of a killer instinct and Hall needs to broaden his offensive game. I agree that Chism may have the best chance. I don't think the team always uses him to his best advantage, but he is much more advanced as a player than some give him credit for. Lofton is thought to be too small and slow, but he might still have a chance to make it some day.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
That's a little harsh, don't you think? That guy has never come on here just to talk trash. You can't say there aren't plenty of Vol fans who doubt the NBA potential of our players. If you can't see any difference between that guy and the other trolls and interlopers on here, there is no help for you.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Pot, meet kettle. Most of what I have seen from you is little beyond this kind of rant. A little more info and considered opinion and a little less potty-mouth would do you good.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
These quotes in this article are some of the most self-aware I have ever seen or heard from JP. I have been as hard on him as anybody, but if he truly understands how he hurts the team sometimes and can channel all that emotion into his game, this could be a real turn-around for him. We need JP at his best, both physically AND emotionally, for this team to reach its highest potential.
rockytopatl writes:
But he has no jump shot and can't shoot free throws. The NBA doesn't overlook those deficiencies like some colleges do.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
what's the problem, white boy? I'm only a 5'10" white boy and I can dunk with ease. Only problem I have is I sometimes hit my head on my son's 8' goal.
UKblue02 writes:
Is UTfan4life2 really JP Prince in disguise Johnlg00? That was technical foul worthy. LOL PS please beat Fla. by at least 10 tomorrow, don't want them to get on a roll, good luck.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
The big game today here in ACC country where I live now is Duke at Georgetown. Last year's game at Duke turned on a "phantom" technical foul on G'town's Greg Monroe, who was on the bench at the time. Consensus now is that the offender, who supposedly yelled some obscenity at a ref for a call, was actually a G'town fan sitting behind their bench. G'town coach John Thompson--the younger--said that the refs may have whistled Monroe because he had been griping about calls against him all day.
I saw the game, and he may well have had a point, but his pouting may have drawn the tech that turned the game around. Thompson and Monroe now agree that the incident helped Monroe get his emotions under control, with the result that G'town is #7 in the country right now, and Monroe is one of the main reasons why. JP has the same reputation and that may be why the refs were so quick to call the techs on him, although I would have to agree that he did enough to draw them, no matter what his previous rep might have been. If he has indeed drawn the same lesson, he just may raise his game to a whole new level.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
FWIW and IIRC, this is the effect I saw from JP's rim-hanging tech: It was about four minutes into the second half; his score cut the margin to six; the game was stopped for about ten minutes for the refs to look at the monitor; Vandy then hit the two FTs to push the lead back to eight; and much of the steam went out of the crowd's and the team's energy. I agree that overall UT didn't play well enough to win the game, but if the tech hadn't happened, the Vols got a stop on Vandy's next possession, and then scored to cut it to four, the whole game may have unfolded differently.
That was one momentum break. The other came after the second tech; that was when the Vols went away from their offensive game plan for a crucial three or four possessions and lost their last chance to take control of the game. In a narrow sense, you are right that JP's techs didn't cost us the game, but our margin for error is so slim against good teams that we can't afford any such distractions.
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
BOK.....CHISM will play in the NBA and play well. He is a beast! He will have the opportunity to play with less chaotic rotations and will have people that can dish him the ball. Mark it down. Chism will be a GREAT NBA player!
halloffamebowler writes:
Amen.
UKblue02 writes:
Hope you wasn't a Duke fan today johnlg, i agree with you Prince can be a good player when he wants to, he is at his best when he drives toward the goal, and this last game may have made him realize that actions will speak louder than words, UT will need him down the stretch, the sec is a grind-em out conference as you know, Hope he turns it around.
UKblue02 writes:
oops meant drives toward the basket.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
You may be right with this. He is the closest to NBA caliber I have seen since Houston. Much more energy and poise since Tyler left. Best thing for Chism was the Tyler debacle, Chism has the ability to put the team on his back and carry them, Tyler did not.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
OK, so my recollection was wrong on the exact situation. I DID allow for that possibility in my original post. I notice you didn't challenge my basic point that the techs detracted from the team's concentration and robbed them of any momentum they may have had, not to mention that one of them added an extra personal foul that ALSO affected the way JP played and CBP substituted for the rest of the game.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I have NEVER been a Duke fan! That is mostly because of Coach K, whom I have disliked since he was the dirtiest player in college basketball while playing at Army. He also has just about the worst side-line demeanor of any great coach I have ever seen. My wife is a UNC fan, but I don't have a true rooting interest in any ACC team. I admire the passion for the game that ACC fans have, and, most of the time, they play the game at a high level over here. I agree completely with what you said about JP.
Basketvol writes:
The tech for hanging on the rim is one of the most borderline calls I have seen regarding that rule. If it would have been another player, not JP, they probably wouldn't have called it. I don't think it cost us the game, but it was a ridiculous call--no surprise with the state of college basketball officiating.
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