KNOXVILLE — Bruce Pearl has been saying for weeks that his University of Tennessee basketball team needed better point guard play.
Apparently that problem is serious enough to shake things up on a team that’s entering the final week of the regular season with just three losses.
Versatile sophomore J.P. Prince played a few possessions at point guard in Sunday’s 63-60 win against Kentucky. It was the 6-foot-7 sophomore’s first game time at the position this season. The Memphis native and Arizona transfer has played mostly on the wing and some at power forward.
“J.P. learning to play two positions probably took away from his performance and abilities, (but) we’ve got to get better play from our point guard,” Pearl said.
Pearl said he hasn’t decided whether Prince or senior Jordan Howell would be the backup point guard for Wednesday’s game at Florida. Howell is mired in a shooting slump.
“If Jordan comes back into the rotation, he needs to make shots,” Pearl said. “Is that putting a lot of pressure on Jordan? That’s why he’s out there. That’s the reality, and he hasn’t been able to do that down the stretch.
“Nobody feels worse about it than Jordan. If he gets called upon to play again, we’re going to ask him to come in there and keep taking those shots: Don’t be afraid to pull the trigger.”
Prince said he had no preference. While admitting point guard is his “natural position,” he also likes playing off the ball.
“We were just switching some things up a little bit,” Prince said. “Howell and Ramar (Smith) will still get a lot of minutes there, but wherever Coach needs me, I’ll play.”
Prince said the transition was practically seamless after some practice repetitions.
“I just had to learn some of the play calls,” he said. “Other than that, it was pretty normal.”
Senior guard Chris Lofton said Prince “looks good” at point.
“He can play the 1 through the 4,” Lofton said. “He’s long and athletic, and he can get in the paint and make plays for other people.”
Big commitment
The Vols hosted several high school recruits over the weekend, getting at least one commitment.
Atlanta-area power forward Kenny Hall became UT’s first 2009 commitment, pledging to Pearl on Saturday over offers from Duke, UCLA, Florida, Kentucky, Alabama and Southern California. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound Hall is Rivals.com’s 28th-best overall junior prospect in the country.
Hall attends Stone Mountain’s Redan High School and plays for the talent-rich AAU Georgia Stars.
Tennessee has also emerged as the leader for senior point guard Daniel West, a 6-1, 165-pounder from Saginaw (Mich.) High, rated by several publications as one of this year’s top 10 high school teams in the nation.
West committed to Bradley early in the recruiting process but didn’t sign in the fall. Kentucky, Memphis, Minnesota and St. John’s are among the teams also recruiting him.
North Hollywood, Calif., wing Renaldo Woolridge and East Ridge High center Philip Jurick signed with UT in the fall. The 6-8 Woolridge — son of former NBA star Orlando Woolridge — is Rivals’ No. 57 overall senior prospect, and the 6-10 Jurick is ranked No. 63.
The Vols are also prominent contenders for Scotty Hopkins, a 6-5 senior shooting guard from Hopkinsville, Ky., listed by Rivals as the country’s No. 9 overall prospect.
