Chattem facility is UTC recruiting tool

Keegan Bell had the likes of Oregon, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State recruiting him after he decided to leave Vanderbilt.

The 6-foot-1 point guard chose the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga primarily for its coach but also because it’s a mid-major school with high-major consideration for basketball.

UTC opened the Chattem Basketball Practice Facility earlier this week. Bell, who is sitting out this season, saw contractor sketches of the building during his recruitment, and that played a role in his decision.

“This was a big part of it,” said Bell, who claims to be the first to have bled on the new court after taking a shot to the nose Friday. “Now we’re a high-major program and this is a big part of it.

“It’s top of the line, better than anything I’ve ever seen.”

In addition to the tangible benefits of having such a facility — a basketball-only building available to student-athletes around the clock — the exact replica of McKenzie Arena’s floor should play a role in recruiting more talented players to the Scenic City.

High school and junior college players are typically more interested in arenas, locker rooms and opportunities than libraries or chemistry labs.

“It shows a huge commitment to basketball at our school, and we’re one of very few mid-major programs in the country to have a basketball-only practice facility,” coach John Shulman said. “It’s out on our Web page, and every recruit that we’ve had in lately and every recruit we will have in has been in there.”

The days of practicing at Arts & Sciences, McCallie and Chattanooga State are over for UTC. But other Southern Conference schools face similar issues as UTC did when the main facility is occupied by other events.

Wofford coach Mike Young said the Terriers often practice at 7 in the morning or in the gyms of Spartanburg churches or local high schools. He admitted to being a bit jealous of Shulman and women’s coach Wes Moore.

“I’d love to have a Chattem practice facility, and, wow, what a kind gift from a local company and what a shot in the arm,” Young said Thursday, after his team earned its first SoCon win. “I hope that at some time, in my lifetime, we can have an opportunity to do something like that on our campus.”

UTC assistant coach Ricky Cabrera said he’s been bragging about the facility and keeping potential recruits up to date on its status.

“We’re now a high-major program and we want the high-major players, so we have to promote the resources we’ve got like this,” Cabrera said. “On top of our housing, our arena and now our practice facility, our cards are out there and kids know about us.”