The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team lost a player from its 2015 signing class earlier this week.
They've picked up two since.
The Mocs and new head coach Matt McCall picked up a commitment from 6-foot-6 forward Traevis Graham from Stuart, Fla., on Wednesday. He becomes the second player to make a non-binding pledge to the program in the past 24 hours, joining sharpshooting guard Peyton Woods out of Wayne County, Ky. Both are expected to sign by week's end.
Graham originally signed with Florida Atlantic and then-head coach Mike Jarvis prior to his senior season at Martin County High School. Jarvis was let go after the 2013-14 season, and Graham asked for his release in July, citing a "misunderstanding with the coaching staff" that was led by new coach Michael Curry.
He chose to play last season at Daytona State Community College, averaging 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds, and will have three years of eligibility at UTC. His coach, Ryan Ridder, said the Mocs are getting an extremely long, athletic forward.
"He plays with high, high energy," Ridder said. "He finishes around the rim and shoots well from 15 feet. Everyone thought he would stay in junior college for two years, so his recruitment hadn't really picked up."
Ridder mentioned Stephen F. Austin, Hofstra and Texas State as schools that already had shown interest.
Graham said Wednesday afternoon that a prior relationship with Mocs assistant Peter Gash played a big role in his decision, but he has some familiarity with UTC, having seen the campus on his first college visit prior to his senior season.
"That's my main man," Graham said of Gash. "He told me that we'll play similar to how I like to play, and I think if anyone knows my style of play, it's Gash. He's telling me I'll fit in well, so I'll agree with that."
He said that the UTC commitment wasn't something he had expected this season. He didn't even know he could sign after one season of junior college.
"This time it was just one school, and a school I loved when I first visited it, so it wasn't stressful," he said. "It's a good feeling to have this over with; it helps a lot that I've been through the process.
"Anything comes easier with experience, so I'm glad it's over and glad to get this taken care of."
This comes on the heels of former Mocs signee Austin Donaldson's decision to re-open his recruitment. The 6-2 guard from Jonesboro, Ga., had signed with the Mocs in November, but that was primarily contingent on former UTC coach Will Wade leading the program. Wade left for Virginia Commonwealth, and after meeting with McCall and assistant coach Jesse Bopp, Donaldson decided to ask to be released from his letter of intent, although adding Tuesday night that UTC still will be considered.
Georgia and Georgia Tech are among the schools that already have inquired about the point guard, who led the Cardinals to their second consecutive Class AAAA state championship in March.
His departure leaves the Mocs with only one scholarship point guard on the roster -- junior-to-be Greg Pryor.
Staff starts to round out
Two more names have surfaced as McCall attempts to round out his first staff.
According to a source, former Buffalo head coach Reggie Witherspoon is in line to fill an assistant coaching position. Witherspoon spent 14 seasons as the head coach for the Bulls, winning 198 games during that time. He was most recently an assistant coach at Alabama last season but was not retained when head coach Anthony Grant was fired after the SEC tournament in March.
The same source also said Collin Crane is in line to be the strength and conditioning coach. Crane played high school basketball at Karns in Knoxville before four seasons at Carson-Newman College. After graduation, he moved to Florida, where he was on staff as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the men's basketball team.
Those additions would leave only the director of basketball operations slot to be filled.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.