The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball program lost another player recently, but the Mocs gained one Saturday.
Jonathan Bryant II, a 6-foot-4 combo guard out of Florida, became new UTC coach Lamont Paris's first pledge for the 2017-18 season after a weekend visit. That came on the heels of an announcement that 6-6 guard Andrew Fleming, who redshirted last season, had been granted a release from his scholarship and will transfer.
Bryant is a two-star prospect according to VerbalCommits.com and played at Oakleaf High School in Orange Park. He averaged 18 points and 5.2 rebounds his senior season, with three 30-point games for the Knights. A two-time Clay Today player of the year, he is the school's all-time leader in points, rebounds, steals, 3-pointers made and attempted, field goals made and attempted and free throws made and attempted. He's also fourth all-time in blocked shots.
He had basketball offers from Charleston Southern, Jacksonville, Stetson, The Citadel and Troy. Bryant also had a football offer from UT-Martin despite not playing that sport as a senior.
Fleming came to UTC from Iowa, where as a true freshman he appeared in 11 games for the Hawkeyes, averaging 2.2 points and an assist in 7.3 minutes per contest. He was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, spending most of his prep career at Ensworth before going to Oak Hill Academy for his final season.
The new developments have the Mocs currently at 10 scholarship players for the 2017-18 season, although multiple sources have told the Times Free Press that potential sixth-year senior Chuck Ester is unlikely to suit up again for UTC. The 6-6 forward, who missed the 2016-17 season because of a torn ACL, would have to apply for the additional season to play but could do so elsewhere.