READY TO ROCK
By team, players with area ties who will play in the Pilot Rocky Top League against Tennessee players, starting Monday (* — former college player):› DeRoyal Industries: *Quincey Scates, Tennessee Wesleyan; Luke Smith, Sewanee signee; Levi Woods, Lee University (Meigs County); Ryan Montgomery, Lee University (Chattanooga Central).› Garza Law Firm: *Leland Robinson, Tennessee Wesleyan; *Jorden Williams, Sewanee (McCallie) *Brody Stone, Sewanee.› News Sentinel: Emier Bowman, Maryville College (Dalton); Danny Bates, Tennessee Wesleyan.› Smithbilt: *Jonathan Adams, Old Dominion (Baylor School); Jordan Hall, Tennessee Wesleyan; *Fred Sturdivant, Texas Southern (Brainerd); *Trey Suttles, Tennessee Wesleyan (Tyner).› Tillman Companies: *Brandon Cole, Bryan College.
KNOXVILLE – Most members of Tennessee’s 2017-18 men’s basketball team will take the court for the opening night of the Pilot Rocky Top League on Monday at Knoxville Catholic High School.
The annual midsummer tradition features some of east Tennessee’s best players, including several from the Chattanooga area. But those games aren’t where coach Rick Barnes will be looking to gain offseason insights about the Volunteers.
“That league is so good defensively, I’m going to play,” the 62-year-old Barnes said Sunday.
Instead, the third-year Tennessee coach is focusing on 10 practices and a trip to Europe in early August.