It seems Eric Turner has found a new home.
The 6-foot-6 forward, who was on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus this weekend, gave his nonbinding pledge to play basketball for the Mocs beginning in 2017. It is the program's first commitment for that year's signing class.
"Say Hello to the New Tennessee Chattanooga commit #UTC #GoMocs," Turner tweeted Sunday afternoon.
Turner, who prepped at The Villages Charter High School in Gainesville, Fla., was a three-star prospect who averaged 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game during his junior season. In fall 2014, before his senior season, he committed to play for the University of Wyoming but later decommitted before signing with Florida International.
He ultimately ended up at Chipola Junior College in Florida, where he averaged 11.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season.
Turner chose UTC over early offers from Central Florida, Charlotte, George Mason, Houston and Texas Tech.
The Mocs expect to lose six seniors after the 2016-17 season. They will add transfers Andrew Fleming and Makinde London, who are enrolled at UTC but must sit out this season.
Women pick up two commitments
UTC's women's basketball team also had a productive weekend as guard Brooke Burns and guard/forward Bria Dial pledged to the program for the 2017-18 season.
The 6-foot Dial is an all-region and all-state player who averaged 10.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 steals and had four double-doubles last season for Brentwood Academy, which won its third consecutive Division II-AA state championship. Dial chose the Mocs over offers from several programs, including East Carolina, Memphis, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UNC-Wilmington.
Burns' Gadsden City team, which features South Carolina-committed Haley Troup, went 16-8 before falling in the Alabama Area 7 tournament last season. The 5-10 Burns averaged 20.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and made 85 percent of her free throws.
She chose the Mocs over Samford while also being pursued by Auburn, Belmont, Jacksonville State, Southern Miss and Tulane.
The Mocs now have four players committed for their signing class. Baylor senior guard Mya Long and Germantown senior center Rochelle Lee were the first two. In addition, the Mocs previously picked up 6-4 center Arianne Whitaker, who transferred from Winthrop.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfree press.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.