Time and time again this season, Rodney Chatman has found ways to make an impact for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball program.
Not surprisingly, he has gone through the ups and downs of being a freshman. Mocs coach Matt McCall has thrown him into the fire and dealt with the results, which have been mostly positive.
Because of the early part of the season, the confidence Chatman now plays with is obvious on the court.
“Through the first half I tried to develop my game to where I could back up Greg (Pryor) and help the team defensive-wise and make our team better,” Chatman said after the Mocs’ 80-64 win over Furman on Saturday. “It started over the summer. Coach McCall really pushed me in conditioning, telling me he needed me to come in and play right away.”
The 6-foot-1 point guard from Lithonia, Ga., had eight points and a pair of assists Saturday. For the season, he’s averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 assists per game in fewer than 20 minutes per outing. On a team with plenty of experience, including four-year starting point guard Pryor, Chatman’s contributions haven’t gone unnoticed.