EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third of a three-part series dissecting the 2019-20 UTC men’s basketball team. Today we’ll break down the big men after previously looking at the playmakers (see here) and the shooters (see here). We will preview the UTC women beginning Monday.
Ask Ramon Vila the biggest reason for fans of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team to be excited this year, and he doesn’t mention the Mocs’ influx of talent, their added depth or even the experience earned during a sometimes difficult 2018-19 season they finished 12-20.
Vila, a 6-foot-8, 242-pound Spaniard who endured himself to UTC fans a year ago with his physical style of play, instead uses words such as “family,” “friends” and “caring” when discussing the 2019-20 Mocs.
“The main difference this year is our players actually care about each other,” the redshirt junior said. “We feel like a family and we have the same goals. Everyone knows his role, which is very important to our success.
“Last year we didn’t have much communication between players, but this year we are super close. We hang out every day and we’re all super friends. If something doesn’t work out on the court, we can actually get together and talk about it.”