Santiago Vescovi has already started 110 games in his Tennessee basketball career.
What’s another 30 or 35 more?
The 6-foot-3, 192-pound guard from Montevideo, Uruguay, announced Tuesday night on his Instagram account that he will use the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility allowed after the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020 and play a second senior season with the Volunteers. Tennessee went 25-11 and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament this past season, with Vescovi leading the Vols with 33.0 minutes and 12.5 points per game.
“I need to clear the air about the rumors going around about me,” Vescovi wrote in his Instagram post. “I’m only going to say this once. They are absolutely true. See you next season, Vol Nation.”
Vescovi’s return gives Tennessee an experienced trio on the perimeter that includes Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler, and the Vols also have a trio of experienced forwards with Jonas Aidoo, Tobe Awaka and Julian Phillips. That is provided none of those players elect to enter the NCAA transfer portal as senior forward Olivier Nkamhoua chose to do late last month.