Compared to the previous recruiting cycle, this time around was a lot more relaxed for University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball coach Lamont Paris and his staff.
Paris announced the signings of two players Wednesday, both of whom had been committed to the program for a while. Grant Ledford, a 6-foot-5 forward from Knoxville, and Jaden Frazier, a 6-9 forward from Virginia, sent in their national letters of intent.
This comes after a spring signing period when the Mocs signed five players after losing seven: one to the professional ranks, one to graduation and five via transfer.
"It was really important getting it done early," Paris said in a news release. "Especially on the heels of the scramble-mode recruiting (to end the 2018 class). We had so many guys we brought in, it was good to get it done early and spend some time with them this summer.
"Grant committed before the July period, while Jaden was immediately after. Getting them committed and locked in was very important for us."
Ledford averaged 19.1 points, eight rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season at Grace Christian, earning district MVP honors. He was also named to the all-state team and was MVP of the Class A state tournament, leading the Rams to a title.
Frazier was listed as ESPN.com's eighth-best prospect in Virginia, averaging seven points and 5.5 rebounds as a junior at the talent-rich Blue Ridge School in Virginia.
"Jaden and Grant fit right in with the culture we are developing," Paris said. "They're extremely high-character young men from fantastic families. They epitomize what we want to do and the direction we are going. When you can bring in two high-quality players who are even higher-quality individuals, that's a feather in your cap."
This season's UTC team is 2-1 heading into the Goldie and Herman Ungar Classic in Mobile, Alabama. The Mocs will face host South Alabama on Friday night and will play Southeast Missouri State on Saturday and Jacksonville on Sunday.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.