Gene has been with the Times Free Press since July 2008. Prior to that, he spent three years covering sports for the Cleveland Daily Banner. He now covers Tennessee athletics, focusing on football and basketball. Prior to that he spent five years in the same capacity, covering UTC. Gene spent three years playing college basketball, then played a year of semi-professional before starting with the Cleveland Daily Banner in 2005. His passion is basketball, but he loves all sports of all kinds. He does consider himself a fan of the Bulls (NBA), 49ers (NFL) and is attempting a new-found fandom of the Miami Marlins and Florida Panthers. Gene lives in Cleveland and has a 14-year old son, Judah.
On Nov. 8, Beyuan Hendricks was warming up for his college basketball debut, Lee University's season opener against Palm Beach Atlantic in the Gulf South Conference-Sunshine State Conference Challenge in Carrollton, Georgia.
by Gene HenleyDrew Williams was supposed to be entering this AAU season - perhaps the most important of his young career - with the goal of having the type of spring and summer that would put him on the radar of major colleges across the country.
by Gene HenleyWhen the spread of the new coronavirus this month forced either the cancellation or postponement of organized sports throughout the country, athletes hoping for college opportunities were one of the groups affected.
by Gene HenleyNo one in the college football world appears to have any idea what will happen next as the new coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country.
by Gene HenleyRhyne Howard, a former high school star for Bradley's Bearettes, is the University of Kentucky's first women's basketball player to be selected to the AP All-America first team.
by Gene HenleyTo understand Cleveland senior point guard JaCobi Wood's ascension to Class AAA Mr. Basketball, one would have to understand his older brother, Jay Mee.
by Gene HenleyIt's easy to see Rhyne Howard now, when she is one of the — if not the — most singularly talented college basketball players in the country and think that the confident nature, the swagger she carries herself with is natural.
by Gene HenleyLike fellow Tennessee senior Lamonte Turner before him, Jordan Bowden's time on the basketball court as a Volunteer came to an unceremonious end before it should have.
by Gene HenleyThe only people hanging around Bridgestone Arena early Thursday afternoon were the throngs of media that had arrived at the site of the Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament.
by Gene HenleyIf nothing else, John Fulkerson is making believers of a number of people this basketball season.
by Gene HenleyThe summer before her senior year at Meigs County High School, Taylor Boggess and her sisters Morgan and Macie really wanted a pool in their backyard.
by Gene HenleyJeremy Pruitt and the Tennessee coaching staff spent a good portion of the 2019 season hiding its quarterback.
by Gene HenleyThe listless performance in Saturday's regular-season finale against Auburn puzzled Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes
by Gene HenleyLamonte Turner had a vision for what his final home game as a college basketball player would be like.
by Gene HenleyIs Tennessee going to be left out of the NCAA women's basketball tournament for the first time?
by Gene HenleyEntering this season, senior guards Jordan Bowden and Lamonte Turner were expected to lead what was supposed to be a mostly young Tennessee men's basketball team with hopes of maintaining the program's high level of play in recent years.
by Gene HenleyKellie Harper has harped on the little things in her first season as University of Tennessee women's basketball coach.
by Gene HenleyFor a night, everything came together for the Tennessee men's basketball team.
by Gene HenleyMaddie Wright sat in a chair Monday in the Curb Events Center lobby on Belmont University's campus, in nursing scrubs.
by Gene HenleyRick Barnes said Monday that Kentucky has "improved since we last played them," a 77-64 win by the Wildcats over Barnes' Tennessee team on Feb. 8.
by Gene Henley