Drew Pember getting some love on ESPN

[walkenvol]

Keon and Springer were here for one year. Barnes did fail to use Pember effectively. Does that mean he would be putting up those numbers in the SEC? Heck no.

Me thinks your memory is clouded - Barnes kept trying to play Pember, but Pember didn’t produce

 

[WaywardVol]

Me thinks your memory is clouded - Barnes kept trying to play Pember, but Pember didn’t produce

It’s not that he playerd him, it’s where he played him. Kept trying to force him to be a post. He isn’t.

 

[WaywardVol]

Barnes used him in the exact same role UNCA has. He just didn't have minutes to give him. He was never likely to get the minutes he's getting at the mid-major level, and he wasn't patient enough to wait and see, and rightfully so. He went somewhere that he'd get more time and it paid off. Has nothing to do with Barnes. Everything to do with the talent differential at Tennessee and UNCA and Pember's preference to go somewhere he'd get ample minutes.

Exact same role. Sure. One, he should have been redshirted. Two, he isn’t a post up player.
He’s actually closer to a Julian Phillips type, and certianly would have been a nice piece to have this year. Especially with his 3 point shooting and number of free throws. Let’s face it, Barnes had his blind spots and this was one of them.

 

[cncchris33]

Exact same role. Sure. One, he should have been redshirted. Two, he isn’t a post up player.
He’s actually closer to a Julian Phillips type, and certianly would have been a nice piece to have this year. Especially with his 3 point shooting and number of free throws. Let’s face it, Barnes had his blind spots and this was one of them.

You've presented no evidence to support your last sentence other than maybe the redshirt debate. Still, he played 121 minutes his freshman year, which is more than twice as many as BJ Edwards has played this year.

And Barnes didn't use him as a post player, so no idea where youre getting that from. More than half his shot attempts in two years at Tennessee were 3-pt attempts (19 out of 33 shot), and he made all of 3 of them.

Sure, he'd have been nice to have this year if you got even half the production he's currently churning out, though it's tough to know how much he'd translate to the SEC, and how much he'd have developed without a clear path to the 30 mpg he's averaged at UNCA the past two years.

 

[turbovol]

Coaches make mistakes, and Pemper may be one of them. I remember being impressed by this kid's tape when we signed him. A guy with
size, athleticism and an offensive skill set. It's a common issue: A guy is not ready to play a lot as a freshman--you've got veterans ahead of him;
the kid wants to play, thinks he can play yet is not sure if or how much he's going to play for a major program--and decides to leave. He plays a lot at his new school, get the minutes he needs to develop, and excels. I don't claim to know how much he'd have helped us this year--but front-court scoring has been a problem for us. It's always a coaching dilemma: How much time do you give to kids with potential who need minutes but, at the same time, don't see to be ready for significant minutes yet and meantime you're under pressure (as always) win games.

 

[Volfan1000]

Congratulations to Pember and UNCA winning their tournament and making the Big Dance for the first time in program history.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Congratulations to Pember and UNCA winning their tournament and making the Big Dance for the first time in program history.

I think that this is actually UNCAs 5th NCAAT.

 

[WaywardVol]

You've presented no evidence to support your last sentence other than maybe the redshirt debate. Still, he played 121 minutes his freshman year, which is more than twice as many as BJ Edwards has played this year.

And Barnes didn't use him as a post player, so no idea where youre getting that from. More than half his shot attempts in two years at Tennessee were 3-pt attempts (19 out of 33 shot), and he made all of 3 of them.

Sure, he'd have been nice to have this year if you got even half the production he's currently churning out, though it's tough to know how much he'd translate to the SEC, and how much he'd have developed without a clear path to the 30 mpg he's averaged at UNCA the past two years.

After reading this, I’m wondering who’s point your trying to make, yours or mine?

 

[LibertyVol]

I think that this is actually UNCAs 5th NCAAT.

I was thinking they beat Tennessee in the first round one year.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I was thinking they beat Tennessee in the first round one year.

Not in the NCAAT.

 

[cncchris33]

After reading this, I’m wondering who’s point your trying to make, yours or mine?

I'm still trying to figure out what your point actually is based on anything you've previously said, so I guess that puts you one step ahead of me. Congrats.

 

[aWhiteLoftonChism]

How many minutes did he average here? Not many.

I remember watching video of the guy when he signed with us, and one could tell that he had talent and potential--moved well for his size, nice shooting motion. It's hard to develop if you're not getting the minutes needed to develop

You develop in practice not games. You earn time in a rotation by practicing well, then you earn more time by being consistent in practices and games, then the minutes come

 

[WaywardVol]

I'm still trying to figure out what your point actually is based on anything you've previously said, so I guess that puts you one step ahead of me. Congrats.

As long as you keep insisting that how UNCA is using Pember is the same as Barnes used him here, then I might as well be arguing with a fence post.

 

[sechamp2012]

This. Best choice for him.

His stat line vs SEC team was not impressive

I watched him play vs ETSU and he just looked totally different, unstoppable that night. He’s a bit thicker long hair he just had a different cadence to his game, a confidence I never saw at UT but he was younger then.I think he just needed to be needed and now he’s the go to guy. May have been best move for him never would have averaged 21 at UT probably never even a 10 point average but who knows.

 

[allvol123]

If he entered the portal, would Rick want him now?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

If he entered the portal, would Rick want him now?

I doubt it. He’s still not strong enough or quick enough for the SEC. Maybe if TN played some zone defense, but I doubt that that is going to happen either.

 

[cncchris33]

As long as you keep insisting that how UNCA is using Pember is the same as Barnes used him here, then I might as well be arguing with a fence post.

How is it different other than number of minutes played? If your perception really is that Barnes tried to make a PF out of him, then it's based purely in fantasy.

Go watch the last 8 minutes of the TN-Alabama State game from 2019 and show me how much "power forward" he played. Pember plays the entire final 8 mins and outside of one post up in the final 30-ish seconds when he's the tallest Vol on the floor among freshman and walk-ons, he never even tried to receive a pass in the post in the set offense. He consistently played on the perimeter outside of crashing the boards. At best he played as a stretch-4, and more like a big SF.

So if you're attempting to prove that Barnes misused him relative to your belief that UNCA unlocked a unicorn, you'll have to show me where I'm wrong. I've given you an example to the contrary. All UNCA did was give him uninterrupted time on the court and less competition, both in opponent, and team role.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Clark Kellogg called Pember "one of the best players in the country" on the selection show. That stings.

 

[Ttucke11]

Not a popular opinion but I think Pember would be the 3rd best player on our team. He became a legit player.

 

[TNVOLNAVY]

Not a popular opinion but I think Pember would be the 3rd best player on our team. He became a legit player.

We are not a very smart team. He would certainly raise the overall team IQ

 

[joevols89]

Not a popular opinion but I think Pember would be the 3rd best player on our team. He became a legit player.

I don't think that's a reach. We are just JJJ/Vescovi without Zeigler.

 

[VeeOhElEsYes]

Congratulations to Pember and UNCA winning their tournament and making the Big Dance for the first time in program history.

Where'd you hear that? UNCA has been in the tournament several times.

 

[beachvol23]

Clark Kellogg called Pember "one of the best players in the country" on the selection show. That stings.

Clark being Buckhead, NEVER has anything positive to say about Vols. I interpreted everything he said as shade or outright disdain for UT. And we know Seth is = biased.

 

[YankeeVol]

Congratulations to Pember and UNCA winning their tournament and making the Big Dance for the first time in program history.

It's the programs 5th appearance...

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Clark being Buckhead, NEVER has anything positive to say about Vols. I interpreted everything he said as shade or outright disdain for UT. And we know Seth is = biased.

Lol yes. ESPN, CBS, Fox are all conspiring against UT.