Haris key to Final Four run?

[YankeeVol]

As per ESPN College Basketball Rumors:

Bruce Pearl's Tennessee teams have always been strong. In any given season, they're always a threat to get hot and make a run to the Final Four. So far, they haven't quite made it that far.

The Vols have always seemed to be something of a system team -- depending on their frenetic pace and depth to win games, even when the defense isn't up to scratch, or the talent level is just shy of elite.

All that changes with Tobias Harris in the fold. He's got the one-and-done type of skills that can elevate a team and change the way defenders play. In short, he's a game-changer.

With a 2010 class that includes Harris, Jordan McRae and Trae Golden, Bruce Pearl has to be happy to know for certain he'll also have former McDonald's All-American Scotty Hopson still on campus next season.

The potential go-ahead free throw he missed in the Elite Eight against Michigan State was definitely a deciding factor.

"I watched the rest of the tournament knowing we deserved to be in that position in the Final Four,'" Hopson said. "It's definitely in the back of my mind, and it's added motivation that I missed a free throw that could have put us ahead.'"

Hoops pundits have been predicting a Final Four run for the Vols seemingly every year since Pearl arrived in Knoxville. With Harris as his catalyst, the UT head coach may have a perfect one-year window to greatness.

 

[volsof09]

I think one more good recruiting class by Bruce can push us over the hump into Final Four contenders.

 

[YankeeVol]

The 2011 class is off to a nice start...hopefully we can pull another top 10 player or two

 

[getyopopcornready]

Who is Haris?

 

[YankeeVol]

That's the third post this week that I've messed up the thread title
:furious3:

I quit :mf_surrender:

 

[colvol]

The key to a Final 4 is 2 guys named Ware and Jones and hopefully one around 6 foot 9 inches.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[Volman93]

Post players matter more than any guard when it comes to tournament time. Duke would not have won it all this year without their ridiculous offensive rebound numbers.

 

[volguess06]

As much as I hate to say it, we wont be as good next year as we were this past year. Dont get me wrong we'll still be elite, but not final four elite. However, IF Tobias Harris can elevate his game throughout the season and go off in the post season (all while making his team better along the way) we can get to the final four. But that's alot to ask of one guy. Our best hope is that each and every returning player elevates their game significantly during the off season. All in all it is going to be another electric year for the basketball team.

I can honestly say that I am for the first time looking more forward to basketball season than football season. That alone tells me what Bruce has done for this program.

 

[JAL]

An exclamation point or a simple period at the end of the thread title is probably more appropriate than a question mark. Pretty safe to say that the answer to your question is an emphatic YES!

 

[junebug]

I think the best thing that could happen to Tennessee basketball would be for Tobias Harris to ease into lots of early playing time, put up silly numbers against weak teams OOC early on and then have an All American season followed by a departure to the NBA.

Tobias would have increased his national profile if he had not gotten injured in the All American game (at which time he was the leading scorer). Of course their defense as a group looked awful, but he scored at will. He also looked like he could dribble pretty well (Ron Slay/ Tyler Smithish) and it was very exciting.

I think with one GREAT season, Tobias could become the most important player in TN basketball history. Blasphemy say the Bernard King fans, but what I mean is that Tobias could open the floodgates for Bruce to elevate TN as a program to a place it has never been before.

Basketball players want to play in front of tons of fans. They want to be adored. They want to be on TV. They want lovely coeds. They want to enjoy the system they play in. They want to win lots of games. They want nice facilities to practice and play in. They also want to make millions in the NBA. TN can clearly offer top 5 attendance nationally, a fast tempo style many players prefer etc, but we have a glaring hole...Until TN has a bonafide millionaire in the NBA, Calipari can always just whisper that in the ear of every Michael Chandler, Johnny O'Bryant, Adonis Thomas etc.

Bruce Pearl has been steadily improving his recruiting since he has been here. I think he is one NBA millionaire away from 3-4 of that elite level talent player coming here. I also think with that kind of talent, TN will get to Final Fours. I think Bruce is now married to a TN lady, is happy in his job, likes his AD, will make plenty of money and will make more if he keeps doing what he is doing etc.

Kevin Ware and Chris Crawford are a great start for the 2011 class.

Kevin Ware, Chris Crawford, Quincy Miller and Michael Chandler would be the greatest class in Tennessee basketball history and it would not be close. Those kind of classes will only happen once we get a guy in the NBA with his own sneaker. Tobias Harris may have that kind of potential. If I had to get a Sweet 16 loss next year but T Harris as a 1 and done top 5 NBA pick, or T Harris is good but not great and we make it to the Elite 8 again, I would take the former because of what it will do for our program.

Allan Houston and Bernard King did not make this a program where the brightest stars of HS basketball had in their minds that they could go to UK or UCLA or Kansas or TN if they want to play in the NBA. Georgia Tech despite not doing as much as we have the last 5 years, still has claim to more NBA star success than TN.

Please discuss your thoughts about the NBA player argument.

Thanks

what we need is for Tobias to lead us to a NC then we can recruit with anybody.

You have to have good point guard play to win a NC.