Super sophs come full circle to Rocky Top

The holiday season is a time when most college students pack up after finals and head home to be with friends and family following a long fall semester. For a pair of Tennessee Volunteers, that drive is not nearly as lengthy as it used to be.

Tyler Smith has contributed heavily to UT's early-season success. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

Tyler Smith and J.P. Prince decided to venture off following stellar prep careers in the Volunteer State.

Smith was Mr. Basketball in 2005 for Giles County, where he led the Bobcats to the Class AA state title in his sophomore year. He signed a letter of intent to play for Tennessee but after coach Buzz Peterson was forced out and talks with current coach Bruce Pearl fell through, Smith headed off to Hargrave Military Academy.

Following a year in which he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds a game at the military school, Smith headed to Iowa, where he was All-Big Ten.

Prince, who hails from talent-rich Memphis, also took home Mr. Basketball hardware in '05. He helped guide White Station to three Class AAA championships before taking his talent out west to Arizona.

After a circuitous road for both, they are back in their home state and key contributors to an 11-1 Tennessee team that has Orange Nation buzzing -- note an attendance mark of 21,001 in their last home game against UNC-Asheville.

Coach Bruce Pearl (left) has accepted Tyler Smith with open arms. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

Smith's father Billy battled lung cancer and Tyler deemed it necessary to be closer to home. New Iowa coach Todd Lickliter released him from his scholarship and the NCAA's Administrative Review Subcommittee granted Tyler a hardship and immediate eligibility. However, Billy Smith lost his battle with cancer on Sept. 19. Tyler now has a pair of teardrops tattooed below his left eye as a reminder.

Prince saw action in 28 games as a freshman at Arizona. He contracted an undisclosed illness, lost roughly 70 pounds, was placed in an induced comma and nearly died. Admittedly, Prince returned from his illness too soon, struggled to get into the rotation last fall, played only 17 minutes and opted to take his game back to Tennessee.

Smith used all of his allotted tickets as well as those from four other teammates in order to get seats for loved ones in his return to the midstate on Dec. 15 when the Vols took on Western Kentucky at the Sommet Center.

"It feels great just to be back in Tennessee period, not just to come back to Nashville and middle Tennessee," said Smith following the game while trying to hold onto his 18-month-old son Amare.

Smith now tailors his game shoes with the words "To whom much is given, much is tested." The extract from Luke 12:48 shows that the 21-year-old sophomore sees the opportunities before him and he wants to take advantage.

Tyler Smith's sneakers proudly display messages reminding him of his family, friends and purpose. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

Pearl and the Smith family appear to have mended their relationship and the coach has no problems running the offense through his 6-foot-7, 215-pounder.

"(Pearl)'s been used to me, I just don't think I was used to the style (of basketball)," Smith said. "So, I had to get used to the offense.

"Coach told me that being at the four (power forward) is a disadvantage for the other team as far as guarding me. He just wants me to go to the hole and take it strong."

The Pulaski native is averaging 13.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 12 starts.

Since Prince left the desert at midseason, he was forced to wait on his eligibility until the game versus Western Kentucky.

"All of us were excited for J.P.," Pearl said. "He had been on the shelf for awhile.

"I knew he would help us, I just didn't know how quickly he would. You can see he has a chance to really be special and make us a better basketball team."

J.P. Prince earned SEC Player of the Week honors after only three games with the Vols. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

In his third game back, Prince torched Xavier for 23 points in a hard-fought 82-75 road win on Saturday en route to being named SEC Player of the Week.

"All the players have had my back since I got here," he said. "They've taken me in."

Now meshing newcomers like Smith and Prince to a Vol squad returning all but one key contributor from a team that went to the Sweet 16 in March is a problem any coach would love to have.

Though their paths led them through the loss of a father and a near-death experience, the duo is far from scorn and are mature beyond their years. They answer with 'Yes sir' and 'No m'am' and follow conversations with small-time reporters with a handshake and a smile.

It's no wonder why reverse alley-oop dunks and spinning no-look passes come with such ease.