Vols' Santiago Vescovi named to top shooting guard award watchlist

The Preseason All-SEC First Team guard was one of 20 players named to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Preseason Watchlist, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.

The award is given annually to the top shooting guard in Division I men’s college basketball.

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A fifth-year senior, Vescovi led Tennessee in scoring last season, averaging 12.5 points per game along with 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals and helped the Vols to a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament.

"I've been here forever. I really love the program," Vescovi said earlier this month. "I love Knoxville and the people here are great. The support from everyone has been amazing. I feel like I'm at home here in Knoxville and I love being around here. I love the team and everything about it. For my future, I thought it was best to come back for one more year and spend another year here with the guys."

Vescovi headlines Tennessee's roster, which also returns fifth year player Josiah-Jordan James and junior guards Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack. Junior forward Jonas Aidoo and sophomore forward Tobe Awaka make up the inside.

Veteran leadership has led to high expectations less than two weeks out from the Vols' season opener. Tennessee was picked to win the SEC by the media and were ranked No. 9 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.

"The biggest thing I told both (Vescovi and James) when we talked about them coming back was leadership," Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. "We had a lot of new guys in the program and I told them, 'personally, coaching staff wise, we are not going to judge you because you guys have worked.' They have always worked. They have been guys that we know have represented this program the way we wanted it represented...Those guys have played a lot of big minutes, but leadership I think will be the biggest thing when it gets right down to it."

The Vols play Michigan State in an exhibition game at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network before hosting Lenoir-Rhyne at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Oct. 31 at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network Plus.

Tennessee opens its season against Tennessee Tech at Food City Center on Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network Plus.

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