Duke Crews, a 6-7, 225-pounder from Bethel High of Hampton, Va., announced tonight that he has picked the Vols over Wake Forest and Georgetown. He also considered North Carolina, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Illinois and Virginia.
Rated a four-star prospect by ScoutHoops.com, Crews is listed No. 10 nationally among power forwards and the No. 36 overall prospect by the same source.
UT previously got commitments from 6-8, 235-pound Bolivar standout Wayne Chism and 6-5 Fort Wayne combo guard Marques Johnson. Chism is rated No. 18 nationally among power forwards, Johnson No. 12 among shooting guards.
Crews, Chism and Johnson are expected to sign with Tennessee during the early signing period Nov. 9-16.
Tennessee’s 2005-06 roster features three seniors who are down to their final season of eligibility – forward Andre Patterson, swing man Stanley Asumnu and point guard C.J. Watson. A fourth senior, post Jemere Hendrix, recently was dismissed from the team.
Seven current Vols are scheduled to return for the 2006-07 season. They are guards Dane Bradshaw, Jordan Howell, Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith, posts Major Wingate, Damion Harris and Ryan Childress. Joining them will be Tony Passley, a 6-5 swing man from Indianapolis who is sitting out this season as a transfer.
The signings of Crews, Chism and Johnson will boost Tennessee to 11 scholarship players. That leaves Pearl with two more scholarships to give. The Vols may soon get a commitment from Josh Tabb, a 6-4 point guard from Cincinnati Harmony Christian Prep School. He is profiled elsewhere on this site.
Rockytop.com recruiting analyst Jeffery Stewart, who has been following Crews’ recruitment, will have a more in-depth story on the newest Vol commitment in the next 24 hours.