Academic All-American, First-Team All-Ivy Performer Chris Ledlum Signs with Tennessee

Academic All-American, First-Team All-Ivy Performer Chris Ledlum Signs with Tennessee

The Tennessee basketball program has added another decorated and well-rounded impact player to its roster, as Harvard transfer Chris Ledlum signed to spend his final year of collegiate eligibility on Rocky Top.
 
A versatile 6-6 swingman originally from Brooklyn, New York, Ledlum’s four years at Harvard saw him total 955 points in 70 games for a career average of 13.6 points per game.
 
Ivy League schools cancelled the men’s basketball season in 2020-21, and Ledlum sustained a season-ending injury after appearing in 13 games as a junior in 2021-22.
 
Ledlum, who will receive his Harvard degree in Sociology later this month, earned second-team Academic All-America distinction in 2023. Equally as accomplished on the hardwood, he also was a first-team NABC All-District selection and a unanimous first-team All-Ivy League performer this past year.
 
“Chris has many of the characteristics we value in our program,” Vols head coach Rick Barnes said. “He has a tremendous work ethic and plays with grit, toughness and a bit of swagger. We’ve seen similar traits in other Vols from New York, and we expect Chris to build on that history.
 
“He comes from a wonderful family and had a tremendous career at Harvard playing for a great coach in Tommy Amaker, so he’s coming in with a strong foundation. He’ll give us an inside-outside scoring presence. And his versatility—scoring, rebounding and playmaking—extends our ability to create mismatches.”
 
Ledlum in 2022-23 led the Ivy League in rebounding (8.4 rpg) and ranked second in both scoring (18.8 ppg) and steals (1.8 spg). He scored in double figures in 26 of 28 games, eclipsed 20 points 11 times and netted 30 or more points twice. He posted eight double-doubles, and his 527 points on the year ranked fifth on Harvard’s all-time single-season list.
 
When the Crimson traveled to Phog Allen Fieldhouse to face fourth-ranked Kansas on Dec. 22, Ledlum totaled 17 points and nine rebounds. His best scoring performance was a 35-point effort at Cornell on Feb. 18.
 
Prior to college, Ledlum played two years at St. Peter’s Boys High School in Staten Island before spending his senior year at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, Massachusetts, where he won the 2019 Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year award.

-UT Athletics

Vols F Chris Ledlum / Credit: UT Athletics
Barnes Announces Signing of Talented Transfer Combo Guard Jordan Gainey

Barnes Announces Signing of Talented Transfer Combo Guard Jordan Gainey

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes announced Tuesday that combo guard Jordan Gainey has signed with UT following two decorated seasons at USC Upstate.

The 6-4 Gainey was named 2022 Big South Co-Freshman of the Year before garnering first-team All-Big South honors this past season while ranking among the top-10 in that league in 11 different statistical categories. 

In his two years at USC Upstate, Gainey started 58 of the 61 games in which he appeared, averaging 14.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field. He scored in double figures 49 times as a Spartan, totaling 929 career points.

Gainey—whose father, Justin, is Tennessee’s associate head coach—is a career 40.8-percent shooter from 3-point range. As a freshman in 2021-22, he led the Big South with a 49.3 3-point percentage. He has made four or more 3-pointers 10 times in his career.

“We obviously know and love Jordan’s family, but his ability as a player stands on its own merit,” Barnes said. “He plays with a high basketball IQ and is a guy who makes his teammates better. We love his offensive versatility and his ability to shoot and score the ball in a variety of ways. In addition to giving us another shot-maker, he also competes on the defensive end and led (the Big South) in steals last year.”

Active defensively, Gainey’s conference-leading 1.94 steals per game this past season guided USC Upstate to rank 59th nationally in turnovers forced per game.

In seven career games against high-major opponents, Gainey averaged 10.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Last season at Clemson, Gainey scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting with four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 34 highly productive minutes.

His top scoring effort to date was a 28-point performance in Upstate’s home win over South Carolina State last December. It stands as one of 13 20-point games in Gainey’s career.

Prior to USC Upstate, Gainey prepped at South Kent High in South Kent, Connecticut.

-UT Athletics

Vols G Jordan Gainey / Credit: UT Athletics

Photo courtesy of WVLT

Sevierville Police have arrested two suspects and identified the victim of a shooting near Mountain View Church.

Police found 29-year-old Brandon Fernandez shot in his thigh on the 2400 block of Goose Gap Road yesterday.

Deputies stopped Fernandez’s bleeding and he was taken to the hospital where he is in stable condition.

Two suspects were arrested in connection to the shooting: William Nails and Timothy Galvin. Nails was charged with attempted first-degree murder and Galvin was charged with accessory to attempted first degree murder.

Knoxville Police Arrest a Man Wanted for Second-Degree Murder in the Shooting Death of a Man Found on the Broadway Bridge

Knoxville Police Arrest a Man Wanted for Second-Degree Murder in the Shooting Death of a Man Found on the Broadway Bridge

Photo courtesy of WVLT

Knoxville Police have arrested the man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Travis Davis found on the Broadway Bridge earlier this month.

Jayshawn Williams was taken into custody last night at a gas station on Sevier Avenue. Williams was found in possession of narcotics, including suspected heroin and meth. He appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and was transported to the hospital for evaluation before being booked on his outstanding murder warrant.

Sevierville Police Arrest Two Suspects in Connection to a Shooting Near a Church

Sevierville Police Arrest Two Suspects in Connection to a Shooting Near a Church

Photo courtesy of WVLT

Sevierville Police have arrested two suspects and identified the victim of a shooting near Mountain View Church.

Police found 29-year-old Brandon Fernandez shot in his thigh on the 2400 block of Goose Gap Road yesterday.

Deputies stopped Fernandez’s bleeding and he was taken to the hospital where he is in stable condition.

Two suspects were arrested in connection to the shooting: William Nails and Timothy Galvin. Nails was charged with attempted first-degree murder and Galvin was charged with accessory to attempted first degree murder.

Charges are Pending Against a Man Accused of Crashing Into a Sevierville Police Officer

Charges are pending against a man accused of crashing into a Sevierville Police officer.

Tennessee Highway Patrol says the crash happened on Winfield Dunn Parkway yesterday when 61 year-old
Joe Fisher was driving a pick-up when he turned into Officer Thomas Hart’s lane then crossed three lanes in an attempt to make a U-turn to the other side of the highway. Hart and Fisher collided in an angled collision.

Hart’s SPD cruiser overturned on its right side.

THP, who is investigating the crash, says there were no injuries and all drivers were wearing a seatbelt.

TVA Offering Tours of Seven of Their Dams, the First Time Since 9/11, as Part of Their 90th Anniversary

TVA Offering Tours of Seven of Their Dams, the First Time Since 9/11, as Part of Their 90th Anniversary

For the first time in over 20 years, you can visit East Tennessee dams.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is hosting the first dam tours since 9/11. The tours are being offered as part of the TVA’s 90th anniversary.

Tours will be offered to the public at the following locations and dates:

Kentucky Dam – June 2 and June 9
Raccoon Mountain – June 23 and July 14
Norris Dam – July 7 and August 11
Chickamauga Dam – July 21 and August 25
Fontana Dam – July 28
Wilson Dam – August 4 and August 18
Pickwick Dam – September 8

TVA is limiting the number of visitors for each tour. People interested can enter a random drawing for each dam. For a list of Dams and dates and to register please go https://www.tva.com/

Each tour will be limited to 20 people, will be offered twice a day and last 60 to 90 minutes.

Authorities in Blount County are Investigating a Shooting

Authorities in Blount County are Investigating a Shooting

Photo courtesy of WVLT

An investigation is underway following a shooting in Blount County.

Authorities called to at a home on Mentor Road and found a man who had been shot. He was taken to the hospital; his condition has not been released.

Officials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office say the suspect is not in custody and investigators do not believe that the shooting was random.

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