The Jaden Springer Show: Highlight-reel dunks, standing ovations and takeaways from the future Vol’s visit to Knoxville Catholic

On Saturday afternoon, Tennessee basketball was the talk of the town in Knoxville.

While Rick Barnes and the Vols played wire-to-wire against No. 3 Kansas in Lawrence, Tennessee signee and 5-star recruit Jaden Springer led IMG Academy into a matchup with Knoxville Catholic.

Catholic’s campus is located just 20 minutes from Thompson-Boling Arena, giving fans and local media prime seats to watch the highly-touted McDonald’s All-American before he takes the floor in orange next season.

Starting two hours prior to tip-off, the electricity was palpable throughout the Irish gym. Fans packed the bleachers, and familiar faces popped up throughout the game.

Former Tennessee point guard and Elite travel team coach Bobby Maze stood in the bleachers, along with former Catholic and current Vols football players Cade and Cooper Mays.

A few rows over sat Tyler Baron, who signed with the Vols out of Catholic in the early-signing period, and Tennessee quarterback Brian Maurer stood at the corner of the court.

Even Clemson— and former Oak Ridge— wide receiver Tee Higgins roamed around after the game, and athletes from across the area clogged the gym.

In short, it was a who’s who of Tennessee stars, with a smattering of former and current athletes from across East Tennessee present as well.

And who could blame them?

Saturday’s matchup pitted the Irish against the 2019 National Champion in IMG Academy, and the roars lasted from warm-ups to the final whistle.

No moment was louder, though, than Springer’s pre-game introduction.

When the Vols’ signee stood up, the Catholic P.A. announcer introduced Springer in the same way one would announce a heavyweight boxer. The point guard’s walk to the scorer’s table was met with another wall of noise and a standing ovation, followed by a rendition of Rocky Top.

That doesn’t typically occur in high school basketball, let alone for a visiting player.

Such was the case for Springer, though, especially with the game being in front of an orange-dotted Knoxville crowd.

Springer didn’t disappoint, finishing with 13 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four assists.

Overall, he didn’t score as much as expected, but the smooth passing, stingy defense and touch-and-go transition play will fit nicely into Tennessee’s offensive scheme, especially with pieces like Keon Johnson added as well.

And the pre-game ovation left an impression.

“Way different than any of our other games,” Springer said of the warm welcome. “It’s different being here, having all the fans cheering for me. That’s something I’m not used to.”

He’ll have to get used to it now.

After the game, Springer was mobbed. In the end, a security guard piloted the Tennessee signee into the hallway and toward the locker room, with teenagers pleading for Instagram follows the entire way.

He wasn’t the only Tennessee signee to get attention, though.

B.J. Edwards notched 17 points for Catholic in a respect-earning performance for the Irish, which trailed by 12 at halftime and lost 68-53 after clawing back in the third quarter.

Still, Saturday finished as the Jaden Springer show, and he discussed his potential impact at Tennessee after a few notes on the game.

“They see me as a combo,”

Springer said. “They can put me at the one, the two, switch it up.”

He also noted he would “definitely” be tuned in to Tennessee’s matchup against Kansas, which the Vols lost 74-68.

Tennessee had several players put up double figures against the Jayhawks, including Bowden and Yves Pons.

It also trailed by just three with two minutes left, despite facing the third-ranked team in the country in Allen Fieldhouse, one of the most hostile environments in the country.

In what many called a “rebuilding year” coming into this season, that’s quite a statement— especially when considering NCAA Tournament implications later this year.

But no matter how this season turns out, next year will be one to watch for Tennessee basketball.

And no one summed it up better than Springer himself.

“We’re going to be great next year,” he said. “I think we’ve got pretty big expectations that we’ve got to live up to.”

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