Tennessee basketball: Five things we learned about Vols in 2022 SEC Tournament

4. One post player is finally emerging.

John Fulkerson is still a reliable post player for Tennessee basketball. Uros Plavsic and Jonas Aidoo are developing. However, as Rick Barnes continues to try to find an adequate replacement for Olivier Nkamhoua after he suffered a season-ending injury, he may have found one in the SEC Tournament in Brandon Huntley-Hatfield.

The true freshman forward only scored double figures in one game, but he shot 9-of-16 the first two games. Sure, he struggled against Texas A&M, going 1-of-5, but those first two games showed something, and he showed a ton of promise entering the tournament.

What stands out about his double-figures game is that it came against Mississippi State. Ben Howland’s team was known for trying to work the shot clock and force it inside while slowing the game down on both sides of the ball. That resulted in lots of touches for Huntley-Hatfield, and he finished 5-of-9 from the field with 10 points.

Now, there are still some issues, as he had five turnovers in those two games, but he is an athletic four who can defend guys on the perimeter. That’s exactly what Barnes and the Vols need, as their offense will come from their guards anyway, so watch out for him in March Madness.