Juco All-American signs with Barnes’ Vols

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes rounded out his 2017 recruiting class by signing a junior college All-American from Ohio on Thursday.

Chris Darrington, a 6-foot-1 combo guard out of Vincennes University in Indiana, chose the Volunteers over Memphis, Toledo and Pittsburgh.

“Chris brings two qualities we were looking for: confidence and the ability to score the basketball,” Barnes said in a news release from the university.

Darrington averaged 20.7 points and 5.1 assists a game while leading Vincennes to a 32-3 record in the 2016-17 season. He was named a NJCAA firstteam All-American.

The Vols lose seniors Lew Evans and Robert Hubbs from their 2016-17 team. Detrick Mostella, a shooting guard, was dismissed by Barnes in January, midway through his junior year. Another guard, Kwe Parker, decided to transfer in March after his freshman season.

Barnes landed Derrick Walker, a 6-8 post player, and Yvez Pons, a versatile 6-6 Frenchman, on signing day last month. They joined early signee Zach Kent, a 6-10 center, in the class.

Darrington will fill the team’s 12th and final available scholarship in 2017-18, barring any additional offseason roster turnover.

“Chris’s experience at Vincennes was valuable because he has developed an appreciation for what goes into winning,” Barnes said in the release. “A lot of guys can score, but not many can do so and win. He has been very well coached, and we expect him to come into our program with a great foundation.”

Darrington is originally from Toledo, Ohio, where he was named the state’s Mr. Basketball for his play at Scott High School. He plans to enroll at Tennessee in June and major in education or communications.