PHILADELPHIA — Few prospects in the 2025 recruiting class visited Tennessee more than four-star point guard Chance Mallory. But Mallory did not end up in Knoxville, instead committing to home town Virginia. Exactly one year after Mallory re-committed to Cavaliers, he faces off against Tennessee with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.
“I liked the coaching staff,” Mallory said of Tennessee Saturday. “Coach Gainey, I am pretty close with still. I still talk to him. I saw him yesterday and dapped him up. We still got a good relationship. I didn’t really want to leave home. That is probably the main reason I stayed at UVA. I liked their program. They have a great program and coaching staff as well.”
Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey was the Vols’ lead recruiter for Mallory. He pitched the 5-foot-10 Mallory on the success that the Vols had with another small guard in Zakai Zeigler. The pitch stood out to Mallory and made Tennessee a player in his recruitment.
“At that time, they had (Zakai Zeigler),” Mallory said. “He is just like me. It was cool to see him succeed and do well in that program. Just how they were able to use him and I saw how I could fit as well. That is what was pretty interesting to me.”
Mallory visited Tennessee as a junior before committing Virginia. After Tony Bennett retired, Mallory re-opened his recruitment. He visited Tennessee in December when his high school team played in a tournament in Knoxville and returned a month later when the Vols defeated future national champion Florida.
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But the draw of home was too much for Mallory. The day after Virginia hired Ryan Odom to replace Bennett, Mallory re-committed to Virginia.
The point guard has had a strong freshman season, averaging 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
“(He’s) Mature beyond his age,” Gainey said of Mallory Saturday. “When you watch him he looks like a sophomore or a junior. He does not look like a freshman. Just his poise and his composure and how he handles situations out there. That was something that drew us to him, was his feel and IQ and poise.”
Tennessee stayed in the state of Virginia to find its point guard in the 2025 recruiting class. Troy Henderson committed to Tennessee just three days after Mallory committed to Virginia. Ironically, the two have known each other since elementary school. When Henderson committed to Tennessee, Mallory’s dad called him to congratulate him.
Tipoff between Tennessee and Virginia is at 6:10 p.m. ET on Sunday night. Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas and Evan Washburn are on the call for TNT.
