Dalton Knecht Showed Us What He Can Do During Overseas Trip

Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht led the Tennessee Volunteers in scoring in a scrimmage versus Lithuania. Could this be a sign of things to come?

On Friday, the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team had their first scrimmage against Lithuania during their trip to Italy. They found themselves victorious over their opponent by a final score of 97-57. The Vols saw many of their players have successful games. In particular, there were some outstanding performances from freshmen, transfers, and players who did not play much last season.

Some good outings came from Freddie Dilione, who had 13 points and four assists, Jordan Gainey, who had 12 points and four assists, and Tobe Awaka and J.P. Estrella both had double-doubles. However, the scrimmage's leading scorer was the Northern Colorado Dalton Knecht transfer. He finished the game with 14 points and five rebounds. He scored 5 for 14 from the field and 4 for 11 from the three-point range. The scoring leader showed how much of an impact he can make on the court with his new team. With the NCU Bears last season, Knecht showed his ability to score at all levels on the offensive end, which was apparent against the Lithuanian team. This is a big-time weapon that head coach Rick Barnes could use to create a good offense for the 2023-24 season.

Tennessee CG Dalton Knecht playing for Nothern Colorado against Baylor in Waco, Texas, on November 14, 2022. (Photo by Chris Jones of USA Today Sports)

One thing that came up during the Friday scrimmage was the fouls Knecht gathered. He had four fouls total, showing that there is work to be done in his game on the defensive game. But if there is one thing Tennessee basketball has been known for under coach Barnes, it is their tenacity on defense. With another scrimmage against Lithuania and another against A.S. Stella Azzurra and plenty of offseason left, Knecht has plenty of room for development on that end of the floor. Knecht and the remainder of the Tennessee team will take on Lithuania again on Saturday and A.S. Stella Azzurra on Monday.

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