UT's Bruce Pearl Tightens Rope in Adonis Thomas Recruiting Tug-of-War

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - He's been at the center of one of the hottest college basketball recruiting wars in the country. That's why a coach heavily under fire at this own school made an impromptu visit to Memphis to make a personal pitch to Melrose High School star Adonis Thomas.

However, UT coach Bruce Pearl may have been carrying too much baggage with him on his trip. Facing a salary cut and sanctions from his own school, Coach Pearl might feel like a one-legged man in sack race when it comes to recruiting. But, he's still not going to pass up a chance to sign a talent who might help to save his embattled job.

Adonis Thomas is the player with the golden future as a potential college blue-chipper.

"I just thank God that I'm in that position to be able to choose from different schools and have many scholarship offers like I can. So, I can be able to choose," said Adonis.

Bruce Pearl is the embattled coach suddenly trying to survive a tarnished reputation, and Harry Thomas is the loyal father trying to help navigate his son Adonis through one of the most competitive recruiting efforts in the country.

"We let coaches know throughout the recruiting, 'If you gonna be there, be there.' I understand there's more elite players. But, my son, I want him to have the best. So, I want you to be there involved in recruiting," Thomas said.

With "being there" for gifted Melrose Golden Wildcats' senior hoopster Adonis Thomas so important, two major college head coaches made personal appearances in Memphis, within hours of each other, to try and woo the nation's recognized top recruit this week. Until his three hour visit on Wednesday at Melrose, the last time Adonis met face to face with University of Tennessee head basketball coach, Bruce Pearl, was the same weekend UT officials slapped the flamboyant coach with a crippling series of sanctions based upon his admonition of lying to NCAA investigators about recruiting violations. One of those sanctions required Pearl to end any off-campus recruiting trips by September 24th, when a one-year ban for off-campus recruiting will be imposed on him. The elder Thomas said Pearl made a valiant pitch in light of circumstances.

"Anything that can hinder him from going on to the post-season and the NCAA Tournament, you know we don't want to make that choice," countered Thomas.

Also "being there" on the same day for Adonis was a late-bloomer in the form of UCLA head hoops coach, Ben Howland, who might be devoid of Pearl's dynamic personality, but who brought the message of his school's rich history with him.

"UCLA came in on a late run. But, UCLA is one of the schools that Adonis looked at," said Thomas. "It's like a legacy. You just don't pass over UCLA because of all the history that comes from there."

But, in the 5-way "Being There" Adonis Sweepstakes, that also includes Arkansas and Florida, and Memphis Tiger head coach Josh Pastner, who'll play host to Adonis on his last official visit the high energy night of Midnight Madness, continues to make a steady case for an added bonus. Why be there, when you're already right here?

Thomas said, "Coach Pastner's been there from Day One. And Adonis loves the staff and the players and of course he played there with a lot of those guys also in the Adidas 64 Tournament with them. Memphis is up there with all the other schools."