UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL ADDS A PAIR OF JUNIORS TO 2020-21 SIGNING CLASS
6/18/2020 5:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MARTIN, Tenn. – Head coach Anthony Stewart boosted an already stellar signing class for the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball program with the additions of Vinnie Viana and Jonte Coleman. Both players will be juniors on the 2020-21 Skyhawk roster.
The duo of Viana and Coleman brings the UT Martin signing class up to seven players as they join newcomers Jaron Williams (Rock Hill, SC/College of Central Florida), Ksuan Casey (Madisonville, Ky./Madisonville-North Hopkins HS), Eden Holt (Houston, Texas/Williston State College), Cameron Holden (Forsythe, Ga./Gulf Coast State College) and Anthony Thomas (Baltimore, Md./Olympus Preparatory Academy).
Vinnie Viana, G, 6-1, 170, Jr., Atlanta, Ga. (Albany Technical College)
Established himself as one of the best pure scorers at the junior college level, earning NJCAA All-American honorable mention accolades…Scored 1,005 points over 50 career games under head coach Sylvester Patterson at Albany Technical College in Albany, Ga., becoming the program's all-time leading scorer.…Nabbed Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association first team All-Region honors, tossing in a league-high 23.2 points per contest as a sophomore…Also led the GCAA in free throws made (167) while ranking second in three-point field goals made (81), second in free throw percentage (.839), third in field goals made (189) and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.363)…Helped guide the Titans to an 18-12 overall record in 2019-20, additionally averaging 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals per outing…Went off for a career-best 40 points (including a career-high seven 3-pointers) against Enterprise State on Dec. 6…Had five 30-plus point performances and 13 games of at least 25 points during the 2019-20 campaign…Knocked down at least five treys on six different occasions, equaling a career-high with seven trifectas against Gordon State on Jan. 4…Sank double-digit free throws in six different games, including a career-high 14 makes from the charity stripe against both Central Georgia Tech (Jan. 11) and South Georgia Tech (Feb. 26)…Came away with a dozen multi-steal performances, including a career-best six swipes in the aforementioned Jan. 11 game at Central Georgia Tech…Took part in the fourth annual GCAA All-Star Game located in Macon, Ga. in 2019, following an impressive 2018-19 season that saw him claim All-GCAA honorable mention and All-Freshman Team status…Ranked in the top-10 in the GCAA in free throw percentage (.821, third), three-point field goal percentage (.416, fourth), scoring (team-best 16.5 points per game, sixth), three-point field goals made (47, ninth) and free throws made (92, ninth) as a freshman…Upped his scoring average to 23.1 points per outing in conference play, leading the GCAA in that category…Shot 41.6 percent (47-of-113) from beyond the three-point arc while averaging 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 2018-19…Erupted for 11 consecutive games of at least 20 points to close out his freshman campaign, including a pair of 30-point efforts (including a season-best 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting at East Georgia State on Feb. 6)…Secured a double-double (25 points, career-high 10 rebounds) against South Georgia Tech on Jan. 23…Tallied 22 points and dished out a career-high nine assists (against zero turnovers) against South Georgia State on Jan. 26…Originally hails from Brazil but prepped at North Springs High School in Atlanta, Ga., where he was an All-Region 6-AAAAA first team selection over his last two seasons under head coach Charles Parks…Averaged 22.5 points per game his junior season, earning Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-Metro second team accolades.
"Vinnie can really score," Stewart said. "He had tremendous numbers at the junior college level. He can get downhill, he's a talented three-point shooter and he gets to the free throw line a lot for a guy his size – he doesn't mind contact."
Jonte Coleman, G, 6-4, 185, Jr., Champaign, Ill. (Kankakee CC)
Displayed elite ability as one of the nation's top three-point shooters under head coach Alex Thorson at Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Ill.…Shattered the school's single-season record for three-pointers made (111) in 2019-20, ranking fifth nationally in that category while connecting on 44.9 percent of his attempts from long distance…Was named to the All-Region second team after he was the only Cavalier to start in all 30 games in 2019-20, helping lead the squad to a 21-11 record…Averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per outing as a sophomore…Poured in a career-high 40 points on 14-of-20 shooting (including a 9-of-15 performance from three-point range) against Aurora University on Jan. 28…Swished at least three 3-pointers in 25 of his 30 games last season, making at least four treys in 18 contests and sinking at least five trifectas on seven different occasions…Was a career-best 8-for-10 from the free throw line at Danville Area on Jan. 9…Hauled in at least six rebounds in 15 different games, including career-highs of nine boards twice (vs. Prairie State on Nov. 26, at Indian Hills on Jan. 11)…Pieced together averages of 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals per outing as a freshman in 2018-19…Knocked down 61 three-pointers in 28 games despite primarily playing in the frontcourt…Accounted for a season-high scoring tally of 21 points (8-of-13 shooting, 5-for-9 from three-point range) against Malcolm X College on Dec. 1…Was responsible for a season-high five 3-pointers on three separate occasions…Snagged a career-best nine rebounds in four different games, including three of the final four contests of the season…Handed out a career-high four assists at Parkland on Jan. 8…Recorded multiple steals 11 times as a freshman, including a career-high four swipes at Olivet Nazarene University on Jan. 31… Prepped at Champaign Central High School under head coach Jeff Finke, helping the Maroons to a 20-win campaign as a senior…Secured all-conference honors after averaging 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while making a team-best 72 three-pointers in 2017-18.
"We set out to find a guy who could stretch the defense and Jonte fits that category," Stewart said. "He's a tremendous shooter who has great size but he's not a one-trick pony. He can also rebound the basketball and is known to be a really good defender."
The duo of Viana and Coleman brings the UT Martin signing class up to seven players as they join newcomers Jaron Williams (Rock Hill, SC/College of Central Florida), Ksuan Casey (Madisonville, Ky./Madisonville-North Hopkins HS), Eden Holt (Houston, Texas/Williston State College), Cameron Holden (Forsythe, Ga./Gulf Coast State College) and Anthony Thomas (Baltimore, Md./Olympus Preparatory Academy).
Vinnie Viana, G, 6-1, 170, Jr., Atlanta, Ga. (Albany Technical College)
Established himself as one of the best pure scorers at the junior college level, earning NJCAA All-American honorable mention accolades…Scored 1,005 points over 50 career games under head coach Sylvester Patterson at Albany Technical College in Albany, Ga., becoming the program's all-time leading scorer.…Nabbed Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association first team All-Region honors, tossing in a league-high 23.2 points per contest as a sophomore…Also led the GCAA in free throws made (167) while ranking second in three-point field goals made (81), second in free throw percentage (.839), third in field goals made (189) and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.363)…Helped guide the Titans to an 18-12 overall record in 2019-20, additionally averaging 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals per outing…Went off for a career-best 40 points (including a career-high seven 3-pointers) against Enterprise State on Dec. 6…Had five 30-plus point performances and 13 games of at least 25 points during the 2019-20 campaign…Knocked down at least five treys on six different occasions, equaling a career-high with seven trifectas against Gordon State on Jan. 4…Sank double-digit free throws in six different games, including a career-high 14 makes from the charity stripe against both Central Georgia Tech (Jan. 11) and South Georgia Tech (Feb. 26)…Came away with a dozen multi-steal performances, including a career-best six swipes in the aforementioned Jan. 11 game at Central Georgia Tech…Took part in the fourth annual GCAA All-Star Game located in Macon, Ga. in 2019, following an impressive 2018-19 season that saw him claim All-GCAA honorable mention and All-Freshman Team status…Ranked in the top-10 in the GCAA in free throw percentage (.821, third), three-point field goal percentage (.416, fourth), scoring (team-best 16.5 points per game, sixth), three-point field goals made (47, ninth) and free throws made (92, ninth) as a freshman…Upped his scoring average to 23.1 points per outing in conference play, leading the GCAA in that category…Shot 41.6 percent (47-of-113) from beyond the three-point arc while averaging 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 2018-19…Erupted for 11 consecutive games of at least 20 points to close out his freshman campaign, including a pair of 30-point efforts (including a season-best 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting at East Georgia State on Feb. 6)…Secured a double-double (25 points, career-high 10 rebounds) against South Georgia Tech on Jan. 23…Tallied 22 points and dished out a career-high nine assists (against zero turnovers) against South Georgia State on Jan. 26…Originally hails from Brazil but prepped at North Springs High School in Atlanta, Ga., where he was an All-Region 6-AAAAA first team selection over his last two seasons under head coach Charles Parks…Averaged 22.5 points per game his junior season, earning Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-Metro second team accolades.
"Vinnie can really score," Stewart said. "He had tremendous numbers at the junior college level. He can get downhill, he's a talented three-point shooter and he gets to the free throw line a lot for a guy his size – he doesn't mind contact."
Jonte Coleman, G, 6-4, 185, Jr., Champaign, Ill. (Kankakee CC)
Displayed elite ability as one of the nation's top three-point shooters under head coach Alex Thorson at Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Ill.…Shattered the school's single-season record for three-pointers made (111) in 2019-20, ranking fifth nationally in that category while connecting on 44.9 percent of his attempts from long distance…Was named to the All-Region second team after he was the only Cavalier to start in all 30 games in 2019-20, helping lead the squad to a 21-11 record…Averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per outing as a sophomore…Poured in a career-high 40 points on 14-of-20 shooting (including a 9-of-15 performance from three-point range) against Aurora University on Jan. 28…Swished at least three 3-pointers in 25 of his 30 games last season, making at least four treys in 18 contests and sinking at least five trifectas on seven different occasions…Was a career-best 8-for-10 from the free throw line at Danville Area on Jan. 9…Hauled in at least six rebounds in 15 different games, including career-highs of nine boards twice (vs. Prairie State on Nov. 26, at Indian Hills on Jan. 11)…Pieced together averages of 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals per outing as a freshman in 2018-19…Knocked down 61 three-pointers in 28 games despite primarily playing in the frontcourt…Accounted for a season-high scoring tally of 21 points (8-of-13 shooting, 5-for-9 from three-point range) against Malcolm X College on Dec. 1…Was responsible for a season-high five 3-pointers on three separate occasions…Snagged a career-best nine rebounds in four different games, including three of the final four contests of the season…Handed out a career-high four assists at Parkland on Jan. 8…Recorded multiple steals 11 times as a freshman, including a career-high four swipes at Olivet Nazarene University on Jan. 31… Prepped at Champaign Central High School under head coach Jeff Finke, helping the Maroons to a 20-win campaign as a senior…Secured all-conference honors after averaging 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while making a team-best 72 three-pointers in 2017-18.
"We set out to find a guy who could stretch the defense and Jonte fits that category," Stewart said. "He's a tremendous shooter who has great size but he's not a one-trick pony. He can also rebound the basketball and is known to be a really good defender."
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