Jaden Frazier just needed some time to figure it out.
“In four years at Blue Ridge that’s been the key — confidence,” Frazier said.
The Blue Ridge senior is quintessential late bloomer, a 6-foot-9 post player who had a breakout summer on the club circuit both because he’d put in the work and because he decided to embrace who he is as a basketball player.
“The biggest thing was to focus on my strengths, focus on the things I’m good at,” Frazier said. “I stayed true to me.”
That process took another step forward when he signed Wednesday with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, picking the Moccasins over schools like Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina and Wofford. The Pulaski native joins a program looking to make some moves under second-year head coach Lamont Paris, a former Wisconsin assistant. Paris is working to create a winning culture in Chattanooga, and Frazier is no stranger to being a part of that, having been a part of a state title squad two years ago at Blue Ridge and last year’s state finalist run.
Frazier averaged 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds as a junior and has also gotten a chance to sharpen his game every day in practice or offseason workouts against players like Clemson’s Aamir Sims and UVa’s Mamadi Diakite over the past three years in St. George.
“All those guys have helped me be where I want to be,” Frazier said.
Now he starts his final campaign with the Barons, who have to replace Darius McGhee and Sardaar Calhoun from last year’s state finalist squad. If Frazier’s summer is any indication, he should be a force for the Barons in his final year.
Officially a Moc: Blue Ridge forward Jaden Frazier signs to play basketball at Chattanooga pic.twitter.com/LCkcVqlaHj
— WCAV CBS19 Sports (@CBS19Sports) November 14, 2018
