Bobby Steinburg knew exactly what he was getting when he recruited Tyree Evans to Motlow State (Tenn.) Community College.

Evans, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound shooting guard, had just parted ways with Butler (Kan.) Community College after a season in which he averaged 19 points per game. Thanks to Evans’ well-documented troubled past, more than a few eyebrows were probably raised at Steinburg’s new addition to the Bucks’ roster.

But Steinburg, who had just completed his first season as Motlow’s head coach, was confident that Evans’ troubles were behind him.

“I think that he was confident that all that stuff was behind him and he came in and acted like a grown man,” Steinburg said. “I didn't have any worries about him when I brought him in. ... It wasn't like he was trying to brown-nose to make me believe that he was going to be a good kid.”

Steinburg was also positive that Evans would make a major impact on the court.

“I knew what I was getting and that's exactly what I got -- a guy that can score the ball and lead his team to victory,” Steinburg said. “I knew how good he was so it wasn't like he came in and exceeded expectations.”

Evans, who signed with Maryland last week, averaged 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists for Motlow, which finished 28-5. He also shot 45 percent from the field, and 44 percent from three-point range.

“He could've scored 40 (points per game) if he wanted to,” Steinburg said. “We had other guys on this team. We had a lot of double-digit scorers. ... Tyree was obviously our primary scorer, but it wasn't like he had to score 40 points a night. We had other options.”

According to Steinburg, Maryland initially expressed interest in Evans during his freshman season at Butler. When Evans moved on to Motlow, the Terps already had an in -- when Steinburg was an assistant at UC Davis, UM assistant Robert Ehsan was one of his players. Steinburg also had a good relationship with Terps assistant Chuck Driesell.

Steinburg said choosing Maryland wasn’t a tough decision for Evans. With two years of junior college experience and available playing time, Evans is expected to contribute immediately as a junior in College Park. Steinburg thinks he’s ready to “be a scoring threat in the ACC.”

“He’s just a scorer, a big-time shooter with unlimited range,” Steinburg said. “He’s strong, understands the game. He understands how to get to the basket. He’s got a good first step. He just has a unique ability to put the ball in the basket. He’s a good on ball defender as well.”

While Steinburg was confident that Evans’ off-the-court problems were behind him once he enrolled at Motlow, he’s aware that some Maryland fans might have some reservations. Steinburg said he thinks Evans will quickly alleviate those concerns.

“You can't believe everything you read and he's a good kid,” Steinburg said. “He’s got a big heart and I think that the people in the community and administration will enjoy having him there. I know they will.”