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Thursday, April 17, 2008
Brookwood tackle commits to Alabama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Less than 24 hours after receiving a scholarship offer from Alabama, Brookwood offensive lineman Kellen Williams pulled the trigger on a commitment to the Crimson Tide.
“I talked to coach [Nick] Saban [Wednesday] night on the phone and he told me they were offering me a scholarship,” Williams said late Thursday. “I told him basically that I was going to talk to him again in a couple of weeks.
“But I woke up [Thursday] morning and thought ‘Alabama is the best place for me to go to school.’ So I committed this afternoon.”
Williams made sure that he broke the news to Saban.
“I called and spoke with coach Kirby Smart, who is the recruiting coach from my area,” Williams said. “He gave the phone to coach Saban.
“I just wanted to tell the head coach. I told him my recruiting is done now. I’m 100 percent with Alabama.”
Williams, who also had offers from Arkansas, Boston College, Central Florida, Florida State, N.C. State, Rutgers, UAB, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, had always hoped for an offer from Alabama or Georgia.
“This is a big deal to me and my family,” he said. “We’re very excited.
“I just credit all of the coaching over at Brookwood, with coach Mark Crews and [offensive line] coach Tom Jones.
“I’m only as good as my coaching and my teammates. All those guys [played a role] in me going to Alabama because they worked me so hard.”
Permalink | Comments (40) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama
Felton: ‘We can dominate the nation with just Georgia players’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Athens — Four of Georgia’s five signees for the 2008 men’s basketball class are from Atlanta. According to coach Dennis Felton, that’s not a coincidence.
Felton said he is focusing more on an 80-mile area between Athens and the far side of metro Atlanta. This year that netted them Howard “Trey” Thompkins (Lithonia), Travis Leslie (Decatur), Ebuka Anyaorah (Suwanee) and Dustin Ware (Kennesaw). Drazen Zlovaric, a 6-foot-8 wing from Serbia by way of Weston, Fla., rounds out the class.
“We can literally dominate the nation and win championships with just Georgia players,” Felton said. “That capability exists because of the level of coaching and talent in this state. It’s just a fantastic area for basketball. This is a basketball hotbed.”
According to Rivals.com, 14 of its top 125 men’s basketball prospects are from Georgia, including 11 from Atlanta.
During his first few years at Georgia, Felton was signing a lot of players from out of state. In fact, the Bulldogs’ last four graduating seniors (David Bliss, Sundiata Gaines, Steve Newman and Levi Stukes) all were non-Georgians. But only two of the last year’s five signees came from out of state.
“It’s critically important to us that we do our best work at home,” Felton said. “We want to get the best players, period, but a lot of them are here. I think the way our recruiting has gone is a great indicator of how well we’re doing with the folks in Georgia.”
Felton was unavailable to talk about the Bulldogs’ two latest signees until late Wednesday evening. Here’s what he had to say about Anyaorah and Lesile, both 6-foot-4 guards.
On Leslie, who averaged 22 points as a senior at Columbia: “Travis is an extraordinary athlete. That is clearly his strength. He jumps of the gym. He’s just a great, great leaper. I think he’s probably the best leaper that’s been here since Dominque Wilkins. He uses athleticism to get things done and make plays.”
On Anyaorah, who averaged 26 points as a senior at North Gwinnett: “Ebuka is athletic, too, but he’s a wonderful shooter. He can really shoot the 3. The thing I love about Ebuka is he has a real good understanding how to play the game and play the game with his teammates. He can shoot, score. Not as explosive as Travis but very athletic; as or more athletic than any guard we have.”
Permalink | Comments (28) | Post your comment | Categories: Basketball, UGA
Columbia hoops star rethinking S.C. commitment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Columbia all-state center Darrius Morrow said he will decide on Friday if he still plans to attend South Carolina.
The 6-foot-9 senior signed with the Gamecocks in November before Dave Odum resigned as head basketball coach. South Carolina hired Western Kentucky coach Darrin Horn at the beginning of this month.
Morrow and his family will meet with Horn at 1 p.m. Friday in Atlanta. Last month, Morrow helped the Eagles win their second Class AAAA title in three years by averaging 14.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots a game.
“I will know for sure Friday at about 3 p.m. if I’m still going to South Carolina,” Morrow said. “One of the main reasons I signed with them was because of coach Odum. I was real disappointed when he resigned.”
If he is granted a release from his scholarship, Morrow will choose between Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, UAB and Oklahoma. Morrow said South Carolina still wants him, but he wants to know if he will fit into Horn’s up-tempo offense and pressing defense.
“I talked with assistant coach [Cypheus] Bunton last week,” Morrow said. “I want to talk to coach Horn to see where I fit into the system.”
On Wednesday, teammate Travis Leslie signed with Georgia, and Kenny Mitchell signed with Charleston Southern.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Basketball, Other schools, South Carolina
