Even without Favors, UGA, Tech land solid classes.

[SacFalcFan]

Even without Favors, UGA, Tech land solid classes

South Atlanta star won’t sign until spring

By LARRY HARTSTEIN

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Junior Albert Jackson is the only true center on Georgia’s roster. The Bulldogs addressed that position for the future Wednesday when Daniel Miller, a 6-feet-11, 240-pound senior at Loganville Christian Academy, signed his letter of intent.

Miller joined guard DeMario Mayfield, a 6-4 guard from Franklin County High School, in signing with the Bulldogs on the first day of the early signing period.

Rated the No. 8 center prospect by ESPN.com, Miller averaged 28.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.0 blocks in leading his school to the championship of the Independent Christian Schools of Georgia-Alabama.

“For a player of his size, he has tremendous hands, touch and instincts for the game,” Georgia coach Dennis Felton said. “He can score with his back to the basket and also facing up to 18 feet. He also has a real knack for rebounding and blocking shots, most of which he keeps in play.”

Mayfield is a versatile guard who averaged 24.6 points, 6.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds as a junior.

“I believe he can be equally comfortable and effective on and off the ball,” Felton said. “His size and versatility should provide us with many options during the course of his career.”

Georgia and Georgia Tech are among the four schools that Derrick Favors, Scout.com’s No. 1 prospect, is considering. But the 6-9 senior from South Atlanta has said he won’t sign until the spring period.

Even so, Tech will land one of the nation’s top recruiting classes in the early period. Coach Paul Hewitt could not comment Wednesday because Tech had not yet received the letters of intent.

The class consists of 6-8 forward Kammeon Holsey (Hancock Central), 6-3 point guard Mfon Udofia (Miller Grove), 6-5 guard Glen Rice Jr. (Walton) and 6-6 forward Brian Oliver (William Penn in New Castle, Del.)

Rivals.com puts Tech’s class No. 7, while Scout.com has the Jackets No. 20. ESPN.com’s Paul Biancardi said the Jackets definitely will make his Top 25, which he was still working on Wednesday.

“Holsey and Udofia can contribute right away and Rice and Oliver down the road,” Biancardi said. “It’s a group you have consistency and stability with, and quite frankly, over the course of four years, you win a lot of games with.”

Favors is considering Tech, Georgia, Memphis and N.C. State.

If Tech gets Favors, too, Biancardi said, “now you go from winning games to being in a position to win championships.”

Georgia State signed 6-10 center James Vincent from Northside-Columbus and also has a commitment from 6-9 Rashanti Harris of Columbus, Miss., rated the No. 5 center by Scout.com.

Coach Rod Barnes said Vincent is fully recovered from a knee injury that ended his junior season.

“Because of his injury, he might not be very well known, but with his size and athletic ability, he has tremendous potential,” Barnes said.

On the women’s side, Georgia signed the No. 3 class in the nation, according to The Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and the All-Star Girls Basketball Report. The reigning Miss Georgia Basketball, Wesleyan’s Anne Marie Armstrong, heads the four-member class.

“She represents the tallest perimeter player that we’ve ever had at 6-3,” coach Andy Landers said. “She has excellent skills and a lot of untapped potential. All she’s done is win. She’s dominated several sports in high school [volleyball, track], and I’m eager to see what happens when she concentrates on one.”