Post by Administrator on Jul 16, 2002 19:35:57 GMT -5
Georgia basketball coach Jim Harrick said Tuesday that signees Alexander Johnson and Julius Lamptey have failed to qualify academically and probably won't play for the Bulldogs this coming season.
With the uncertain future of starting center Steve Thomas, the Bulldogs face the possibility of entering this coming season with only one player taller than 6 feet 6 -- rising junior forward Chris Daniels. A third signee, center Larry Turner of Milledgeville, was denied admission last month and has since enrolled at Oklahoma.
Thomas and backup point guard Tony Cole are scheduled to stand trial next month on felony charges of attempted rape and aggravated assault. UGA football player Brandon Williams also faces felony charges that stem from a January incident in which a UGA co-ed said she was raped in Cole's dormitory room.
Johnson, 6 feet 9, was widely regarded the state's top basketball prospect last year, after averaging 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots at Dougherty High School. He chose the Bulldogs over Alabama, North Carolina and Cincinnati. Harrick says Johnson may have an eyesight problem that affected his ability to read standardized tests.
"He's been deemed disabled by an optometrist," said Harrick, who was attending the Peach State Jam basketball tournament in Augusta. "They're trying to get that corrected so he can read the test. He's pretty close to passing. They found out his sight was really hindering him in reading the test."
Lamptey, 7 feet and 290 pounds, was ranked the nation's No. 10 center by rivals.com, averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots as a senior at Northeast High School in Oklahoma City, Okla. He also was recruited by Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
"Lamptey is going to prep school," Harrick said.
With the uncertain future of starting center Steve Thomas, the Bulldogs face the possibility of entering this coming season with only one player taller than 6 feet 6 -- rising junior forward Chris Daniels. A third signee, center Larry Turner of Milledgeville, was denied admission last month and has since enrolled at Oklahoma.
Thomas and backup point guard Tony Cole are scheduled to stand trial next month on felony charges of attempted rape and aggravated assault. UGA football player Brandon Williams also faces felony charges that stem from a January incident in which a UGA co-ed said she was raped in Cole's dormitory room.
Johnson, 6 feet 9, was widely regarded the state's top basketball prospect last year, after averaging 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots at Dougherty High School. He chose the Bulldogs over Alabama, North Carolina and Cincinnati. Harrick says Johnson may have an eyesight problem that affected his ability to read standardized tests.
"He's been deemed disabled by an optometrist," said Harrick, who was attending the Peach State Jam basketball tournament in Augusta. "They're trying to get that corrected so he can read the test. He's pretty close to passing. They found out his sight was really hindering him in reading the test."
Lamptey, 7 feet and 290 pounds, was ranked the nation's No. 10 center by rivals.com, averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots as a senior at Northeast High School in Oklahoma City, Okla. He also was recruited by Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
"Lamptey is going to prep school," Harrick said.
