Alabama guard receiving SEC interest
After leading Calera (Ala.) High School to three state championship games in three years, shooting guard George Drake has emerged as one of the state’s top prospects in the 2005 class.
Last year Drake, 6-foot-3, 180-pounds, averaged 27 points and seven rebounds per contest while earning all-tournament honors for the third consecutive year. As might be expected,he is hearing from colleges throughout the South including four SEC programs.
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“Alabama, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are recruiting me the hardest,” Drake said. “But I’m also hearing from UAB and Ole Miss a lot.
“Alabama is the only school to offer but the other coaches have indicated that they were getting close.”
Proximity to home and the Alabama coaching staff have put the Tide high among Drake’s list of favorites.
“I grew up an Alabama fan and they have a good program. This year they had a good run in the tournament and they have a lot of talent coming back,” Drake said. “I also like that it’s not far from home and my family and friends could come and see me play.
“Coach (Phillip) Pearson is recruiting me and we have a good relationship but I really like all of the coaches. They have done a good job at Alabama since they have been there.”
UAB enjoyed a successful NCAA run and the Blazer’s and red-hot coach Mike Anderson are in good shape for Drake’s signature.
“UAB style of offense and defense is very similar to the one we run at Calera,” Drake said. “They like to push the ball up the floor on offense and then press on defense. I’m suited for that style of play.
“Coach (Chris) Giles is a straight-up and honest coach and Coach (Mike) Anderson knows what he is doing.”
Although the recent trend for basketball players is to make early commitments, Drake stated that he wasn’t in a rush to make his final decision.
“I’ll probably wait a while and take some visits before I start getting serious about recruiting,” Drake said. “Right now, I’m just waiting to see which schools offer and where I will fit in best.”
This weekend, Drake, who carries a 3.4 GPA and 17 ACT score, will play in the Smokey Mountain Shootout in Tennessee with the Alabama Challenge. He will also attend the NBA Player’s and Nike All-American camps.