Georgia basketball uses hard work to pick up two signees

Georgia basketball picked up two signees Wednesday. William Jackson (SG, 6’4″ 180, Athens, Ga, Athens Christian) and E’Torrion Wilridge (SF, 6’7″, 210, Beaumont, TX, Central High) both signed letters of intent pledging their basketball talents to the University of Georgia.

Both players endured hardships to achieve this milestone in their life.

More from Georgia Basketball

• Georgia Lady Bulldogs all-time round-by-round record in NCAA Women’s Tournament
• March Madness schedule: When do the Georgia Lady Bulldogs play next?
• Georgia basketball may have lost SEC tourney opener, but optimism for future remains
• Georgia basketball: One quick thing about the SEC Tournament
• Is Georgia basketball gonna make it to March Madness?

About Jackson – nicknamed “Turtle” – Coach Fox told Anthony Dasher of UGa.rivals.com, “Will Jackson is a terrific player. He’s a very complete guard, one of the more complete guards I’ve seen in the last decade, really. I think he’s a guy who if he were on our team right now he would be getting minutes. I think he’s a terrific player but he’s a better person.”
Jackson, a UConn commitment that flipped to Georgia in the summer, lost to death several close family members and a friend, fought through injury and through a difficult rehabilitation during the past year.

Williams’ mother, Lorry Williams, spoke to Uga.rivals.com’s Jake Reuse about Georgia’s recruiting work.

"Our family had a strong relationship with Coach Fox.  We were able to build that local bond.  Him being able to be at a lot of games or have a representative at every game, whether they won or lost, they were still in our corner and trying to make William better. We’re glad he’s staying home, so we don’t have to catch a flight or go through snowstorms to see him play.  We’re really proud about that."

Jackson also filled in the gaps of his recruiting flip with Jake Reuse. “The change occurred during the summer, after my AAU season.  After every game, they’d come in and tell me what I needed to do better, which is what my father does all the time.  That’s the type of coach I want.  Coach Fox, my father, and Coach Link have all taught me that we have flaws and something we need to work on.”

Wilridge also fought through recent injury and a difficult rehabilitation to earn a scholarship offer from Georgia after an injured MCL in the state semi-finals hindered his summer play.

Before the injury, TexasHoops Analyst Blue Zertuche of TexasHoops.com described Wilridge, “E’TORRION is a super athlete that can run the floor and get back in transition defense to run down an opponent. He is quick off the floor and is a great shot-blocker. He crashes the boards on both ends, has a nice skill set at the forward position, can drain the three and play above the rim. He has a soft touch when he pulls up. He is a nice defender and works hard.”

About choosing Georgia, Wilridge had this to say to Dan McDonald of Uga.rivals.com:

“I committed to Georgia because of Coach [Jonas] Hayes,” Wilridge told Dan McDonald of UGASports.com. “He was one of the first coaches to start recruiting me a couple summers ago. When I got injured this past season, he didn’t stop recruiting me. He stayed with me throughout. That’s one of the reasons I committed there.”

Judging form this Wilridge tweet, he and his family are all in with the Georgia decision.

Georgia now waits on Tevin Mack and Derek Ogbeide. In any event, the hard work of the Georgia staff has gained the Dawgs two elite prospects in Williams and Wilridge.