Georgia Tech edges out archrival UGA for Atlanta basketball star (UPDATED)
Georgia Tech edged out archival Georgia for one of the state’s top basketball prospects on Thursday.
Milton High’s Julian Royal committed to the Yellow Jackets over the Bulldogs in front about 150 students and supporters at the school gym.
“It was so close,” Royal said. “If I could go to both schools, I would. It’s just that I woke up [Thursday] morning with the feeling that I needed to go to Georgia Tech. That’s where my heart led me to go.”
The 6-foot-9 power forward said he will sign with Georgia Tech on Nov. 10. He showed up for the ceremony in a blue suit, and then whipped out a Yellow Jackets baseball cap to put on his head.
“I picked Georgia Tech because of the feeling of being in Atlanta,” Royal said. “I’ve been at basketball camps for years at Georgia Tech, so there’s a comfort zone there for me.”
It was a big win for the Yellow Jackets, where Royal is expected to compete for immediate playing time. Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt made it repeatedly known to Royal that he was the No. 1 priority of this year’s recruiting class.
“They are getting a post player who has a tremendous amount of skill and versatility,” Milton coach David Boyd said. “He is someone who can play well in the post area and step out there and consistently shoot 3-pointers.”
Last year as a junior, Royal averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds while leading Milton to the state championship in Georgia’s largest classification. He made two clutch foul shots with no time on the clock in a 52-51 win over Norcross in the Class AAAAA quarterfinals.
Royal had more than 30 early scholarship offers and narrowed down to Georgia, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest in recent months. He eliminated Wake Forest last week, making the two in-state rivals his finalists.
With his senior season left to play, Royal is Milton’s all-time leading career scorer with 1,602 points. He is one of six Milton players who has been offered a major-college scholarship. Point guard Shannon Scott has committed to Ohio State, while shooting guard Dai-Jon Parker is considering multiple offers, including Georgia.
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146 comments Add your comment
Buzz ME
October 14th, 2010
10:09 pm
Congrats Julian. I watch you play at Milton and you will go down as one of the best, if not the best to ever play for the Yellow Jackets. We are so proud to have you. Take the state again and we will see you next year. Your parents must be so proud of you.
dawgdawgdawg
October 14th, 2010
10:23 pm
I love how all of these Tech fans like to rag on SEC basketball….even though they lost to UGA last year and Kentucky AND Tennessee went a lot deeper in the tourney than most of the ACC teams did. ACC basketball is Duke and UNC – you Tech losers aren’t even in the same boat, so don’t flatter yourselves. You’ll load up on one-and-dones once again and lose 1st or 2nd round of the tourney. With all of the supposed “talent” and “coaching” you guys have, you would think you’d have a recent national title. All you guys do is talk crap about UGA, yet we STILL beat you in our down years, in football AND basketball. You did manage to pull one out on us in baseball, so maybe you guys should just stick to that.
yoursporthouse.com
October 14th, 2010
10:43 pm
Milton High’s Julian Royal committed to the Yellow Jackets over the Georgia Bulldogs. The 6′9 power forward chose Georgia Tech and may receive instant playing time for the Rambling Wreck. Royal is Milton’s all-time leading career scorer with 1,602 points. That’s big for Tech!
Richard Cranium
October 14th, 2010
11:13 pm
The inbreds just don’t know how to be magnanimous, huh.
Old Gold
October 14th, 2010
11:41 pm
Just don’t get mugged at the Joke by the Coke
Paul in RDU
October 15th, 2010
12:12 am
dawgdawgdawg – 5 out of the last 10 NCAA championships have been won by ACC teams – 2 each for UNF and Duke and 1 for MD. In the same time period, the SEC has 2 – both from UF. Wouldn’t you say that demonstrates that the ACC is stronger and deeper than the SEC? The UGA fans talk all the time how great UGA is in football because the SEC has won 5 Mythical NC’s in the last 10 years.
Paul in RDU
October 15th, 2010
12:14 am
5 out of 10 – 2 each for UNC and Duke, 1 for MD
Milton fan
October 15th, 2010
12:54 am
congratulations to Julian and his parents for hard work (and good genetics) and respect for fundamentals culminating in the American Dream: a college education. Just wish it had been UGA. Go Milton. To the State!
Jared Garfield
October 15th, 2010
12:55 am
I am a UGA Alum, and root for them in everything, but Congratulations to Georgia Tech, they are getting a fine role model and outstanding athlete. I know Julian’s father, and this is a class act family. I will now be a huge Georgia Tech fan every game but two!
Douglas
October 15th, 2010
6:58 am
Milton Students: sounds like ya’ll need to remind Julian how terrible a coach Hewitt is and how good of a coach Fox is. I have nothing personally against the guy but he is going to play for an inferior coach. The only reason GT has not fired him is because they cannot afford the payout.
Munson's Toupee
October 15th, 2010
7:19 am
Surprise! Surprise! It must have been that inspirational private talk by Damon Evans that helped this young man make his decision.
Boyd's mistress
October 15th, 2010
7:39 am
He is a good highschool PF but can he bang in the ACC?
goatD
October 15th, 2010
7:42 am
The preponderance of Dawg fans on here shows us something, doesn’t it? GT is irrelevant….I don’t care…..He’s a one-and-done…. C’mon, boys, you gotta do better than that. Ease on back over to your own blogsites; you’ve got plenty to worry about with Vandy and Kentucky coming up. You should beat ‘em…but what if you don’t? Oh, No-o-o-o-o
Tech Man
October 15th, 2010
8:42 am
Dawg fans – I’ll trade you this kid for your coach. Any interest? Didn’t think so.
We’re proud you chose Tech, Julian. I hope you stick around awhile and earn a degree. I hope Mr. Hewitt figures a few things out this year. Hope is all I’ve got on this one.
Tech Grad 10
October 15th, 2010
9:03 am
Glad we got this guy, and hate Hewitt, but I hardly think calling Fox a great Bball coach is legitimate at this point. Either way, the odds of this player being one and done are slim. We had Gani Lawal come in as a 5 star who dominated high school, and he lasted 3 years. Julian isn’t up to his level at this point, but a great pick up for us.
juvenal
October 15th, 2010
9:06 am
i can say the same thing about uga roundball fans that Ghandi said about Christians-i’ve never met one……
Dawgtards ruin this state
October 15th, 2010
10:01 am
Puppies need to play one season over .500 and make the NIT before they have arrived. NCAA is not happening this year, you morons. Once Fox gets his .500 season and a NIT bid, he’s gone from your cow college and will coach a big time school somewhere else. (Just like Tubby Smith) thUGA is a stepping stone, not a destination.
BigTimeTECHFan
October 15th, 2010
10:08 am
Sweet, good luck Julian, play hard, study hard, stay healthy, looking forwar to seeing you play. I may even go to see a Milton game this year.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
October 15th, 2010
10:15 am
Maybe Royal can save Hewitt’s job but I doubt it. He is going to a good school on a downward path with their basketball program. I expect he will be at Tech all 4 years since Hewitt will be replaced next year after missing the NCAA tournament. It will take another 2-3 years after that for the new coach to rebuild Hewitt’s disaster. He has talent but not ONE and DONE talent.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
October 15th, 2010
10:20 am
Dawgtards: you ruin the state with your vile vents – move to Jersey where you will be accepted. UGA beat Tech last year and will do it TWICE this year and they will be in the NCAA tornament. Odds are that after 6 games Hewitt will be roasted on the TECH vent and there will be a loud cry for his removal once again.. He is not a very good head coach – sorry.
Milton dad
October 15th, 2010
11:00 am
Boyd’s mistress: that is a good poiont. That has always been my one question about julian. He is so fluid for a big, but there is not much room for finesse in the ACC. Favors was much better built than julian and look how much trouble he had establishing himself. He did not go in and get his easy 20 like I would have thought. I am high on Julian, just wonder how he will respond to the physical play he is about to see. Wish him well. Now, Dai Jon: where ya goin?
Long Gator
October 15th, 2010
11:01 am
Julian is a great player AND quality young man.
It makes sense that he stayed away from the UGA penitentiary.
Burdell
October 15th, 2010
11:13 am
It’s tough for an 18-year old to come right in and play with the big boys in the ACC. Give him a few years of body development and he’ll bang for sure!
FalconUGAFan
October 15th, 2010
11:36 am
Congrats to GT..When a young man listens to his heart, you can’t fault him. Good luck except when you play UGA
P. Gail Royal
October 15th, 2010
11:45 am
Congrats Julian!!!! I am truly so proud of you! Save my seat! Lol!
P. Gail Royal
October 15th, 2010
11:46 am
Enter your comments here
UGA fans are so ....
October 15th, 2010
11:52 am
Before we anoint Mark Fox as the Second Coming, wouldn’t you think he’d have to win a ROAD GAME first? Yes, he won a game in the SEC tourney, but that was at a NEUTRAL site!
bascogcjs
October 15th, 2010
11:52 am
Burdell, you better be ready to play as an 18 yr. old.
All the great players are gone by their jr. year.
All of college b-ball is filled with 18 yr. olds making huge impacts.
Red Panties Rick
October 15th, 2010
11:53 am
He will miss seeing, of course, the hundreds of red panties UGA fans will be waving after each score…..
UGA REALLY STANDS FOR JOE DIRT
October 15th, 2010
12:23 pm
FLO RI DUH… You giving GT lessons about the NCAA tournament is really funny considering your joke of a program never EVEN MAKES THE DAMN TOURNAMENT! How delusional can you really be? You went 14-17 and sat at home during the post season while we won 23 games and played for the ACC title dumba**! We have beaten duke and unc and maryland. UGAY would get drummed by 30 points at the hands of those schools. Congrats on stepping up and playing hard against your rival because outside of that, you guys suck and always have. Leave serious hoops discussions to the teams that matter on the national scale not last place teams from the sec!
You can run your d**ksucker when you actually know what it’s like to win 20 plus games at that loser school up in the cesspool! Try putting some lotto picks out or even just making the NIT would be a great start for your SEC bottom feeding school. Idiot
Fire Paul Bewitt
October 15th, 2010
2:00 pm
Welcome to GT….Love watching u play and sure u will make us better.
I still hope that stupid DA Coach is fired asp!
GT Fan
October 15th, 2010
2:07 pm
Lets be clear looking at all GT blogs Paul Hewitt is killing us in the PR dept. Most fans don’t want are like him and its bad PR for our school. Rads needs to Wake up and Fire Paul Hewitt. Get the $7 million.
Julian's Friend
October 15th, 2010
2:10 pm
GT 101- UGA 85…. GT OWNS THE DOGS….
Julian's Friend
October 15th, 2010
2:11 pm
TECH WILL WIN THIS YEAR LIKE THEY HAVE IN YEARS PAST AT HOME
Habdawg
October 15th, 2010
2:28 pm
Congratulations young man. Hope you will have a stellar career except when playing UGA!
Courtney has a man face
October 15th, 2010
4:11 pm
SOUR GRAPES!!! All you UGA fans!!! SOUR GRAPES!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!
Does UGAy really think they can build and sustain a quality bball program? I wouldn’t be so quick to crown Mark Fox your savior. thUGA will rear its jail-prone head on the bball court as well.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 15th, 2010
4:13 pm
layinlow
October 14th, 2010
5:27 pm
Why does everbody think that all of these recruits are one and done? In the NBA only FIRST rounders get guaranteed contracts.
This is an inaccurate statement, second rounders sometimes get guaranteed contracts as well. Remember Louis Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers. His contract was guaranteed when he was drafted out of high school in the second round.
UGA REALLY STANDS FOR JOE DIRT
October 15th, 2010
6:06 pm
GT fan,
Fire paul hewitt and payout 7 million when he has hardly nothing left of his contract? We are cash strapped man. Have you seen CPJ contract? It’s huge considering GT will never pay a football coach huge money like a saban or mack brown. We can’t fire hewitt and that is stupid. Go blame dave braine for that mess. Oh, thats right he is gone! Get over it man, it is what it is and GT will not fire hewitt or they would have done it 2 years ago! I’m sure we have 7 million just laying around to fire hewitt? Sure
GT Fan
October 15th, 2010
8:53 pm
nothing left on contract..?..hell! It rolls over every year. I know whats going on..I support all programs and his a@@ will be gone before long……
U half right..do your home work.
Bewitts a joke
October 15th, 2010
9:00 pm
UGA has a good Basketball coach. I support all State Schools and what goes around comes around. We also have some Joe dirt, be nice.
Fire Paul whats his name
October 15th, 2010
9:09 pm
Hey Joe Dirt-U right “it is what it is” and U know what that is.
Douglas
October 16th, 2010
12:43 am
Hey Joe Dirt…i looked up A__hole in the dictionary..and gosh..i saw ur picture..any more commmens?
Walker Texas Ranger
October 16th, 2010
10:27 am
Julian said that this recruiting process was almost as intense as the time he was being recruited by Boyd at Milton.
GT VET
October 16th, 2010
2:03 pm
Uhmmm dawgdawgdawg,Im still trying to figure the ,GT pulled one (baseball game) out on us last year statement..1..pulled 1 game out on uga?try 3 peanut..yes GT swept uga last year..ohh and im sure u remember the 26-5 butt kicking.Maybe that one hurt so bad its the ONLY one you can remember.btw your welcome for the reminder..Congrats Julian…GO JACKETS!!
Rush The Court » Blog Archive » Recruiting Rumor Mill: 10.18.10 Edition
October 18th, 2010
10:43 am
[...] around Georgia with his solid recruiting, but it looks like he lost out on Julian Royal, who committed to Georgia Tech giving Paul Hewitt a huge boost this recruiting [...]
Kansas Gets to the Point; O’Bryant, Harrison and Royal Commit; Other Pledges from the Recruiting Beat | Hoopniks
July 22nd, 2012
1:18 pm
[...] fit to be tied, and ultimately 6′-8″ forward Julian Royal of Milton (Alpahretta, GA) went with Georgia Tech, over Georgia. Royal eliminated Wake Forest from his list recently, leading into the in-state showdown for his [...]