Poole enrolls early at Tech
After graduating from high school early, Georgia Tech basketball signee Solomon Poole has enrolled at the school and will be eligible to play as soon as he is cleared by the NCAA.
Poole, a point guard from Jacksonville and the younger brother of team member Stacey Poole Jr., will begin practicing Saturday.
“They’ve got their team chemistry,” Poole said. “I’m just trying to come in and help them win some games.”
Poole has plenty of work to do to learn coach Brian Gregory’s system and adapt to the college game, but his ball handling and athletic ability could give the Yellow Jackets a boost. Poole would likely compete with Pierre Jordan for minutes behind starting point guard Mfon Udofia. Two recruiting services rate him the No. 37 prospect in the senior class.
“I know Solomon is ready to help this team in any way he can, and in any role possible,” Gregory said in a statement. “While this is great for our program currently, it will also accelerate Solomon’s progress into the future.”
Team officials do not expect problems with his eligibility clearance with the NCAA. Meanwhile, his brother Stacey, who transferred to Tech from Kentucky in January 2012, is also preparing to suit up for the Yellow Jackets. After sitting out for a year, he will be eligible to play in next Monday’s game against Alabama State. They will become the first brothers to be on the same Tech team since Jon and Drew Barry in the 1991-92 season.
Said Solomon, “I’ve always looked forward to playing with my brother in college.”
While football players enrolling early have become relatively common, it is unusual in basketball. Last season, Tennessee fielded an early enrollee in forward Jarnell Stokes, who played in 17 of the Volunteers’ final 18 games after being cleared and was named to the coaches’ All-SEC freshman team.
“I know it’s going to be a big transition for me from high school to college,” Poole said. “I’ve just got to be ready for it.”
Does he feel ready?
Said Poole, “I’m always ready.”
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
57 comments Add your comment
ATL
December 12th, 2012
4:26 pm
Thanks for the video “Big Time Tech Fan” . Looks really good. As a long time BB and FB season ticket holder getting excited again about what CBG is building at TECH.
bill
December 12th, 2012
4:46 pm
People who are true Tech fans should be excited about what BG is doing. Perhaps Tech won’t get to a NC game like we did with a then-hungry CPH, but the energy is there.Never been a big Rad fan…by any stretch…but he did this Institution a solid hiring Gregory. Honestly, I saw him coach in the A-10 and wasn’t overwhelmed. But he is better right now at Tech than he was at Dayton. Couldn’t be happier the way he has handled reuilding this team, Rice, getting kids to play defense or sit, recruiting and in-game substituting. .So far….. very, very good.Gregory is getting better as a coach.
Paul in NH
December 12th, 2012
6:08 pm
Naismith
December 12th, 2012
3:03 pm
Deadpool…who was the last great NCAA basketball player to stay in school all 4 years?
—-
The current starting PF for the Phoenix Suns – 4x NBA Champion, 2x NBA MVP and guaranteed Hall of Famer- Tim Duncan.
He’s also going to be the last to stay all 4 years.
Dude's a head case....
December 13th, 2012
7:20 am
Hope his brother can fix that, but not holding my breath. A guy who was ejected twice as a junior (for cussing and squirting watter onto the court), the second time resulting in a suspension of a significant portion of his junior season, does not seem like a good candidate to enroll in college early. This sounds like the second coming of Juwan and Bill Staten.
Jacket Detective
December 13th, 2012
9:06 am
The fabulous problem Tech basketball fans have is not to get too far ahead of what the program can do in the present.
I have been a football and basketball season ticket holder and this year – after sitting out last year – I maintained a healthy scepticism.
That’s gone u may have noticed.
I bought the ACC package and you should too of u want to be more than a bandwagon fan.
A whole lot is going right.
The news just keeps getting better.
Except maybe for the DUI coach but there before the grace of God maybe Tech fans should learn to say.
Instead of arguing with dawg fans over their problems.
Tech basketball on the rise with a bullet.
No that is jumping ahead.
But u get the idea.
Jacket Detective
December 13th, 2012
9:10 am
Am I glad both Poole brothers are at Tech?
Well duh.
A problem with getting playing time at GT?
Imagine that and here it is.
I was talking to a dawg fan (and friend) about basketball and he started trashing Fox.
Man are they jealous.
Captain Oveur
December 13th, 2012
11:56 am
Paul in NH: Tim Duncan is with the Spurs. Seems like I remember Tyler Hansbrough staying all 4 years @ UNC.