West Georgia Athletics

Carrollton – Coach Michael Cooney entered the 2009 recruiting season with a plan to bolster the front line of his West Georgia Wolves basketball team. The coach has taken a big step in that direction with the signing of UWG’s third recruit of the season.

Cooney Thursday announced the signing of Julian Jones, a transfer from Division I Western Illinois University. Jones is 6-7, 220, and will be a junior when he enrolls at West Georgia in August.

“Julian is a very athletic, very versatile big man,” says Cooney of his newest signee. “When I saw him play he was easily the first big man down the floor, and sometimes the first player down the floor. He can really be a weapon on the fast break.”

Beyond his length and size, Cooney likes Jones’ total game. “Julian shoots the ball well out to 15 feet and he makes his free throws. He does the things you need a man of his size to do; he rebounds, blocks shots and catches the ball well.”

“Obviously, we need him to be ready to play right now,” concluded the coach. “But with weights and Julian growing, he could easily be 6-8, 230. I like that kind of size.”

Jones, a native of St. Louis, Mo., played his freshman season at the juco level for College of Lake County, near Chicago. There, he earned first team All-Skyway Conference honors. After one season, Jones transferred to Western Illinois, where he played primarily as a reserve in 2008-09.

At UWG, Jones will be expected to contribute quickly along the front line. Joining him there are 6-7 senior John Pringle, the Wolves’ returning scoring leader, and Brett Seljak, a 6-8, 215-pound prep recruit from
Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Jones is West Georgia’s third signee of the current recruiting season. Beyond Seljak, The Wolves earlier added point guard Ryan Godfrey (6-1,190), a prep star from Rockingham, Western Australia.

Beyond basketball skills, all three UWG newcomers have one other important thing in common: strong academics. “Julian was on the Dean’s List at College of the Lakes, and did well at Western Illinois,” said Cooney. “All three of our recruits are good students and good people who understand and value a scholarship to West Georgia. I like the way this class is shaping up.”

Cooney is expected to announce the signing of several more players before the 2009 recruiting campaign draws to a close.