Bruce Ellington commits to Gamecocks | News | Berkeley Independent

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Bruce Ellington commits to Gamecocks

Published Friday, September 11, 2009 10:27 PM

By Dan Brown
Berkeley Independent

It’s official: Berkeley High School standout Bruce Ellington will attend the University of South Carolina.

The two-sport star has decided to play basketball for the Gamecocks.

After a summer of intense recruiting after Ellington burst onto the national basketball scene following his springtime AAU tournament in Atlanta, the Berkeley point guard verbally committed to play his college basketball for head coach Darrin Horn and USC.

“Basketball has always been my first love,” Ellington said in a released statement. “I feel the basketball program at South Carolina is on the verge of doing special things. They have been there with me since day one. I have built a great relationship with Coach Horn and I know he will push me every day to be the best I can be. I am excited to be a Gamecock.”

The decision ends months of speculation as to where Ellington would play and which sport he’d choose.

“I’m excited for Bruce that his tremendous talent as an athlete has been recognized and he gets to pursue his dream of playing college basketball,” said Berkeley basketball coach Charlie Harrison. “Bruce is an exceptional basketball player and an exceptional young man.”

Ellington’s mom Gwynne is glad her son is staying close to home and glad he chose basketball over the more physically dangerous football.

“I’m exited,” said Gwynne Ellington. “I prayed about the decision. I didn’t choose Carolina for Bruce. I told Bruce whatever he chose I’d be there with him. I’m glad he chose basketball.”

Ellington’s family is thrilled about the opportunities that await him.

“That’s my little brother out there,” said brother Ashley Ellington. “This is everything a kid his age can ask for right now. I’m excited for him. I just want him to stay healthy and have fun, and not take everything too seriously.”

Ellington is currently ranked as the 52nd-best basketball prospect in the nation and is ranked 12th among point guards, this after exploding onto the basketball scene in March.

Liken it to the Beatles coming to America in 1964.

“Bruce deserves all the accolades that he receives because he worked so hard to improve,” said Ellington’s AAU coach Antoine Saunders. “I feel lucky and blessed to have had the honor to have coached Bruce Ellington. Bruce was a joy to coach. It was very easy because he is such a good kid and very disciplined.

“He came to us extremely knowledgeable and well coached by coach Charlie Harrison. Charlie has been great to work with and has been excellent in helping develop Bruce into a great player.”

Ellington had been recruited by Kansas, Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, Miami, Southern Cal, Georgia Tech and numerous others major college basketball schools, according to Saunders, and his current ranking is simply because Bruce had slipped under the national radar for so long.

“Other point guards who have committed to Duke, Georgetown, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, West Virginia, Boston College and other powers are ranked below Bruce,” said Saunders.

For Ellington he can now turn his attention solely to his senior season on the football gridiron and realizing the goals he and his classmates set for this year.

“My focus now is to lead our football team to the state championship,” Ellington said in the released statement. “This has been our goal as a senior class and I will do everything within me to get that goal accomplished.”

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