Lithonia's Robert Dozier committed Friday to play basketball at Georgia.
Dozier, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound small forward who is ranked 75th nationally and 10th at his position by theinsiders.com, averaged 16.9 points and more than 10 rebounds in leading Lithonia to the Class AAAAA Final Four.
Lithonia coach Lewis Jones said Dozier will sign during the late signing period, which opens April 14 - four days before Georgia goes before the NCAA Committee on Infractions for a hearing concerning alleged academic fraud and improper payments to players during former coach Jim Harrick's tenure.
"He's very versatile," Jones said. "He shoots from 15 feet to 25 feet very well. He can handle the ball and bring it up in transition. He's a great athlete who I think can step in and play right away at Georgia."
Dozier had committed to Memphis before his senior season, but when it came time to sign last November, Dozier decided he wanted to see other schools. Georgia convinced him to stay closer to his DeKalb County home.
Dozier will add depth to the frontcourt, which lost seniors Chris Daniels (10.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and Jonas Hayes (11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg) from a team that went 16-14 in coach Dennis Felton's first season.
"I think (Dozier) will be a focal point Coach Felton can build around," Jones said. "Whatever it took for us to win, he was able to do."
Georgia coaches are not permitted under NCAA rules to comment on unsigned players, but Felton said earlier this month the Bulldogs will continue to focus on building the frontcourt and did not rule out the possibility of signing a junior college player.
Guards Channing Toney of Snellville and Yata Gaines of Queens, N.Y., signed with Georgia in November. The Bulldogs have two scholarships remaining this year.


Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, March 27, 2004.

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