Glynn Academy’s Walker, Green sign to play basketball at South Georgia Tech

March 24, 2017
Glynn Academy basketball players Durand Green, sitting left, and Dominique Walker, sitting right, signed national letters of intent Thursday outside the Glynn Academy auditorium. The both plan to attend South Georgia Tech in Americus.(photo provided/Gena Churchwell)

By Taylor Denman
tdenman@goldenisles.news

BRUNSWICK, GA – Two Glenn Academy seniors, Dominique Walker and Durand Green, have signed letters of intent to play basketball at South Georgia Technical College in Americus, GA for the 2017 – 2018 season, announced South Georgia Technical College Jets head basketball coach Travis Garrett.
Dominique Walker and Durand Green were first teammates on Brunswick’s AAU basketball team, the Warriors, in eighth grade. Walker later moved to play for an AAU team out of Jacksonville, but he and Green remained teammates as Glynn Academy Red Terrors.
After four years of being high school teammates, Walker and Green are taking the step to the next level together. The teammates signed national letters of intent to play at South Georgia Technical College in Americus.
“Coach (Dan) Moore coached these guys for three years, and I was lucky to inherit them for one year,” said first-year coach Terrance Haywood. “We’re looking forward to what they’re going to do at the next level.”
It was just a few weeks ago they made the trip to the Americus-based campus, and both decided to make the commitment to become Jets shortly after that. “It feels really good (to sign the letter),” Green said. “It’s exciting.”
When the two Terrors paid a visit to Americus, both said they were struck by the small-town atmosphere. Americus drew them in for a few reasons: it is both comforting, familiar and feels safe. They’re left to focus on basketball. “I think it’s a great start,” Green said.
Walker said the coaching staff and facilities met his expectations for a college basketball program. Both said South Georgia Tech dreamed on the potential of their jump-shooting abilities.
Walker and Green both started searching for college opportunities in their senior seasons. Walker said part of the impetus to join the Jacksonville-based AAU team as a ninth-grader was to expose himself more to college coaches. Walker said he was approached by more scouts at tournaments with his AAU team than through exposure via high school games. “I had to move to Jacksonville to get in with them, because they went more places,” Walker said.
Green and Walker make up two-thirds of a senior class that led the Terrors to their first state playoff game since 2010. The Terrors knocked off No. 1 seed Stephenson High School in the first round of the state playoffs, before pushing South Cobb to two overtimes in their second- round loss.
Both seniors agree that the success of the class of 2017 has ushered in a new era of competitive basketball at Glynn Academy. They expect more Red Terror basketball players to sign in the future. “Next year, they’ll be in good hands,” Walker said.
The South Georgia Technical College Jets have advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XVII tournament for the past two years under head coach Travis Garrett. The seventh seeded Jets upset Gordon College in the second round of the tournament to advance to the Region XVII finals in 2016 – 2017. They lost in the championship game to the nationally-ranked NJCAA Division I Georgia Highlands squad, 99 – 80. Georgia Highlands advanced to the NJCAA Division I national tournament where they dropped a narrow 70 – 69 decision to Motlow State in the Sweet Sixteen round.
The Jets finished the 2016 – 2017 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association regular season in 7th place with a 5 – 11 conference record and 13 – 20 overall. Garrrett led his team to a 15 – 16 overall record in his first season as head coach. He has a 28 – 36 record with the Jets.