Pettway Gets the Job Done: Alabama Lands Top In-State Recruits

Antoine Pettway has always been known as a hard worker, with a knack for giving more than you think he can deliver. He is the only assistant held over by Anthony Grant from the Mark Gottfried coaching staff.

He was—and is—an Alabama icon. His donning of the red shoes during his junior year, and the run to the Elite Eight is etched into the memory of every Alabama basketball fan.

He began his career as a walk-on in 2001, averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 assists per game. In his freshman year, he scored 84 points.

As a senior, he was on full scholarship, and was a full-time starter who led his team into the NCAA tournament for the third year, averaging 9.1 points and 3.5 assists per game. After the Elite Eight performance during his junior year, he took Alabama back to the NCAA tournament as a senior.

We have yet to see another like him running the Alabama offense in its full glory.

He is using the same "grind it out" work ethic as the director of basketball operations for the Grant coaching staff. He recently swapped roles with previous director, Tony Pujol, who accepted the change to full time assistant.

Antoine Pettway has been spending a great deal of time on the road recruiting, and it is beginning to pay off big time for the university he loves.

Last night, he delivered the best news that Anthony Grant has received since becoming head basketball coach of the Crimson Tide.

Pettway signed not just one—but two—of the top prospects in the nation for the 2011 class. They happen to be the two highest-rated players in the state of Alabama for the 2011 class: Levi Randolph (Madison) and Rodney Cooper (Phenix City). They gave their commitment to Pettway and Grant on Thursday night.

Randolph is a 6'6" small forward, who knows how to score from the wing. He is very athletic and excellent in transition. His stock has continued to rise on the national level, garnering offers from UGA, Miami, and Baylor, in addition to Alabama.

Rodney Cooper, a 6'5" and 195-lb junior, is a stout shooting guard with excellent ball handling skills. Cooper averaged better that 20 points per game as a junior at Russell County in Phenix City, Alabama.

Cooper was recently quoted as saying: "As soon as I saw Alabama play a few games with Coach Grant in charge, I became really interested. That full-court press defense and fast tempo really fits my game and plays to my strengths as a player".

Both of these young players are in the Rivals' top 100 for the class of 2011.