Williams opts for Duke : govolsxtra.com

Prized basketball recruit Elliot Williams of St. George's High School in Memphis is expected to announce he'll attend Duke University next year, St. George's coach Jeff Ruffin told the Memphis Commerical Appeal on Wednesday night.

"From what I understand, he's sort of been leaning a little more, a little more and a little more toward Duke in recent days," Ruffin said. "Tonight, he decided to make that decision for sure."

Williams, who was a high priority for Tennessee, also had the Vols, Virginia and Memphis as his final choices.

"All four schools offered so many things and some offered better than others, whether in terms of academics or location or the ability to play right away," Ruffin said. "There were several different factors. When it was all said and done, it was Duke that offered the most things they were looking for.

"I think it's a great honor. I felt it was a great honor when he first started getting interest from Duke and I think it's a great honor to play for Coach (Mike) Krzyzewski," Ruffin said. "Academically it's a great fit because Elliot's a great student. The fact that Coach Krzyzewski is one of the best coaches in basketball, period, had a lot to do with his decision."

UT has verbal commitments for the 2008 recruiting class, Phillip Jurick (6-foot-10, East Ridge High School) and Renaldo Woolridge (6-9, Harvard-Westlake, Calif.), Woolridge's father is former NBA all-star Orlando Woolridge, who was named coach of the Houston Takers in the American Basketball Association on Wednesday.

UT has two more scholarships available in this class, but Vols coach Bruce Pearl has said he might not use all of them if he didn't get the players he has targeted.

The first day of the fall signing period is Nov. 14.