Braelen Bridges announces return to Georgia for super-senior season
Georgia Basketball got more good news on Monday when forward Braelen Bridges announced his that he plans to return to Athens next season for his super-senior season. Bridges transferred from Chicago-Illinois before this past season, one in which the Bulldogs went 6-26, and was the only player on the team to start all 32 contests.
“Dawg Nation, this past year was a blessing to play in front of great fans and to be part of Dawg Nation, but it wasn’t the way I wanted to end my college career,” Bridges wrote in an announcement posted on social media. “Thank you to my family and friends who helped with my decision. One last chapter. Go Dawgs! After receiving helpful feedback from the NBA… I’m back!!!”
Bridges averaged 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 28.8 minutes of playing time per game in 2021-22. He recorded a team-high 25 double-figure scoring outputs including a pair of 20-point performances on the road against Cincinnati and South Carolina. He posted nine points in four of the seven games that he scored less than 10 in. Overall, he led the team offensively in nine outings as well as in 14 games in the rebounding department. His 63.4 percent shooting from the field is the second best single season effort in Georgia program history, leading the SEC last season and ranking No. 7 nationally in field goal percentage while becoming the first Bulldog since 1980 to lead the league in shooting percentage.
Bridges joins Kario Oquendo, the team’s leading scorer, in announcing his return to Georgia after Oquendo briefly entered his name into the transfer portal. Jailyn Ingram plans to be back should the NCAA approve his waiver for a medical redshirt, which those within the program expected him to get last season. Jabri Abdur-Rahim also will be back after wrapping up his second season of collegiate basketball with the Bulldogs as one of three players to play in all 32 outings. They’ll be aided by the addition of Longwood transfer Justin Hill, who averaged 14.2 points for the Lancers during a run to the NCAA Tournament.
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Meanwhile, new head coach Mike White has several spots to work with in filling out his first roster. Nine Georgia players – Dalen Ridgnal, Cam McDowell, Tyrone Baker, Christian Wright, Josh Taylor, Tyron McMillan, Jaxon Etter, Jonathan Ned and Noah Baumann – are either currently in the transfer portal or have committed elsewhere.
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