Top 2016 Prospects (Revised 9/30/2014)

Top 2016 Prospects
Revised on 9/30/2014

1	Jerry Miles Johnson	6’5”	G/F	East Moline
2	Rapolis Ivanukas	6’9”	WF	Barrington
3	Nick Rakocevic	6’9”	PF	St. Joes
4	Devon Gage	6’3”	G	Curie
5	Rodney Herrington	6’2”	PG	Young
6	James Jones	6’4”	WG	Bogan
7	Isaiah Roby	6’8”	F	Dixon
8	Barrett Benson	6’9”	C	Hinsdale South
9	Brandon Johnson	6’7”	F	T.F. South
10	Zach Norvell	6’2”	G	Simeon

A class headlined by stellar point guards (best crop in recent years). The shooting guard slot has quality players as well.  I’m intrigued by the growing makeup of this class as a whole.  Not one of our prime-time groups in terms of high-major recruits; but we do have some quality players. 

Point Guards

Name	HT	LEVEL	High-School/Club	Comments
Rodney Herenton	6’1”	MM+-MM	Chicago Young/Mean Streets	PAC 12 Interest; Solid Player
Matty Smith	5’9”	MM	South-Elgin/IL Wolves	“Capable Big-Time Scorer”
Mike Smith	5’10”	MM	Fenwick/Mean Streets	Proven player; So-So Summer
Charlie Moore	5’10”	MM	Chicago Morgan Pk./Mac Irvin	“A Proven Winner”
Xavier Bishop	5’8”	MM	Springfield Lanphier/St. Louis Eagles	“Lefty Jump-Shooter; Has to become More of a PG”
DeAngelo Hughes	5’10”	MM	Springfield S.E./IL Irish	“Big Game Performer”
Micah Bradford	6’1”	MM	Bradley –Bourbonnais/Mac Irvin	“Skilled Performer; Bradley just Offered”
Bryce Barnes	5’10”	MM	Chicago Bogan/?	“Smooth General; Plays at a Good Pace”
Darius Branch	5’7”	MM	Leo H. S./Young & Reckless	“Had a Super Soph. Campaign”
Micquel Roseman	5’11”	LM+	Evanston/Full Package	“This Lefty had a Great Summer; Now We have to View Him in His School Environment”
Tommy Lucca	5’9”	LM+	Genoa Kingston/IL Wolves	“A Tough Floor General; High IQ”
Braden Fitzjerrells	5’5”	LM+LM	Mount Vernon/SW Jets	“Small; but a Scoring Lead Guard”

Players to Watch at the Position –Need More Viewing
Jarrin Randle-5’10”-Morgan Park; Daniko Jackson-5’10”-Riverside Brookfield; Byron Choice-6’2”-Orr; D’Aaron Owens-5;’10”-Centralia; Deshawn Wilson-5’9”-Zion Benton; Jordan Thornton-5’11”-Hoffman Estates; Jordan Baum-6’3”-Deerfield; Jason Jones-Rock Island; Malique Ross-5’11”-Oswego

Shooting Guards

Name	HT	LEVEL	High-School	Comments
Devon Gage	6’2”	HM-MM+	Chicago Curie/Team Rose	“Top 5 in the Class Future PG”
James Jones	6’4”	HM-MM+	Chicago Bogan/Mean Streets	“Explosive Scorer-Top 10”
Zack Norvell	6’2”	MM+	Chicago Simeon/Mac Irvin	“Has some Gaps in His Game”
Christopher Harris	6’3”	MM+-MM	Lake Forest Academy/IL Wolves	“Could be a Stud one Day; Combo Type Now”
Keymonte Johnson	6’3”	MM+-MM	Decatur MacArthur/?	“A Serious Hooper; Vastly Unknown”
Nate Kennell	6’5”	MM	Metamora/IL Wolves	“Lights Out Shooter”
Josh Thomas	6’3”	MM	Chgo Simeon/Mean Streets	“Talented; Needs Work on His Shot”
Zion Morgan	6’1”	MM	Chgo Kenwood/Chgo Lock-Down	“Just a Solid Prospect”
Chris Duff	6’1”	MM-LM+	Waukegan/NLP	“Very Smart Player; Productive”
Karon Randolph*	6’4”	MM	East St. Louis/?	“Versatile Threat; but Supposedly Elite Football Prospect”
Ethan Meeker	6’1”	MM	Galesburg/Mac Irvin	“Promising Superb Shooter; Summer Was?”
George Willbourn	6’2”	MM	De LaSalle/Team Rose	“Offensive Threat”
Antonio Johnson	6’3”	MM	East St. Louis/?	“Starting to Emerge”
Donovan Oliver	6’3”	MM-LM+	Kewanee/Quad City	“High Energy Athlete; has to Work on Skills”
Daniel Hoekstra	6’4”	MM-LM+	Bishop McNamara/IL Irish	“Underrated Athlete; Capable Scorer”
Tyler Houston	6’3”	MM-LM+	Knoxville/Quad City	“Makes Shots & Plays; Dynamite Motor; Stock on the Rise”
Mike Ballard	6’3”	-----------	Fenwick/Mean Streets	“Coming out Party in Vegas; A Shooter”

Players to Watch at the Position-Need More Viewing
Almir Ailoska-6’2”-Taft; Kevin Kreiger-6’3”-Plainfield North; Mike Pollack-6’4”-DeKalb; Sidney Mason-6’4”-CVS; Travon Bell-6’1”-Mather; Isaac Gassman-6’4”-Ottawa; Kalin Lee-5’9”-St. Ignatius; Antonio Willians-6’1”-Proviso East; Dallas McClain-6’0”-MacArthur; Jake Rhode-5’10”-Mount Carmel; Isaac Nelson-6’1”-Springfield High

Name	HT	LEVEL	High-School	Comments
Rapolas Ivanaukas	6’8”	HM	Barrington/Full Package	“He’s my No. 1 Player in the Class”
Jerry Myles	6’5”	HM-MM+	United Twp./All Iowa Attack	“This Lefty is a Stud; He can Score in a Variety of Ways; Top 2 or 3 in the Class”
Brendon Gooch	6’6”	MM+-MM	Belleville Althoff/S.W. Jets	“Versatile Wing who can Score”
Nick Robinson	6’5”	MM+-MM	Chgo. Kenwood/Mean Streets	“Very Spotty Summer Performance”
Ben Coupet	6’6”	MM+-MM	Chgo. Simeon/Mac Irvin	“We Love His Potential”
A.J. Beckett	6’8”	MM+	Champaign Central/?	“A Thin Transfer from Centennial; Stardom Awaits”
Skyler Nash	6’5”	MM	Chgo. Young/IL Wolves	“Going to have to Prove Himself again in School Setting”
Darias Oliver	6’6”	MM	Chgo. Leo/Chgo. Express	“Wealth of Talent; Needs to Play Harder”
Jack Clausen	6’5”	MM	Newark/IL Wolves	“A Scorer; Shelved by Injury in July”
Elyiah Goss	6’7”	MM	Plainfield East/IL Celtics	“Probably more of a 4 Man now, a Raw Talent”
Patrick Benka	6’6”	------------	Fremd/Fundamental U.	“Good Frame & Excellent Skills”
Kieran Cook	6’5”	------------	Decatur MacArthur/?	“A Raw Talent with a Bright Future”

Strong Forward
We are going to have to have some patience with players at this position; slow developing.”

Name	HT	LEVEL	High-School	Comments
Nick Rakocevic	6’9”	HM-MM+	St. Joseph/Mac Irvin	“Observers this Summer weren’t too High on His Performances”
Isaiah Roby	6’8”	HM-MM+	Dixon H. S./Quad City	“Future on the Perimeter; Stock Climbing Fast; Top 10 in 2016 Class”
Brandon Johnson	6’7”	MM+	T.F. South/Young & Reckless	“Skills somewhat Raw now, but He’s headed for Stardom”
Terrell Phipps	6’8”	MM	Chgo Al Raby/Young & Reckless	“Athlete who’s starting to come on”
Rashawn Epting	6’6”	MM	Immaculate Conception/ IL Wolves	“Caught my Eye; Lefty has a Good Motor; Underrated”
Carlton Williams	6’8”	-----------	West Aurora/Mean Streets	“Slow in His Development”
Brandon Hall	6’5”	LM+	Hoffman Estates/NLP	“Promising-Starting to Play Harder”
Alonzo Chatman	6’6”	LM+	Chicago Morgan Park/Mac Irvin	“Long Arm Athlete; Very Raw”
Mark Smith	6’7”	------------	Riverside-Brookfield/TAW	“I have to see more of Him”
Keating Rombach	6’6”	------------	Ottawa/IL Attack	“Intriguing; I have to Keep Watching; Played well in June”
Daniel Ogele	6’6”	------------	St. Ignatius/IL Celtics	“A Player to Watch for Me; Currently Hurt”
Luke Davis	6’6”	------------	Dekalb/Pryme Tyme	“Good Genes; Al will Help Him”
Devin Harris*	6’6”	------------	Springfield Lanphier/?	“A Beast-Football Player as Well
Ammar Becar	6’6”	------------	Niles Notre Dame/?	“Undersize; But He can Score”
Tyler Hankins*	6’10”	------------	South-Elgin/?	“Is a Big-Time Baseball Player”
Will Fleming	6’6”	------------	St. Ignatius/?	“Emerging; Long Arms-Good Rebounder”

Post-Men

Name	HT	LEVEL	High-School	Comments
Barrett Benson	6’9”	MM+-MM	Hinsdale South/IL Wolves	“Enjoyed a Decent Summer; Still Coming Along”
Royce Newman	6’7”	LM+	Nashville/S.W. Jets	“Learned a lot During Club Season”
William Miles	6’7”	------------	Rock-Island/Quad City	“Banger coming along; a Year away”
Tawong King	6’8”	--------------	Chicago Orr/?	“He’s going to be Good one Day”