EARLY JUNIOR COLLEGE CANDIDATES

An early list to compile, kind of a starting point, some of these absolutely should pursue this route.

David Forrest 6-3 WG North-Lawndale "Strong body scorer, needs to learn the game; does not exhibit leadership abilities."

Barlow Alleruzzo 6-8 F DeLaSalle"Could benefit from a year at Juco. His game is still raw."

Cardell McGee 6-2 PG Springfield Lanphier"Turn-overs & grades have plagued him this season."

Damaria Franklin 6-3 G Niles North"A scorer, has talent. Needs to make better decisions."

Kobe Medley 6-1 G Springfield Southeast"Can flat-out shoot. A winner."

Eddie Creal 6-2 GF Romeoville"High-School team has been disappointing & his play has suffered as well."

Isiah Lasenby 6-5 PF Chicago Marine Academy"Big, strong body scorer needs polish. Hidden gem."

Toraze Babbs 6-5 PF Chicago Uplift"Has tools, a route that would clean-up his act."

Daylen Davis-Williams 6-6 PF Danville"Versatile can be effective in the right setting."

Jamal Stephsen 6-3 G Niles North"A talented scorer. Still finding a rhythm. He returned 5 or 6 games ago."

Dravon Clayborn 6-1 PG Niles North"Has some talent, erratic/turnover prone at times."

SOME PLAYERS WE ARE KEEPING A WATCH ON

"Low division hopefuls, potential solid D2 prospects, small College gems." Several likely looking for a walk-on situation.

Kaleb Thornton 6-0 G Bolingbrook"Currently out with an injury, silver quick finishes at the rim, well with either hand."

Josh Boulanger 6-3 F Brothers Rice"Scrappy fella, good athlete plays hard, limited skills. Small College gem."

Robert 'R.J.' McGee 6-5 F Chicago Kenwood"Hasn't yet learned to impact a game with his physical abilities. Has some offensive punch. Plays or drifts in & out. Low D1, good Div. 2 recruit."

Robert Harvey 6-3 G/F Hillcrest"A high character kid with a game that could excel in the right setting. Likely Div. 2 recruit."

Jordan Matthews 6-0 G St. Rita"Lefty combo has some ability to make plays. A slasher type. Small College."

Bill Flowers 6-4 F Lincoln Park"Absolutely love his game; he may opt to walk-on at Wisconsin. He's a strong student obviously. Good mid-range shooter, exceptional athlete. Div. 2 recruit."

Raekwon Drake 6-5 SF Chicago Orr"Outstanding leaper, his game has taken a back-seat. Looks disengaged often. Low Div. one, may need a Juco experience."

Kenyon Duling 6-3 G/F Morgan Park"This swingman is a stud; plays hard. Get's to the rim, could mask as a defender. Div. 2 recruit."

Justin Boyd 6-4 G/F Whitney Young

"Can play at a Div. I level. System guy who can sparkle as a good
shooter & defender. Very team-oriented."

Branden Ellis 6-4 G/F Warren Township "Deceptive athlete, can score in bundles, all tourney at Pontiac, low D. 1, a very good D2 recruit."

Anthony Lynch 6-2 G Elgin-Larkin"Very good player, D2 recruit, consistency in his floor game should be his focus."

Matt Myers 6-4 G/F Willowbrook"Superb shooter, nice size & knows how to play; could walk-on at high-major situation."

Ryan Kutsor 6-4 G Lake Zurich"Good shooter, played well vs Drew Peterson over the weekend. Could walk-on somewhere."

Javion May 6-1 G Hope Academy"Has started to generate some buzz with his play; he may opt for a year of Juco."

Kenny Strawbridge 6-3 G Rockford Lutheran"Has sparkled this season, his floor game has flourished. Low D1s are interested again as well as D2s."

Quincy Broadway 6-2 PG Peoria Manual"Good speed & quickness. Hidden gem. Academic qualifier."

TOP AVAILABLE SENIORS IN ILLINOIS

A current market that resembles Iowa, Wisconsin, St. Louis this time of year.


NAME / HT / POS / SCHOOL

1. Drew Peterson 6-8 F Libertyville - "Mid-major, shot it well vs Lake Zurich."

2. Xavier Pinson 6-3 PG Simeon - "Magician with the rock, attracting big schools."

3. Terrence Shannon 6-6 G/F Lincoln Pk - "Lefty had a poor performance vs Farragut. He is still one of our top players."

4. Chase Adams 5-7 PG Orr - "Horizon League coup. He's in a groove right now."

5. Isaiah Fuller 6-1 PG Oak Park - "Lightning fast, where's SIU-E & Western Ill. This kid is having a great season."

6. Dannie Smith 6-5 WF Orr - "Intriguing low-mid level recruit. Tough & can shoot the rock."

7. Morgan Taylor 6-2 G Marist - "My prior thoughts of him are real. The kid can play; he's a low major recruit."

8. Zion Young 6-3 G Simeon - "A stud. We're still learning his trade-mark."

9. Jalen Shaw 6-10 F/C Elgin-Larkin - "Patience is on his side. This kid has a big up-side."

10. Quinlan Bennett 6-3 WG Proviso East - "Talented, I'm trusting my lens he's been hurt, still made all Tourney at Proviso West Holiday Event."

11. Cam Burrell 6-5 F Morgan Park - "A cagey athlete, makes plays at the rim. The best is yet to come."

TEAMS IN THE CHICAGO AREA TO FOLLOW

"It's been another sobering season around these parts. College wise-Loyola has been pleasant to watch, the UIC Flames recent resurgence has garned some attention, and they've recovered nicely after a rash of early season injuries. Currently, these high-school teams could capture audiences the last half of the season. They are fun to watch and worth the price admission: Simeon, Orr, Morgan Park, Whitney Young, Oak-Park, Lincoln Park, Niles North, Fenwick, West Aurora, Marist, Maine South, and Bolingbrook.

It's been a heart-breaking experience just following our state Colleges sputter through another up and down season. Geez, it wasn't long ago when we were the model of consistency, programs like: Illinois, DePaul, Bradley, Loyola, Northern Illinois, Illinois State, made the NCAA Tournament every year or was in the hunt! Southern Illinois had a string of good seasons in the early to 2000's up until 2008-09, and UIC had some good teams under Jimmy Collins in the late 90s early 2000s where they were invited to the NCAA Tourney. Some of our sudden derailment can be contributed to the lack of elite talent in our state. Our over-all numbers are down in recent years with high-major prospects. As former Robeson & DePaul/NIU Coach Robert Collins recently stated, Chicago was never known to be down! We used to produce 25-30 high-major recruits every year.

CITY BEAT

Being an area talent scout, I tend to assess & monitor all comings and goings throughout gymnasiums including security, score keepers, janitors, etc. My attention of late has turned towards the poor officiating throughout the Chicagoland area. I was appalled recently watching two officials blatantly trying to rig a game at Marshall High-School for the host team. "Shame on them and we know exactly who they are!"

I've noticed around Chicago, long- time fans have come to an understanding that the best basketball player of all time from our state could be St. Joseph Alum Isiah Thomas. A close second would be George Mikan from Quigley Prep/Joliet Catholic. Hmmm lately in many circles around the city have asked that question, who are the Top 5 All-Time players? Carver's Cazzie Russell will have to be at the head of this discussion. Russell is arguably the Public League's best. Discussion to be continued.

Morgan Park and Fenwick hooked-up in an entertaining affair over the week-end, in which Morgan Pk prevailed 76-67. The Mustang's sophomore guard, Adam Miller raked-up 32 points, while drilling 9 treys. D.J. Steward, Fenwick's talented 2nd year standout registered 20 points & 10 rebounds. Both of these youngsters give our area some much needed excitement in a down season.

Watching Morgan Park perform a few times this season has taken me back a number of years. They often come down hoisting-up quick shots, I couldn't help but think of the entertaining 1976-77 U.N.L.V. squad, who likely was one of the more exciting College teams of the 70's with a talented line-up of NBA draft picks: Eddie Owens 21.8, Sam Smith 14.8, Reggie Theus 14.5, Glen Gondrezick 14.6, Robert Smith 12.8, Larry Moffett 8.0, Tony Smith 9.0. My reference point is that Morgan Park has the potential to keep you on the edge of your seat with their frenzy style. When Ayo Dosunmu and UAB recruit Tamell Pearson return, look-out…

Carbondale forward and Ball-State signee, Kani Acre has been out all season with a torn meniscus. A freak incident that occurred while stepping out of a vehicle in the school parking lot. He could return next month.

Springfield Southeast has captured the attention of many observers from down-state; they are now the darlings of Central Illinois. Coach Lawrence Thomas has his team rolling to a 14-2 start, behind the play of rising juniors, Anthony Fairlee, Terrion Murdix, and senior sharp shooter Kobe Medley. Coach Thomas is considered one of our better coaches in the state; he has guided and directed his troops to some huge victories this season. Southeast won the prestigious Collinsville Holiday Classic, and they just won the city Springfield Tournament over the weekend. Fairlee is vastly recognized as one of the Top 20 prospects in our 2019 Class. At 6-3 he is one of our state's best athlete. In fact, he's a big-time track guy.

ILLINOIS SPOT-LITE SPRING JAMBOREE

SATURDAY, MARCH 24TH, 2018

SUNDAY, MARCH 25TH, 2018

SITE: PLAINFIELD CENTRAL HIGH-SCHOOL

PARTICIPATING AGE GROUPS

17-U, 16-U, 15-U, 14-U

“Some of the area’s up-coming Club Programs will be on hand.” This event will be geared for evaluating your early season roster & putting a system in place for your teams.

GUARANTEE 3 GAMES

ENTRY FEE: $135.00

Over 30 teams have committed, so if you seek a good pre-season type test, this is the event to be at. Without shelving out tons of money to travel & overhead  costs.

We can be reached at Illinoiswarriors@yahoo.com

2019 PROSPECTS WHO SOLIDIFIED THEIR STATUS AS CAGERS TO BE RECKON WITH THE REMINDER OF THE SEASON

“These guys starting to create some buzz.”

• Dajuan Gordon 6-4 G/F MM Curie “Wiry versatile talent, starting to resemble a 2-way gem. His stock is about to climb.”

• Chris Roberts 6-0 G ---- Lincoln Park“Had an exhilarating night to remember when he recorded 43 points vs Whitney Young in a double overtime victory. He’s the rubber band man slashing at the rim.

• Rashaun Agee 6-7 SF MM Chicago Bogan “Was splendid at Proviso; hit the glass with authority, showed signs of finishing plays at the rim. His talent is starting to turn over to a point where he can be A10 Recruit or higher eventually.”

• Tujautae Williams 6-6 G/F MM Chicago Orr“This Lincoln Park transfer has an enormous upside, you can see his game evolving nightly. Just ruled eligible a few weeks ago, the Fenwick game he gave viewers a glimpse of what his future may hold.”

• Chase Robinson 6-2 G MM Oak Park“Strong athletic combo guard, good speed and quickness, starting to spray jumpers down consistently on the perimeter. Confidence starting to soar.”

• Demetrius Douglass 6-1 PG ---- North Lawndale“Putting in work quietly, averaging double figures in scoring & assist. An exciting player to watch, we will see him vs Lincoln Park this week.”

• Marquise Walker 6-0 PG MM Chicago Curie“The St. Joe’s transfer still has the flair & razzle dazzle aura in his game but he’s playing more controlled and disciplined. He has a fresh start under his belt.”

• Anthony Roberts 6-5 F MM Oak Park“Huge upside, we saw his potential on display at Pontiac. He plays bigger than his listed size. His wing span is close to 6-8, good athlete & defender, starting to look explosive around the rim. A player to watch.”

ENTERTAINING TEAMS TO WATCH DURING THE 2ND HALF OF THE SEASON

“These squads get up and down, they entertain with an aerial attack and a punctuating force defensively that creates numerous block shots during a course of a game.”

Chicago Simeon 

Niles North 

Curie 

West Aurora

Chicago Orr 

Lincoln Park 

Oak Park 

Chicago Leo

OUR FAB 7 TO FOLLOW

• Simeon – won the Pontiac Tournament by an impressive margin.

• Curie – lost in the title at Pontiac to the state’s top team.

• Orr – won Proviso, but had its moments. The Fenwick game is a reminder.

• Niles North – won the Wheeling Tournament but their play is exciting but erratic at times.

• Oak-Park – excellent showing at Pontiac without junior guard Dashon Enoch (out with concussion protocol).

• Whitney Young – has sputtered some of late but we trust and believe in their system.

• Morgan Park – Ayo not healthy right now, senior forward-Tamell Pearson hasn’t played all season due to an injury but is expected back soon. Meanwhile, Nick seems to be on an emotional spin of late.

HOLIDAY FINDINGS

Covering events over the break around these parts left many of us mindful of what we suspected at the onset of our 2017-2018 hoops season. Some of these events occurred during wintery weather conditions! Nothing else needs to be said.

TOP UN-SIGNED SENIORS IN THE AREA
NAME / HT / POS / LEVEL / HIGH-SCHOOL

Drew Peterson 6-8 F MM Libertyville
“The slender fella had his squad in the mix at the Wheeling Tournament pushing them to the final game which they lost to Niles North. Peterson actually gained more followers with his play at this particular event. Hopefully he’ll continue to build some steam from this.”

Xavier Pinson 6-3 PG MM Simeon
“Capable of breath-taking moments, good athlete, superb ballhandler, excels as a mid-range marksman. Playing a role for the state’s top team. Dayton and New Mexico have shown interest, this kid is going to be a terrific college player.”

Terrence Shannon 6-6 G/F MM Lincoln Park
“The versatile lefty has major game; his stock is going to climb by seasons end. He has already demonstrated leadership qualities with his young team, he can score in a variety of ways. Probably registers three dunks a game, he’s fun to watch, he’s a dangerous 3-point threat. And yes, he’s going to qualify.”

Chase Adams 5-7 PG MM Orr
“Sparkled at Proviso, guiding his team to the Tourney title. A pure quarterback on the floor, sets the tables for others, while the little fella is skilled & can score in bunches if needed. UIC has offered in the last week and a half and he certainly can help their program with his steady floor play. He has a penchant for big game settings.”

Jalen Shaw 6-10 C MM-LM+ Elgin-Larkin
“Didn’t have the kind of performance we anticipated from him at Proviso, but he has a wealth of potential. A terrific passer presently and his future is awfully bright, he just needs more time with his development.”

Isaiah Fuller 6-2 PG MM-LM+ Oak-Park
“Fast athletic scoring guard; starting to come into his own as a leader. He should be receiving more division one interest. Played well at Pontiac.”

Dannie Smith 6-5 WF LM+ Orr
“Struggled vs a squad like Fenwick where they forced him to think the game and make decisions on the fly. We like his physical makeup but he still needs a great amount of polish.”

Cardell McGee 6-2 PG LM+ Lanphier
“He’s flirting around with academic woes. Averages 19 a game & a cluster of turnovers, which is an area of his game he has to sharpen, he tends to try to do too much. Dayton saw him at Pekin.”

Quinlan Bennett 6-3 G LM+ Proviso East
“Watched him play at Proviso West Xmas Tourney, he looked hurt. Still managed to show flashes of what his game could eventually surface to, he is silk smooth though.”

Zion Young 6-2 G/F LM+LM Simeon
“He’s playing a pivotal role with the state’s best team. Very good athlete, we still trying to figure out his game.”

Morgan Taylor 6-2 G LM+LM Marist
“High scoring guard, had a marvelous showing at the Centralia Holiday Event.”

David Swedura 6-0 PG LM Prospect
“He lid up Waukegan for 41 in the 3rd place game at the Wheeling Classic. Right now, he’s slated to walk on at SIU next season. A sleeper type.”