This could be a very good Class collectively. It will be clear to many of us within a year as to where we are in terms of the overall potential of this group.
POINT GUARDS
NAME / HT / LEVEL / RANK / SCHOOL
• Max Christie 6-6 HM 1 Rolling Meadows“We had a stout bird’s eye view of his performance at Buffalo Grove, 42 markers, 17 rebounds, 4 assists & some clutch free-throw shooting. Northwestern, Duke, North Carolina closing in…”
• Anthony Sayles 6-3 MM+-MM 9 Niles Notre Dame
“Dynamite prospect on the grid iron as well. Talented general/leader on the hard wood. Has his team in contention for a State Title run. Has scoring ability, would like to see him dishing a tad more.”
• Darrion “D.J.” Jones 5-11 MM 12 Chicago Bogan
“Tough throw-back general, fuels the relentless suffocating style Bogan throttles opponents with. Slasher who sees the floor extremely well; finds his mates in timely fashion.”
• Kimarhi Wilson 6-0 MM 17 Carmel
“A quiet junior campaign has led to many observations regarding his play. The spring club season should provide many of us with a clearer view of what level his game entails.”
• Connor Enright 6-2 MM 13 Mundelein
“Clever play-maker, very astute at managing his team while understanding situations. Connor has already committed to Drake University. Knock-down shooter on the perimeter.”
• Ty Johnson 6-2 MM 14 DePaul Prep
“Pure winner has the abilities to control of a game for stretches especially with leadership & knack for making plays at both ends of the floor. Considered one of the best players in the Catholic League. This kid has un-limited range.”
WING GUARDS
• Bryce Hopkins 6-6 HM 2 Fenwick
“His status has soared to one of the top juniors nationally in the Class and he’s recognized as the No. 1 player in the Catholic League. Big body scorer has already pledged to attend Louisville. Best player out of Fenwick since Corey Maggette ’98.”
• Louis Lesmond 6-5 HM 7 Niles Notre Dame
“Has a wealth of talent, elevates well on his jumper, mechanics look superb and the range makes him ideal out-side threat. Surprises defenders with his athleticism attacking the rim. Still learning how to package it all.”
• John Poulakidas 6-5 HM 5 Neuqua Valley
“Saw the left-hander spray Bolingbrook for 49 in an upset victory early last month. J.P.’s unorthodox style keeps defenders off balance. He has array of clever moves which enables him to operate effectively to his sweet spots.”
• Isaiah Barnes 6-6 HM 6 Oak Park
“Continues to draw interest from Big 10 & Pack 12 Conferences. Excellent length on perimeter where he handles effectively & makes good decisions, sees the floor and can make shots at a high rate. A prized prospect in the class with a huge ceiling.”
• Ahmad Bynum 6-2 HM 4 Chicago Simeon
“’Black-Cat’ had been in a tail-spin in recent weeks, but the DePaul recruit got out of his slump at the right time. His performance during the City playoffs illustrated the kind of player that elevates his play in any big game setting. He can be a deadly outside shooter reminding many long-time hoop fans what elite guys look like with the jumper. He’s been on a torrid stretch of late. He made six threes in the City Final.”
• Tevin Smith 6-5 MM+-MM 9 Danville
“Missouri Valley Conference Schools have begun to pursue him heavily. Smith has put in some really good numbers in the last 4 weeks. He can score the ball with ease creating opportunities for himself, certainly has the ability to get off a good look with the shot clock waning down.”
WING FORWARDS
• Jakobi Heady 6-6 MM+-MM 15 Hillcrest
“Slender shooter has emerged as the go to guy on his talented junior Laden squad. Capable of knocking down shots in a flurry. Jakobi certainly has played himself into one of the premiere players in the class.”
• Grant Newell 6-7 MM+-MM 10 Whitney Young
“Cagey fella will flourish after the departure of some of his much-acclaimed mates. Versatile can play inside or out, future landing spot could be a situation such as Stanford, Notre Dame, Rice, or Northwestern.”
• Ben Schwieger 6-5 MM 23 Waubonsie Valley
“Swingman clone, currently shelved with injury. Climbing the charts as bona-fide mid-major recruit. After a superb showing in June where he created some steam going into the season. Very athletic and an innovative dunker, averages 16.7. Reliable out-side marksmen, should return before state.”
• Devon Ellis 6-5 MM 21 Conant
“Not notably recognized in City circles but North Suburban foes are quite familiar with his silky-smooth game. Once College Coaches get a more active glance of him, they’ll become even more fond of his play. Ellis averages 17 points and 7 rebounds. Good outside shooter.”
• Ola Ajiboye 6-8 MM 28 Von Stueben
“Had been out for significant period with an injury. Ola boasts a really nice skill set and the length necessary to defend multi positions. We will get a better viewing of him in upcoming weeks.”
• Jaiden Lee 6-5 MM 19 Joliet West
“Rapidly rising prospect had impressive showing at the Pontiac Holiday Classic. Drew the attention of many area hoop fans. The wiry wing has been the glue for his team during their recent string of injuries. Lee is one of the top shooters in the Class, he’s even shown improvement in his ball-handling to where he gets in the lane and elevates over defenders. He’s actually a pretty good rebounder. Conference USA, Missouri Valley, & American should pursue him.”
STRONG FORWARDS
• Chris Hodges 6-8 HM 3 Schaumburg
“Wisconsin recruit has had a banner season, All-State caliber. Fits the Badger profile with his work ethic and ability to compete at high-level. He’s a monster at times along the backlines. Perimeter skills starting to show signs of improvement.”
• Troy D’Amico 6-7 MM+-MM 8 Niles Notre Dame
“System guy, versatile with unique skill set, clever passer finds the open-man regularly, can drag defenders out on the perimeter where he can consistently make shots. Does possess some range. Critics will say he’s not athletic, we would counter, he compensates by being tough/hardnose & playing with a high bball IQ.”
• Scotty Ebube 6-8 MM 16 Mundelein
“Big fella handles himself well on the hardwood, has excellent composure. He’s always carried those characteristics even as a younger player. Scotty can play inside or out, finds open man effectively. Averages 15 points & 10 rebounds for one of the North Suburbs best teams.”
• Quani Rudd 6-7 MM 29 Mount Vernon
“The good ole folks down in Southern Illinois have been treated to aerial show regularly from this electrifying leaper. We caught a glimpse of Quani over the summer and due to see him soon. Southern Illinois-Carbondale and Murray State have been following him closely.”
• Walt Mattingly 6-8 MM 32 Deerfield
“Slender fella certainly is a promising prospect, his mates at times make him and fellow Big Man Brandon Lieb look as if they are on “life support”. At DePaul Prep last month, he couldn’t get into any flow, his guards acted as if they were auditioning for G League team. We likely can get a clearer evaluation of Mr. Mattingly after the season.”
POST MEN
• Julian Campbell 6-7 MM-LM+ 35 Palatine
“A wide body frame that could drop a few pounders and will as he conditions at a more frequent rate. ‘Big Fella’ has talent and can score on the block & rebound, so that exhibits opportunity for him to garner a ton of D1 interest at his size.”
• Brian Matthews 6-9 LM+ 43 DePaul Prep
“Promising prospect competes whether hard, doesn’t back down from any scrapes. Skills are still in the developmental stages. Had a big game vs Fenwick Friday night so he’s starting to show signs. He out-played the Deerfield ‘Big Men’ last month.”
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