ILLINOIS TOP 2020 PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS SUMMER

“This will be the crop that will help elevate us towards elite status again on the national circuit; several of these youngsters have exhibit enough promise to have our area branded as a hot-bed for College recruiters after a long drought.”

SEVERAL POTENTIAL ELITE HIGH MAJOR RECRUITS

• D. J. Steward 6-2 G Fenwick Mean Streets

• Adam Miller 6-3 G Peoria Manual Mac Irvin Fire

• Nimari Burnett 6-2 WG Morgan Park Mac Irvin Fire

• Shon Robinson 6-8 F Morgan Park Mac Irvin Fire

• Lamontay Daughtery 6-6 F Duquoin Bradley Beal

• Joel Watts 5-10 G St. Rita

• Jordan Kwiecinski 6-6 WF Loyola-Academy Illinois Wolves

• Bennett Kwiecinski 6-6 WF Loyola-Academy Illinois Wolves

• Tyler Beard 6-1 G Whitney Young Mean Streets

• Collin Woods 6-1 G Harvest Christian Mac Irvin Fire

• James Baltz 6-4 G/F Carbondale No team

• Daniel Maddox 6-1 G Bloom All In Athletics

• Destin Whitaker 6-5 WF Romeoville Hoops For Health

• Micah Schnyders 6-3 PG Chicago Christian We R 1 (Delaware)

• Marcus Watson 5-8 PG Morgan Park Mac Irvin Fire

• P.J. Edwards 6-2 G Springfield Lanphier

• Jackson Connor 6-5 F Marion (IL) Illinois Jets

• Amir Spann 6-2 G Mount Vernon Illinois Jets

• Nate Santos 6-4 WG Geneva Mercury Elite

• Colin Crothers 6-7 F Benet Academy Illinois Wolves

• Elliott Siegers 6-0 G DePaul Prep Illinois Wolves

• Bryce Hall 6-4 G/F Simeon Team Prodigy

• Kee Hargrow 6-3 G Joliet Central

• Jayson Kent 6-1 PG Tinley Park Next Level Elite 24

• Nate Seputis 6-9 F/C Lincoln-Way East RWA Program

TOP 60 2019 PROSPECTS

Uplift’s Markese Jacobs leaves the group behind. The Kansas commit will head West to a Arizona Prep-School. “The best 5 have demonstrated some High-Major potential thus far; a deep class with a wealth of quality players. Their casting should be interesting in July; we will save the yada yada comments for a later date.”

NAME / HT / POS / LEVEL / SCHOOL / CLUB
1. Francis Okoro 6-10 C HM Normal West Bradley Beal (STL)
2. E.J. Liddle 6-7 F HM Felleville West Bradley Beal (STL)
3. Chris Payton 6-7 F HM Bloomington Bradley Beal (STL)
4. Terrence Hargrove 6-6 WF HM East St. Louis Hoopville
5. Lance Jones 6-1 G MM+ Evanston Mean Streets
6. Kejuan Clements 5-11 PG MM+ Simeon Mean Streets
7. Bryant Brown 6-5 F MM+-MM Waukegan Illinois Wolves
8. Deng Reng 6-7 F MM+ Wheaton North    
9. Aaron Strong 6-1 G MM+-MM Farragut D. Rose
10. Sam LaPorta 6-4 PG MM+ Highland (IL) Bradley Beal
11. Bryce Hopkins 6-4 G MM+-MM Fremd Illinois Wolves
12. Lamond Johnson 6-2 G MM+-MM Morgan Pk Mac Irvin Fire
13. Perry Cowan 6-5 G/F MM DePaul Prep Illinois Wolves
14. Marquise Walker 6-0 PG MM+-MM Curie D. Rose
15. Isaac Stanback 6-4 SF MM Hillcrest Mac Irvin
16. Taeyon Neal 6-10 C MM+-MM Providence St. Mel Chicago Select
17. Andre White Jr. 5-9 PG MM Harvest Christian Mac Irvin
18. Karl Wright 6-5 SF MM Springfield Lanphier Illinois Irish
19. Tyler Cochran 6-3 G/F MM Bolingbrook Hoopers
20. Jeremiah Hernandez 6-3 G/F MM St. Viator Mac Irvin Fire
21. Myles Baker 6-1 PG MM Chicago Young Chicago Select
22. Mohammed Alausa 6-4 G MM Chicago U-High Illinois Wolves
23. Antonio Reeves 6-3 G MM Kenwood Mac Irvin Fire
24. Nate Ferguson 6-7 F MM Lemont Illinois Stars
25. Joseph Yesfu 5-10 G MM Bolingbrook Mean Streets
26. Traevon Brown 6-0 PG MM East Aurora Illinois Stars
27. Teon Nesbitt 6-1 G MM Butler Charter Chicago Demons
28. Mike Salters 6-2 G MM Romeoville Mean Streets
29. Taujauae Williams 6-6 G/F MM Chicago Orr Chicago Demons
30. Fred Cleveland 5-7 PG MM Chicago Leo Mac Irvin Fire
31. Martin Macenis 6-4 G/F MM Stagg
32. T.J. Wicks 6-9 F MM Kankakee Example Sports
33. Chris White 6-5 WF MM Marian Catholic Mean Streets
34. Rodney Clemons 6-2 WG MM Chicago Curie D. Rose
35. Alex Raiford 6-3 G MM De La Salle Young & Reckless
36. Charlie Hoehne 6-6 F MM Oak Park Made Men
37. Evan Taylor 6-5 G/F MM Glenbard West
38. Jeremiah Oden 6-7 F MM St. Rita
39. Jaheim Holden 5-9 PG ----- Evanston
40. Sean Houpt 6-3 G MM Danville Illinois Irish
41. Martice Mitchell 6-8 F MM Bloom All In Athletics
42. Anthony Roberts 6-3 G MM Oak-Park Made Men
43. Ciaran Braboy 6-9 C MM New Trier
44. Adam Jones 6-3 WG MM Providence Catholic RWA Program
45. Rashaun Agee 6-6 F ----- Chicago Bogan Mac Irvin Fire
46. Malik Tidwell 5-8 PG ----- Marian Catholic
47. Zach Toussaint 5-10 G ----- Johnsburg
48. Pavle Pantovic 6-6 F ----- DePaul Prep Illinois Wolves
49. Dashon Enoch 6-0 G ----- Oak Park Made Men
50. Bryonte Washington 6-2 WG ----- Rich Central
51. Dashaun Anderson 6-6 SF ----- Chicago Leo Mac Irvin Fire
52. Chase Robinson 6-0 G ----- Oak Park Made Men
53. Tyrelle Hunt 6-6 F ----- Chicago Curie D. Rose
54. Anthony Fairlee 6-4 G/F ----- Springfield SouthEast Not playing
55. Keenan Jones 6-3 G ----- Whitney Young
56. Terrion Murdix 5-8 PG ----- Springfield South East
57. Tyriel Nelson 5-11 PG ----- Providence St. Mel Chicago Select
58. Elijah Stewart 5-10 PG ----- Kenwood Chicago Select
59. Nick Kosich 6-1 G ----- York Illinois Wolves
60.   Detalian Brown 6-2 G ----- Morton West

CHICAGO AREA HIGH-SCHOOL COACHES TURN-STILE

My least favorite time of the year

Plainfield Central Head Coach Steve Lamberti has stepped down after 9 seasons, his departure will allow him more time with his family. Former Central Alum, Gregg Bayer will replace Steve next season. “The fashionable Donnie Kirksey returns to the side-lines after a year off.” After observing the whole climate and processing our area hoop scene, he decided it was time to return. He replaces long-time Vocational Coach Chris Pickett, who veered south to Kankakee. Kirksey, a former Assistant at UIC under Howard Moore has been successful at the High-School level with stints at Hyde Park and Julian; Donnie’s un-yielding force should provide us with a colorful attraction in the newly realigned red-south-central conference-where he will get tangled up in some emotional bouts with the likes of Simeon, Morgan Pk, Bogan, Kenwood, Curie, Hyde Park, and Harlan. We are expecting him to flourish at his Alma-Mater. Old-Gold founder Antonio Wiltz, a long-time Assistant at Vocational under Pickett will be Javon Mamon’s right-hand man at Hyde Park Academy. Wiltz, is highly regarded in Chicago area hoop circles. Former DePaul stand-out and Peoria Manual legend, Willie Coleman will lead his Alma-Mater, recently being named Head Coach, replacing Derek Booth who stepped down to focus on his administrative duties.

U-HAUL MOVEMENT

Expect an influx of transfers through-out our state

I’m sure some of these family decisions will leave us misty-eyed, obviously some will be subjected to some criticism. This list will grow swiftly.

NAME / HT / YR / NEW HIGH-SCHOOL / FORMER SCHOOL
Barlow Alleruzzo        6-8 SR De La Salle    Carl Sandburg

Chase Adams              5-6 SR Chicago Orr    Marian Catholic

Maurice Commander  5-8 SR Chicago          Curie Marist

Fred Cleveland Jr       5-6 JR Chicago Leo    Urban Prep Englewood

Chase Robinson         6-1 JR Oak-Park          Marist

Jaden Gasby               6-4 SR Chicago Curie    Urban Prep Englewood

Marquise Walker        6-1 JR Chicago Curie    St. Joseph

Zion Young                6-3 SR Chicago Simeon    Merrillville (IN)/Wasatch Aca.

Malik Onyeali            6-3 SR Hyde Park Academy    Marist

Taujauae Williams     6-6 JR Chicago Orr     Lincoln Park

Chris Roberts            6-9 G Lincoln Park     Kenwood

Six foot-three wing guard Zion Young from nearby Merrillville, Indiana will hoop at Simeon next season. The 2018 Grad hooped at Wasatch Academy in Utah last season. On the ranking in-state grid, he falls under top 10.

THE WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH

Abusive Power:
DePaul’s Associate Head Coach Rick Carter’s sudden resignation on Wednesday (June 7th) should have elicited some sort of long silence or a “vengeance reaction of what happened”; instead it hardly raised an eyebrow. We all are human and make mistakes, some-times individuals are armed with a certain amount of authority, which can lead one to become an above every-one else personality. The whole recruitment of La Lumier forward Brian Bowen probably heighten the state of anxiety for the Blue Demon’s Program in recent weeks. As we all know by now, Bowen inked on at Louisville last week-end, this right on the heels of DePaul signing his Prep-School Coach Shane Heirman to a 3-year pact. Coach Carter had orchestrated a few dubious-maneuvers which might have contributed to an agreed exit. Now Rick will have time to brand his new business venture and we wish him nothing but the very best. Just my overview of thought from the side-lines.