TOP 10 ALL-TIME PLAYERS PRODUCED IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO

“I’ve always found it fascinating as to where our players originate from throughout our state, certain pockets of our state have had lofty traditions of producing top-notch athletes. The Land of Lincoln has pushed out some terrific talent throughout the years, we still do today but not at the clip or caliber of what we were once sprouting out at a high volume.”

• Isiah Thomas 5-11 PG St. Joseph 1979 Indiana University

“Born and raised on the Chicago West Side, had a marvelous high school career at the Westchester School. Thomas, as a junior guided St. Joe’s to the title game in 1978 where they were defeated by unbeaten Lockport team. Thomas led Indiana to an NCAA Championship in 1981 and proceeded to have an illustrious Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Pistons where he won two NBA Championships. Arguably the best player to ever come out of Chicago. He’s an NBA Hall of Famer.”

• Maurice Cheeks 6-1 PG Du Sable 1974 West Texas State

“Grew-up on the Chicago South-Side in the Robert Taylor housing projects. Little known in high school, observers recognized he was a hidden gem after his high school days. He was part of a package with All-City front court player William Dise which led the pair to West Texas State; Dise would eventually transfer to DePaul. Cheeks’ steady all-around floor game caught the attention of the Philadelphia 76ers who drafted him round 2 in 1978. He would go on to play 11 of his 15 seasons with them, he was a 4-time NBA All-Star, and a 5-time all-defensive selection. Inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2018, won a NBA Title with the 76ers in 1983.Current Assistant Coach with Chicago Bulls.”

• Mark Auguirre 6-6 F Westinghouse 1978 DePaul University

“West-side native begin his prolific high school career at Austin High where he first drew attention as a pudgy high-scorer. Transferred to Westinghouse his sophomore year, his play soared by his senior season, he was consensus national player of the year and a McDonald’s All-American selection in 1978. His Westinghouse squad lost to Isiah Thomas and St. Joe’s 63-60 in the 1978 quarterfinals. Aguirre enjoyed a stellar career at DePaul, received National All-American honors and was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the No.1 pick in 1981. Played 13 years in the NBA, 3-time All-Star won 2 Championships back-to-back with Detroit.”

• Cazzie Russell 6-5 WF Carver 1962 University of Michigan

“Altgeld Gardens finest; In 1962 he was named the Chicago Sun-Times boys’ player of the year. Cazzie led carver to second place finish in the State Tournament that year. He averaged over 30 pts a game. A three-time College All-American averaged 30.8 points per game his senior year, finished his collegiate career 2,164 points. 1966 Russell was the overall No.1 pick in the NBA draft. Spent twelve seasons in the NBA, won a Championship with the New York Knicks in 1970.”

• Terry Cummings 6-9 PF Carver 1979 DePaul University

“A bruising front-court scorer & rebounder on the high school circuit, his senior season at Carver scouts started to take notice of Terry’s overwhelming potential. He attracted the attention of DePaul’s coaching staff, he went on to achieve first team All-American status in 1982 after 3 seasons with the Blue Demons, that same year he was the second overall pick by the San Diego Clippers. Terry won NBA rookie of the year award after the 1982-83 season and would play in the 1985 and 1989 NBA All-Star games. Played in the League for 18 years, we don’t see many players in Chicago similar to him these days.”

• Ricky Green 6-0 PG Hirsch 1973 University Michigan

“A South-Side heart-throb, the speedster teamed with big-man John Robinson to lead Hirsch to a State Championship his senior year. The Huskies sped pass New Trier East 65-51, finishing the season with a 29-2 mark. Green, along with Robinson, led Michigan to the NCAA Title game in 1976 where they lost to a really good Indiana University team led by South Suburb native Quinn Buckner. Green, was named first team All-American in 1977 and was selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Ricky played 12 years in the League and was selected to the NBA All-Star team in 1984.”

• Eddie Johnson 6-7 F Westinghouse 1977 University Illinois

“West-Sider was instrumental in helping Westinghouse gain basketball relevance during that time, they captured the 1977 City Title. That team included NBA standout Mark Aguirre and highly touted guard Skip Dillard; they formed a potent high-scoring line-up. Johnson was already recognized as a dangerous long-distance shooter back then; he was named second team parade All-American his senior year 1977. He would go on to have a solid Collegiate career at Illinois and was drafted by the Kansas City Kings in 1981. Johnson played 17 seasons in the NBA. He accumulated 19,202 career points. In 1989 he won the NBA sixth man of the year award. Johnson is currently a color commentator for Phoenix Suns and Arizona State Men’s Basketball as well as the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.”

• Hersey Hawkins 6-4 G Westinghouse 1984 Bradley University

“West-Side native was a center/post player in high school, was little known back then but was discovered under the watchful eye of Dick Versace & the late Tony Barone. In 1988 he won NCAA player of the year, Hawkins played four seasons at Bradley, went on to capture consecutive Missouri Valley player of the year awards. He averaged 36.3 points per game leading the country in scoring his senior season. The Los Angeles Clippers selected him sixth overall in the 1988 draft, but his rights were traded to the 76ers. Hawkins played 13 seasons and was selected 1991 All-Star game. Arguably one of the best to come out of the Chicago Public League.”

• Juwan Howard 6-9 F Vocational 1991 University of Michigan

“South Side product became the first basketball player that gained national recognition from a school that notably produced football players such as, Hall of Famer Dick Butkus and Keenan Turner of the 49ers. Howard was the first team parade All American and was selected to the prestigious McDonald All-American game. At Michigan he became a pivotal fixture with the Famed Fab 5. He was a third team All American in 1994 and played in the NCAA Championship game in 1992 and 1993. Howard was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 draft by the Washington Bullets, he had an NBA playing career that spanned 18 seasons, he was selected to the NBA All Star game in 1996. Won 2 NBA Championships with Miami Heat in 2012 & 2013. Current Coach at his Alma Mater Michigan year two. 

• Maurice “Bo” Ellis 6-9 F Parker 1973 Marquette University

“Outstanding high school career prepped in the nearby Hamilton Park neighborhood, was a first team parade All-American in 1993. He also performed in one of the very first Dapper Dan Classic’s in Pittsburgh. Averaged over 20 points per game his senior year at Parker High. At Marquette he played on some really talented teams and was a third team All-American his senior year while going on to win NCAA National Championship in 1977. Was selected by the Washington Bullets with the 17th pick in 1977 draft, played 3 seasons in the League with the Denver Nuggets. Bo, a Chicago favorite son coached at Marquette from 1988-1998 and then would move on to become the Head Coach at Chicago State from 1998-2003. His No.31 is retired at Marquette.”

• Derrick Rose 6-2 G Simeon 2007 University Memphis

“His athletic package in high school was amazing. He will eventually crack the top 5 or 6 to ever lace’em up from the windy city. His hoops lore isn’t complete yet, Rose is in his 12th season & still scripting his legacy. He was named the State’s Mr. Basketball and McDonald All-American in 2007. He was No.1 overall draft pick in 2008 by his hometown team Chicago Bulls, currently playing in Detroit. In 2011 at age 22 he won the League MVP, becoming the youngest player to win League MVP in history.”

• Anthony Davis 6-10 F Perspectives Charter 2011  University Kentucky

“South-side native burst on the scene before the start of his senior year at the little-known school- Perspective. His play at the Nike Peach Jam propelled him to the No.1 player in the country which landed him an invite to the McDonald All-American game. Anthony averaged 32 points, 22 rebounds, & 7 blocks his senior year. Freshmen year at Kentucky, Davis was named Naismith/Wooden player of the year, he swept all the post season awards after Kentucky won the National Championship. New Orleans Hornets selected him as the No.1 pick in 2012. Davis is still carving out his legacy, he probably will go down as the finest talent produced out of Chicago. He just won NBA Title with the Los Angeles Lakers a couple of months ago.”

• Quentin Richardson 6-5 G/F Whitney Young 1998 De Paul University

“I will always have a bias opinion of where this productive standout looms among the greatest players to come out of our state in any era. In my 45+ years of watching high school hoops, I still have not witnessed very many young cats dominate a game the way Q. Rich did. He was a monster to contain inside and would go outside and spray defenders with his sweet jumper. One memorable night at Hales Franciscan in his sophomore year at a Thanksgiving Championship game versus a South Shore team that featured high jumping senior Paul McPherson (future draft pick of the Phoenix Suns) Richardson recorded 38 points & 22 rebounds in a Whitney Young Victory, after that outing I knew this kid was on his way to something special. He was clearly named most valuable player of that Tournament. Q. Rich won a State Championship in 1998, in 4 games he scored 86 points including 32 points & 16 rebounds in a quarterfinal win against Elgin. Then he had a stellar performance at the McDonald All-American game. Freshman year at DePaul he was Conference USA player of the year, after sophomore season in 2000 he was drafted No.18 overall by the LA Clippers. Q. won the 2005 NBA three-point shootout, played 13 seasons in the NBA.” 

EARLY 2021 SIGNEES & COMMITMENTS

NAME HT POS RANK HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE CHOICE

• Chris Hodges 6-8 PF 3 Schaumburg University Wisconsin

• Connor Enright 6-2 PG 12 Mundelein Drake University

• Ahmad Bynum 6-2 G 4 Simeon DePaul University

• Bryce Hopkins 6-7 G/F 2 Fenwick Kentucky or Michigan

• Louis Lesmond 6-6 WG 8 Niles Notre Dame Harvard University

• Isaiah Barnes 6-7 WG 6 Simeon University Michigan

• Max Christie 6-6 PG 1 Rolling Meadows  Michigan State University

• Troy D’Amico 6-7 F 7         Niles Notre Dame Southern Illinois University

• Ben Schwieger 6-6 F 16 Waubonsie Valley Loyola-Chicago

• Ty Johnson 6-1 PG 14 DePaul Prep Loyola-Chicago

• Scottie Ebube 6-8 F/C 17 Mundelein    Southern Illinois University

• Brian Matthews 6-9 C 27 DePaul Prep U. Massachusetts

• Jack Mielke 6-6 F 52     Downers Grove North  Southern Indiana Univ.

• John Poulakidas 6-5 WG 6 Neuqua Valley Yale University

• R.J. Walker 6-3 G 24 Decatur Eisenhower University Idaho

• Blake Peters 6-1 G 25 Evanston Princeton University

• Julius Rollins 6-6 G/F 17 Hillcrest Kent State University

• Brandon Hall 6-6 F 40 Thornton East Tennessee State

Noah Reynolds and his brother Nelson Reynolds has transferred out of Peoria Notre Dame to Merrillville High School in Indiana. Noah is regarded as a top 25 prospects in 2021 Class and is considered by most area scouts as a Division One recruit. 

Now, if we weren’t paying attention, we’re alert now, Hinsdale Central’s budding standout Matas Buzelis is off to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. Buzelis at 6-7 is one of our top elite young players in the 2023 Class. Hopefully, he will return after a season there. 

Early in October the state lost nationally ranked sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr., the Joliet native enrolled in LA Lumiere Prep over in La Porte, Indiana. Then you have Thornton’s six foot six Donald Coates departed for Indianapolis. He will suit up for Warren Central High School and he is already off to a good start. 

THOUGHTS & NOTES

Jimmy Collins who coached Illinois-Chicago men’s basketball to the NCAA tournament three times in 14 seasons, died Sunday morning. He was 74. 2020 has been such a heart wrenching year.

We would like to acknowledge the loss of Olympic hero, Rafer Johnson a pure stud in his day/time. A three-sport standout, played basketball at UCLA for legendary coach John Wooden on the 58-59 team, played football and baseball and ran track at Kingsburg Joint Union High. In 1958 while at UCLA he was elected student body president, a heck of an achievement for an athlete. He also began acting career in the late 60s early 70s. He was also on the Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign in June of 1968 when the democratic candidate was shot and killed in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was a part of 3 men who apprehended the gunman. Rafer won the decathlon at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Johnson passed away a week ago in Southern Cal. 

Hmm, we were recently reminded that there were not any players taken in the recent NBA draft from Illinois. Reportedly that only happened just once in the last 20 years. Those findings are not difficult to sum up for us long time observers. 

Reportedly more than 40 high school basketball players have left the state once the word was delivered that it likely wouldn’t be a regular scheduled winter season.

AWARENESS

 Talented play-maker Davonte Hall has departed T.F. North, he will play his junior season for coach Jamere Dismukes at Hyde Park Academy. Hall, recognized as one of the top point guards in the 2022 Class, will now form a terrific young backcourt tandem with sophomore whiz Cam Willford a consensus top 10 prospect in the 2023 Class. Hall & Willford give Hyde Park a really good nucleus as they build for the future.

Former T.F. North forward Darrell Reed decided to elude the Covid recruiting process opting to commit early to Alabama State. The six-foot eight talent returned to Hammond High (Ind) last season to play for coach Larry Moore after spending his sophomore year with T.F. North.

 Several city Programs have an abundance of young talent in its League quarters. Now the key component is for their coaches to turnover that promising potential. Teaching & development has to be at the forefront of their process/plan.

Chicago St. Rita

They’ve assembled a nice collection of promising players, quite a few have some length. The Mustangs could have a strong hold on the Catholic League South for the next few years. Coach Roshawn Russell has restored some faith again for this proud alumni which will gravitate towards the Program for years to come. So much buzz has been spilled over 6-8 freshmen James Brown and 6-6 ever improving Morez Johnson. Brown is ultra-skilled and poised beyond his years. He’s been impressive the times we first caught a glimpse of his physical abilities which was in August at the Ricky Moore Event housed out in Dundee. Checking in at 6-7 is 2023 prospect Darrien Baker, a skilled young lad with a wealth of potential, in which he displayed at the Pangos Event last fall. Kaiden Space has shown the ability to shoot it well while displaying maturity & understanding of situations. He gained a ton experience on the varsity last season as a freshman, as did fellow frosh six-foot seven Solomon Mosley, he could be the one to watch closely. Evan Jackson is another 6-6 sophomore that the coaches are high on. Looks like this Program is built for sustaining long-term success.

Chicago Kenwood

This Program is going through another layer of re-birth, the recent arrival of new coach Mike Irvin has revived the fan-base in a form of hip & fashionable. Three of the top sophomores in the state have made their way over, led by  ringleader Javonte “J.J.” Taylor, the No.1 player in the 2023 Class, his departure from Morgan Park paved the way for Darrin Ames “No.7” to join him. Ames is a superb shooter. The stunner of the trio joining forces was Davius Lowry leaving Simeon. He very well could be tagged as the dude with the most up-side in the Class. 6-8 versatile wing viewed as No.2 in the group, already has offers from Illinois and DePaul.

Peoria Notre Dame

Looks to be the Program that most local hoop connoisseurs will gravitate towards in Central Illinois. The leader of their impressive roster is senior Noah Reynolds, a 3-year starter and a Division One recruit. He will spearhead the attack; Reynolds is recognized as No.19 in the 2021 Class. Little brother junior guard Nelson has come on strong in recent months, emerging as a Division One recruit. The younger Reynolds is also a smooth general with reliable shooting ability on the perimeter and has some pepe & bounce in his play. Notre Dame also had the good fortunes of landing two of the top incoming freshmen in the State, a six-foot eight Lathan Sommerville and 6-6 Cooper Koch. Sommerville arrives highly touted, a very skilled youngster with enormous potential, he is arguably No.1 or 2 in the 2024 Class. Koch is a bright young prospect, pegged by long time observers as a future wing player with the potential to provide an offensive threat on the perimeter.

A PERIOD OF UNREST

 The state’s No.1 player in the 2022 Class A.J. Casey has departed Tinley Park after one season. The six-foot eight talented forward spent his freshman year at Chicago Simeon, now Casey has elected to return to the Public League for his Junior campaign where he will attend Whitney Young. Casey is viewed on most National Scouting Services to be among the Top 20 prospects in the country. The big fella is a good student and a great kid, he sizes up Whitney Young as an opportunity for growth with academics, cultural, & social experiences. That is huge, we wish more youngsters summed-up their vision for self-growth in that matter. Reportedly he is in no hurry to make a decision on Colleges yet, but he lists Michigan, Iowa State, Purdue, Ohio State, Illinois, DePaul, and Gonzaga as his current favorites. 

I love my people so I’m not aiming darts in anyone’s direction but now that we’re in tune with so much surveillance, I’m lusting for an opportunity to build a Program from ground-level up without the transfer acquisitions, which I know is widely prevalent in today’s climate. It is a necessary formula to orchestrate a quick fix.  What would be exhilarating feeling for us is to witness the growth/development of young players on & off the court within your Program at all three levels. This would be like building your Program for sustaining long-term success year and year out. It is healthy to be a dreamer, especially if you have a visionary plan.

Bryce Hopkins re-opening his recruiting after de-committing from his early Louisville pledge was certainly the hottest topic of the summer for many of us locals. A Top 40 National Prospect has the game/profile to attract the likes of Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, as well as Big 10 Schools, Illinois, and Ohio State. Stay tuned…

One of the more surprising moves and the other hot topic of the summer, that blind-sided many during the midst of a Pandemic was Kenwood High School naming Mike Irvin as its new varsity Head Coach. Mike, not having any high school coaching experience, will heighten the Kenwood profile immediately and make for interesting dynamics in an already competitively spirited Red-South. Now we can wait for word to come down that talented Javonte “J.J.” Taylor, who is regarded as the No.1 player in the 2023 Class, is transferring over from Morgan Park.

Another hot stove topic was the hire of DeWayne Peevy as the new Athletic Director at DePaul University, who has replaced long time AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto, who is retiring after 45-year career at the University. She has served as DePaul AD for the last 18 years. What makes things interesting is Peevy who is the first black administrator at DePaul and has notable distinction of coming over from the University of Kentucky. Salute to DePaul!

NOTABLE TRANSACTION NOTES

Bryan Mullins and his Southern Illinois Program scored a coup recently when they landed a pledge from Niles Notre Dame’s highly regarded versatile forward, Troy D’Amico. This kid is considered one of our finer prospects in the 2021 Class. At 6-7 he’s recognized at the Spot-Liter as the second best forward in the group. Assistant Coach Jevon Mamon deserves a lot of recognition and credit for his tireless effort during this unprecedented time while working the big-fella.

Mundelein 6-8 pivot-man, Scottie Ebube has given verbal to the Salukis as well. He will be a major addition to their recruiting Class. He’s a skilled big-fella.

The head huncho in the family tree is not going to be out-done, Porter Moser came up with a pair of dandies landing commitments from talented six-foot six wing Ben Schwieger and crafty DePaul point guard Ty Johnson, considered the 3rd or 4th best playmaker in the Class. A position that has a wealth of talent on the depth charts, these two gems totally fit the system as well as the culture that the Ramblers have embodied within their Program as they continue to keep their momentum moving upward. These are two good pickups.

Six foot-eight slender forward Walt Mattingly will leave Deerfield High School and play his senior season at neighboring Lake Forest, joining forces with talented 6-4 sophomore Asa Thomas and rising 2022 prospect, Danny Wolf. Mattingly’s change of scenery should heighten his play after subpar showing his junior season. To his defense, it wasn’t all his fault!

Over heralded junior guard Trey Pettigrew will not return to Fenwick next season. Pettigrew was considered a top 10 prospect in the 2022 class and was rumored to be heading to Bolingbrook, instead he’ll take his game out West to Hillcrest in Arizona. Distance might serve him well in terms of maturity.”

Kankakee’s A.J. Storr, a 6-4 wing considered a top 35 prospect in the Class of 2021, has transferred to Bishop Gorman (NV). He reportedly will seek to be reclassified to 2022 recruit. He has some low major interest at the present. Storr leaves on the brink of Kankakee’s finest season in 20 plus years and expectations were awfully high for this upcoming 2021 season. With the pandemic, we don’t know what is going to happen from week to week.

Now comes word the No.1 prospect in the 2023 Class Javonte “JJ” Taylor may consider departing Morgan Park for Sierra Canyon (CA). With all the violence in Chicago these days, we must not second guess any family’s decisions to move their kids. “JJ” is a highly touted young player with enormous potential and his all-around abilities at 6-7 left many of us comparing him to some of our former city standouts. He actually performed well over the last weekend at the Old Gold Classic held at the Pullman Center. “Our mission should be keeping him home and safe.”

Reportedly Evanston’s senior guard Jaylin Gibson, a three-year starter will hoop his senior season at Legacy the school of sports & science located in Houston (TX). The six-foot two combo has had a lofty 3-year winning percentage at the North Suburban School. The Wildkits will miss his leadership.

2022 prospect, Braxton Stacker a 6-4 shooting guard, considered one of our bright young back-court players has departed Belleville East to attend Cardinal Ritter across the bridge in St. Louis. Stacker is a rising talent & was listed as a top 20 prospect in the Class.

Toronto native Nigel Hylton will leave the ritzy Lake Forest Academy campus, returning to Canada where he will attend Thornlea Prep or Charter (whatever they call it). This kid was recognized as a 2022 prospect and arguably the best player in that Class. At six foot eight with a strong frame and the ability to shoot-it deep consistently made him a sure-fire high-level player. We labeled him as a “can’t miss” elite prospect.

OBSERVATION FROM A DISTANCE

We were thrilled when it was reported that former Freeport standout Luke Norman had been hired as the new Head Coach at Highland Community College, recognized as the top Junior College in the Chicagoland area. Luke, a heady lead guard in his playing days & also a former Illinois Warrior, replaces Chad Boudreau who spent 3 successful seasons at Highland. Chad moves on as a top assistant at Western Illinois where he will partner up again with Rob Jeter. Remember they had a great run at UW Milwaukee not so long ago. Norman is a former NJCAA Academic All-American at Highland where he is well tooled on Cougar Nation and understands what exemplifies a student/athlete on & off the floor. He spent two seasons at Eastern Illinois serving as a team Captain his senior campaign. He also was an assistant coach there during 2017-2018 season where the Panthers were in the thick of contention giving the hopefuls a late OVC push. Adding to the buzz, Highland will be opening their season in the newly renovated gymnasium. The start of the Luke Norman era will be bright.

An ever-growing trend we are witnessing today is our young players (frosh-soph in particular) and their families lusting for College offers, this is called modern day thirst-chasing. Contacting Colleges, questioning them about why little Johnny has not received an offer is actually taboo! It’s really pointless unless the kid is a sure-fire prospect, probably 8 times out of 10 if the kid was offered in the 9th or 10th grade and he tried to commit by his junior season, most schools would say “hold up”, there would be pushback. “Just adding some humor about today’s delusional climate. Landing offers early mean absolutely nothing.”

BIRDS-EYE VIEW ON THE REST OF OUR PRIZED POSSESSIONS

We missed some crucial late season observation/evaluations due to the pandemic; by now we would have had a really good pulse as well as some clarity on most of the players in the Class.

After losing Max Christie and Bryce Hopkins, this is what we now have under wraps on our board in terms of top notch/high caliber/or how about potential high-major recruits pegged for success at the next level. Let us be mindful… I’ve been around Chicago hoops scene for 48 years since the early 70’s, following closely and have seen our area at its highest peak, so we aren’t going to carve out a lot of fluff. We are going to give you straight ques’ & reads.

A SETTLE CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP

“We are starting to see a new era of head coaches materialize. We envision these guys faring well.”

• Mike Smith Chicago Perspective
“Entering his first varsity job. He will revive that Program which is the old Calumet (my alma mater). Smith is a former Illinois Warrior, so expectations are high for him.”

• Byron Burton Chicago St. Laurence
“Formerly at Mather for 2 years. Will have his hands full early on in the Catholic League until he builds his brand to stand on.”

• Phil Gary Oak Park
“1-year at Walter Payton, left to take over at his alma mater where he will have the opportunity to reset his whole Program. And certainly, refurbish the culture.”

• Jamere Dismukes Hyde Park Academy
“Impressed in his 1-year at Rich East. He is a rising star in the industry. A tireless worker with an eye-popping resume. Will be a future College coach; look for him to make his mark in the Chicago Public League Red South.”

• Antoine “A.J.” Jennings Lincoln Park
“Former Morgan Park Assistant will take over the top Program on the North Side. The LP Alum has much invested, he should be able to get off the ground running quickly with his Program. Former Illinois Warrior Alum.”

EARLY 2021 COMMITMENTS

We still have some very talented prospects on the board in this Class.

NAME HT POS RANK HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE CHOICE

• Chris Hodges 6-8 PF 3 Schaumburg / University Wisconsin

• Connor Enright 6-2 PG 12 Mundelein / Drake University

• Ahmad Bynum 6-2 G 4 Simeon / DePaul University

• Bryce Hopkins 6-7 G/F 2 Fenwick / University Louisville

• Isaiah Barnes 6-7 WG 6 Simeon / University Michigan

• Max Christie 6-6 PG 1 Rolling Meadows / Michigan State Univ.

One of Chicago’s favorite son’s Will Bailey has moved on to the University of South Carolina, after spending four seasons at St. Louis U. working along side of Travis Ford. Will was recently recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in the Atlantic 10. The former Illinois Warrior Alum is a star on the rise, a proven winner which has been noted at each of his coaching stops. Head coach will be his next title.

Morgan Park’s assistant coach Antione “A.J.” Jennings was named the new Lincoln Park Head Coach, replacing the popular Pat Gordon who will always be viewed in many of our eyes as a classy high-character guy. Jennings, a favorite of ours and a former Illinois Warrior Alum, will inherit a Program with an abundance of talent up & down its roster. Lincoln Park is recognized as one of the Public League’s top 4 or 5 academic schools as well as a rising basketball Program in recent years. Gordon did a phenomenal job of building a solid foundation that created a winning culture. Jennings is fortunate to have the template in place to keep the Program in a sustaining mode. A.J. is a Lincoln Park grad/alum so he has a lot invested. Great hire…

RE-STRUCTURING

It seems the pandemic we are faced with today has many in our nation scrambling of sorts and operating under duress. There is no question, it is taken a daunting toll on decisions most deal with daily and athletes are not exempt. Our state’s much sought-after prospect, Max Christie, gave a verbal to Michigan State on Tuesday. The six-foot six Rolling Meadows star is regarded as the 12th ranked prospect in the country and the No.1 player in Illinois. Christie indicated that Covid-19 played a huge impact on his early decision. Reportedly he took his official visit to Michigan State early March, just two weeks before the Coronavirus brought a screeching halt to the sports world. Christie and his silky-smooth game will join forces with two other highly acclaimed prospects who also recently gave a verbal to the Spartan Program. The consensus No.1 player in the country 6-8 multi-talented, Emoni Bates and another standout diaper-dandy recruit, Pierre Brooks rounds up an impressive trio. Kudos to coach Tom Izzo and his staff. The Rolling Meadows star was the state’s highest ranked recruit to pledge to Michigan State since Proviso East’s Shannon Brown in the early 2000s. Christie averaged 25 points & 11 rebounds a game last season.

EARLY 2020 COMMITMENTS

NAME / HT / POS / RANK / HIGH SCHOOL / COLLEGE CHOICE

• Chris Hodges 6-8 PF 3 Schaumburg / University Wisconsin

• Connor Enright 6-2 PG 12 Mundelein / Drake University

• Ahmad Bynum 6-2 G 4 Simeon / DePaul University

• Bryce Hopkins 6-7 G/F 2 Fenwick / University Louisville

• Isaiah Barnes 6-7 WG 6 Oak Park/Simeon / University Michigan

Several of my favorite young guys have a ‘new residence’ on their coaching resume. Hyde Park named Jamere Dismukes as its new head coach. He comes to Jackson Park area highly touted and brings a wealth of star quality. Dismukes will look to accelerate the Program pass the likes of Simeon, Bogan, Curie, Morgan Park, and Corliss who have been perennial powers in the Red South Conference for the last several years. Jamere was a first-year coach at Rich East last season where he won 15 games.

Phil Gary Jr. will take over the Oak Park Program after spending last season as Walter Payton’s head coach. Remember he replaced Quinn Peterson last summer who went on to the University of Missouri. Matt Maloney stepped down in May leaving an open vacancy at the West Suburban school. Gary, an Oak Park High Alum, will have his hands full starting from scratch with the departures of two highly regarded 2021 prospects. Isaiah Barnes will look to build on his rep nationally at Simeon sharing some of the limelight with “Black Cat” Bynum and junior guard Jaylen Drane. Now 6-3 guard Josh Smith ranked 22 in the Class at the Spot-Liter will take his rising game to Culver City, California. This has to be heart breaking for many of us in our area to constantly witness the loss of several of our top players to California and Arizona schools in recent years. Phil Jr. will do a fantastic job rebuilding that Program.

Mike Smith will look to resurrect some steam into the Perspective High School Program, formerly known as Calumet. He is going to have to restart the building blocks without 6-4 senior Jeffrey Oakley who was the team’s best player and prospect. He averaged close to 17 per game last season. Oakley darted off to Corliss. Smith will be an instant splash at the newly plush south side school on 87th Street off the Dan Ryan expressway.

The 2020 Class had 31 players sign Division One scholarships. Those are woeful numbers for our big city area, in fact those are small market numbers. There has to be an immediate change in the next few classes.

University of Illinois took a project in 6-11 Brandon Lieb of Deerfield High School. This looks to be a good pick up where they will have two to three years to develop this big fella who runs the floor well, competes at a high level, and he is a rim protector. The flip side is that he would be patient and would not be looking to put his name in the draft for a while. The key is to keep him out of the transfer portal. Lieb was the 31st Division One recruit.

PIVOTAL MOVEMENT

The Illinois Boys State Tournament will return to Champaign after its departure 23 years ago. Peoria was an excellent landing spot in 1996, particularly amid Peoria Manual’s 4-year strong-hold on the state’s high school hoops crown. The destination choice at that time coincided with the area having a hot-bed of talented players coming through the ranks such as A.J. Guyton (Central), Mike Robinson (Richwoods), Willie Coleman (Manual), Serg McClain (Manual), Marcus Griffin (Manual), Nick Knapp (Woodruff), J.R. Koch (Morton), Matt Moran (Pekin), Jerrence Howard (Central), Ivan Watson (Manual), Mark Vershaw (East Peoria), Frank Williams (Manual), and Jason Jenkins (East Peoria). Not to mention some of the state’s highly regarded coaches who were recognized for their abilities on the sidelines as well as turning over untapped talent. The Tournament will be played in the newly renovated State Farm Center. For many of us long time observers/followers, the decision comes as bittersweet. Peoria had a heck of a run for the first ten years or so, offering a great venue with large enthusiastic crowds and pumping some new energy into the Tournament atmosphere.

Hopefully, a change of scenery will spark some much-needed interest and participation at the State Tournament. We certainly cannot revisit any of those price gouging days from local hotels in the Champaign area in which we clearly witnessed back then.

TRANS-ACTION PORTAL

Fort Wayne, Ind. guard Luke Goode gave University Illinois a commitment recently. He is in the Class of 2021 ranked in the Top 100 by rivals. The 6-6 guard had offers from Northwestern, Iowa, Stanford, Xavier, Michigan State, Maryland, and Louisville.

Former Whitney Young/Seton standout Javon Freeman left Valparaiso after two seasons. He will head to the North Side to play for Dave Leitao’s DePaul Program. The six-foot three guard averages 19 points and 6 rebounds last season, shooting 28% from three.

6-8 Anthony D’Avanzo prepped at Niles Notre Dame, averaged 15.8 markers & 8 boards per outing last season at D2 Lewis University. D’Avanzo will take his blossoming game to Southern Illinois in Carbondale where his outside shooting will be a plus for the Salukis. His game has really taken a leap after mostly playing in the interior during his High School years.

Libertyville’s native Drew Peterson decided to spend his remaining 2 years at the University Minnesota. Peterson averaged near 11 pts & 6 rebounds last season at Rice University. With Pitino on the hot seat, the 6-8 wing could be back in the portal next spring.

Teyvion Kirk spent last season sitting out at Colorado State after suiting up his first two seasons at Ohio University. The Joliet’s native elected to come home and play at UIC for first year Coach Luke Yaklich. The Flames recently received a pledge from 6-6 forward Zion Griffin who played sparingly at Iowa State the last 2 seasons.

Other notables are landing in the Big 10 had former Fenwick guard Mike Smith leaving Columbia, heading to the University of Michigan, and Patriot All Leaguer and former Conant standout Jimmy Soto taking his floor game to Ohio State.

Glenbrook South’s heart-throb Dominic Martinelli has agreed to a preferred walk-on situation at Northwestern. The six-foot five throwback left hander thrilled North Suburban crowds this past season averaging 26 points nightly and amassed over 2000 points in his career.

COACHES TURNSTILE (NOTABLES)

Former Shepard H.S. and the Illinois Warrior standout Mike Smith was named a Head Coach at Perspective High School, formerly known as Calumet. Look for Smith to be an instant splash at the South Side School that plays in the White Division for now. Smith played College ball at UIC and St. Francis in Joliet.

Glenbrook North’s Dave Weber, often recognized as one of the top Coaches in the State, has retired after 25 years at the North Shore school. He guided his Spartans to a Class AA State Title in 2005 led by standout Jon Scheyer, also a former Illinois Warrior star. Weber won over 400 games at GBN, he will be replaced by St. Viator’s Quin Hayes.

St. Laurence recently named Byron Burt, a 25-year old North-Sider who played under Porter Moser at Loyola, its new Coach. Burt coached the last 2 seasons at his Alma Mater Mather H.S. where he finished with 13-16 record last season. He went 8-1 in the White North Conference. Jimmy Sexton seemed to have revived the St. Laurence Program a few years ago, has moved on to restore some relevancy into the sagging Evergreen Park Program, in which he will. Last season the Vikings under Sexton finished 15-17. Burt will grow up swiftly in Burbank, he has his work cut out for him.

After sustaining an illustrious career at Morgan Park Nick Irvin has resigned. He will churn out the next chapter of his Coaching resume on the Collegiate level at Western Illinois as an Assistant to Rob Jeter. Kudos to him.

Oak Park’s Matt Maloney has decided to resign as a Head Coach at the West Suburban school. Some consider the OPRF situation to be a gold mine of a job, supposedly with a ton of talent neighboring near the school boundaries. Maloney leaves with 224-108 record in 12 seasons. He was an Assistant at the school for 13 seasons. We wish him nothing but the best…

CHANGING TIMES

In the mist of a global pandemic that seems to linger on and on, we are also faced with an ever-growing epidemic with the College transfer-portal. Amusingly vast majority of players today love to post or make announcements to where they are heading, which only transitions into an unforeseen temporary destination. This short run merely illustrates most of these young men tend to be more exuberant over this excessive platform/stage than working on their game…

Chicago lost one of our legendary Coaches a week ago Landon “Sonny” Cox passed away at age 82. Coach Cox compiled a career record of 503-89 in 20 seasons while capturing three State Championships in 1986, 1990, and 1993. He had a second-place finish in 1987 losing the title game to a strong East St. Louis Lincoln Team. Coach leaves an everlasting memory with all of us.

UN-CHARTED ERA

College basketball Coaches are coping and adjusting to life that doesn’t require a frantic 24-hour spin cycle over the course of their week, not to mention the spring recruiting period. In this unprecedented era where Zoom and Google Hangouts have become a way of life for Coaches, we are faced with some uncharted territory as things move forward. Throw in the honors of now shuffling through the dubious task of going over the transfer portal, especially targeting a player you unable to bring on campus right now. What a headache!

Former Hinsdale South forward Zion Griffin landed in the transfer portal, that appears to be the new hip thing today. Griffin spent his last 2 years at Iowa State where he played limited minutes, he gets a new start at UIC where he recently gave a pledge to play. Best of luck for this left hander.

CRISIS MODE

George Raveling’s voice resonates with me daily and I can hear him say: “When faced with a crisis such as today, it reveals your true personal makeup and how you choose to respond and counter those challenges...”

Former Wisconsin-Milwaukee Head Coach Rob Jeter takes over at Western Illinois replacing the well-liked Billy Wright. It’s such a difficult task to construct & sustain a certain amount of success at the mid-major level. That’s why guys who win, keep-it-mov’n! Jeter, a Chicago native, brings a wealth of experience and success to Macomb. He’s knowledgeable enough to where he can accelerate the Program to the top of the Conference in a hurry. Jeter has a career mark of 184-170 (520 winning). Anticipate Macomb being a newfound popular destination.

University Illinois at Chicago named La Salle Peru native Luke Yaklich as its new coach, replacing Steve McClain who had five years at Helm. Yaklich spent last season as an assistant at Texas before landing Longhorn Country, he was on the staff at Michigan prior to that, he had an undistinguished four-year stay at Illinois State where he worked under his College buddy Dan Muller who happens to hold the dubious distinction as the most unpopular College Coach in Illinois. Now, Yaklich can move pass all the framing/fluff and demonstrate from the onset that the front man in the band has necessary principles and sources to lead a Program that was on the brink of surpassing the five hundred mark and being looked upon as one of the top teams in the upper half of the Horizon League. Stay tuned!

Yaklich hired former Freeport IL & Butler University standout Willie Veasley as his Assistant. The local guy has to get off and running as much as he can inhouse, he’s got some hurdles to climb.

Plano native and former Southern Illinois player & Assistant Coach, Brad Korn was recently named Head Coach at South East Missouri State, he replaces Rick Ray. We expect Brad to do a heck of a job at this Ohio Valley stop.

Long-time friend Rodney Watson has retired after a successful run at Southern Indiana where he compiled 251-82 (.754). Watson became the all-time winningest Coach in school history. The Southern Illinois native had a run of 7 NCAA II Tournament appearances, and a Semi-Final showing in 2019. He will be missed!

HOOPS OUTAGE

KANKAKEE 72 - OAK FOREST 51

Wednesday night ISHA 3A Sectional Semifinal
at Thornridge

This was our last game before the coronavirus outbreak interrupted our area causing the shut-down of all sporting events. It’s looking like a Ghost Town. Kankakee rolled in and blitzed the Bengals from the on start looking like the high school version of Phi-slam-jamma. They were just too athletic and quick; in addition, they were well disciplined only committing 7 turnovers the entire ball game. Coach Chris Pickett had his squad prepared and well-oiled resembling the likes of Tubby Smith or a Nolan Richardson persona while manning the sidelines in a calming manner. Kankakee had all five starters record double digit scoring, led by Lavell McIntosh’s 18 followed by 12 points from A.J. Storr, Kevin Allen, Rashard Harris, and Dylon Johnson. This was an impressive outing by the Kankakee Program. They withstood a fine effort from the Bengals Jayson Kent’s 23 points (five 3-pointers) and Robby Avila’s 21 markers. Oak Forest had no answer and just didn’t have enough ammunition.

MARCH FOR SUCCESS

I was pondering something recently and my inspirational vices/voices transmitted to the innovative mind of Hall of Fame Coach/leader/speaker/historian/life Coach George Raveling. I read an excerpt from some of his literature that I was bound by the fact that most of us could exhibit and share in our daily worlds. “Life is about imperfections not about chasing the perfect. The exciting part about our lives is that every part of it is always under construction. Many times change knocks at the door, but we do not welcome it as a positive growth opportunity. We all need truth-tellers in our lives…”

Aquan Smart the six-foot three guard from Niles North committed to Maryland a week ago after taking an official visit. The Terrapins’ swooped in landing one of our top prospects in the 2020 Class. The slithery scorer had numerous high-major Programs displaying interest. Despite of his lofty 23 points per outing statistic, majority of the Big Schools did not shower him with the love that Maryland wooed him with. Iowa State, TCU, Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, & Texas A&M was reportedly seen visiting the North Suburban star.

On a Tuesday wintery night, I took in a Missouri Valley contest at Valparaiso catching famed Illinois Warrior Alum Matt Lottich (New Trier) lead his squad to a victory over Missouri State. Valparaiso is such a unique place to watch a College game, it has that cozy cuddly vibe. Sitting there it donned on me that I haven’t been in these parts in 5 years but watching 6-foot 7 freshman guard Donovan Clay exploit his all-around game on this night, the moment was exhilarating. Clay hails from downstate Alton High, we knew last season that this late bloomer could develop into a special player in the right Collegiate setting. Now NBA guys will begin a trail to this Northwest Indiana School. Clay was the sleeper prospect in our 2019 Class.

CLARK 68 – CRANE 64
Fri-night, Feb 28th – Spot-Liter’s game of the week

Top game of the night happens to be on the West Side of Chicago at Christ the King, it was a great vibe and the tracks were just alright. The ball game was a 2A Regional Final in which Clark sputtered a 12-point cushion with less than five minutes remaining but managed to hold on tightly for the four-point victory where they will advance to another all-out collision this upcoming week. Darrius Perryman finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds but his two huge three-pointers in the fourth quarter really took the air out of the Cougars. The lefty sophomore’s play was impressive from the very start. He demonstrated a lot of poise and confidence for such a young player. Crane received a stellar outing from senior guard Jalen West, he recorded 21 points & 9 rebounds. His play in the last few weeks has been phenomenal. Robert Hobbs registered 13 points & 15 rebounds but missed several point-blank attempts throughout the contest, in addition several miscues at the foul line, which is a recipe for defeat especially in the playoff environment. Congratulations to long time Public League Coach Terry Head. He possesses the leadership qualities to construct and rebuild sagging Programs. His track record validates my point.

As I embark on a new chapter, my sights are now set on utilizing my vision as well as experience to accelerate a gold standard blueprint for the Hyde Park Academy Program. We will use a dosage of Terry Head’s formula to construct the necessary ingredients we seek in potential incoming student athletes, those who will value education and look to flourish in the classrooms/hallways as well the hard-wood. My target will always be to up pend Red South rivals: Bogan, Curie, Simeon, and Morgan Park…

UNION (TN) 82 – MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 76
Saturday, Feb 22nd

Traveled to Jackson, Tennessee to watch my kid play on Senior Night, I was overcome with so many emotions, while recognizing the opportunity to experience such a memorable occasion. Anytime a parent can participate on a Senior Day, it’s a gratifying honor. My family and I are appreciative to Union University Head Coach David Niven for making this day possible. Niven manages a tight ship, holding his guys accountable on and off the floor which provides life-learning lessons with growth attached. On this day we watched Niven’s squad beat an undermanned Mississippi Team guided by highly respected Veteran Coach Mike Jones. He had a short roster due to injuries & other unforeseen circumstances. Union had five players reach double digit scoring. They play in a tough Gulf South Conference that resembles some lower level Division One Leagues. Their Conference compare slightly to the Great Lakes which is where Southern Indiana, Lewis University, and Wisconsin Parkside play. Now the Gulf South seem to have more overall depth with teams & more individual fire power. Union (18-9 – 13-7) has one of the more talented teams in the League and can roll out a line-up of eight deep in its rotation led by high scoring guard Tyree Boykin, and talented swingman Terrandus Smith, they space the floor with 6-6 sharp shooter Cooper Meadows, floor general/ catalyst Bryson Butler ignites them with energy and toughness, 6-10 Big Man Sam Gueye is skilled & can score, and his talented little brother 6-8 freshman Ousmane Gueye is a promising prospect, sophomore Ty Parks gives them versatility in scoring when he’s on the floor, red shirt sophomore guard Payton Stovall provides a stabilizing presence when engaged. Collectively they tend to sleepwalk through stretches of a ball game, surveillance indicates tendencies where they are slow scrambling back on defense and not locking down & getting stops when needed. This pattern will have to change immediately because they will need some easy baskets where runouts and transition play will be a must against the highly octane 3-guard attack of West Alabama. Coach Niven will have the monumental task of managing and identifying a lineup that matches up accordingly in this important Regional Playoff Opener Tuesday night on West Alabama’s court. Hopefully all of them will be on a different frequency in terms of being mentally ready to play. “Just a few observations, we’re big game ready.”

EVANSTON 61 – GLENBROOK SOUTH 60 OVT
Fri-Feb. 21st – (Spot-Liter’s game of the week)

Over-flow crowd watched the Wildkits narrowly escape a well tooled G.B. South squad with a Conference title on the line. Glenbrook South just knocked off Evanston a month ago at home, so this game was billed as a high stake’s affair. A full house was entertained to a 25-25 tie at intermission. Dom Martinelli was held in check with 10 points, but then he erupted for 22 second half points. He manufactured the feat, impressively playing on one leg. Martinelli seemed to have banged knees or sprained an ankle early in the first quarter. This kid re-arranges his moves & motions while attacking defenders. He slithered & slid around Evanston players for layups or short jumpers. Drama filled the last minute of the contest when Martinelli drove the length of the floor through congestion for a lay-up with 6.0 seconds left to force an overtime at 54-54 apiece. The suspense continued when junior Blake Peters buried a three-pointer with 50 seconds remaining in overtime and he was fouled converting the 4-point play to put the Wildkits ahead 58-56. Then after a couple exchanges in the waning seconds Junior Big-Man Nick Martinelli was fouled attempting a 3-pointer in overtime with no time left, he needed to make all three to force a second overtime but made the first two while the third rattled in & out in a heartbreaking defeat. Great High School game and environment.