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Are you a senior still looking for a college to play for next year? A top baller on a quest for a scholarship? An under the radar performer looking for a junior college? This Sunday a small group of select seniors will have the opportunity to play in front of an assortment of college coaches from all levels who are looking for players to fill their rosters with next season. Dont miss your chance!

Click Here For Details
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YOUR CHANCE IN ORDER TO GET A INVITE TO THE NATIONAL ADIDAS JR PHENOM CAMP        

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Adidas Phenom Camps
 

Boys Jr. Phenom Basketball Camp is April 18-19, 2009 (5-6-7th graders)

Girls Jr. Phenom Basketball Camp is May 2-3, 2009 (6-7-8th graders)

Girls Phenom 150 Basketball Camp is Aug 15-16, 2009 (9-10-11-12th graders)

Boys Phenom 150 Basketball Camp is Aug 22-23, 2009 (8-9th graders)

ARE YOU THE NEXT PHENOM ?

The national phenom camp is where the top Jr. High School Players in the nation compete in front of national scouts. In order to get an invite to the national camp you have to attend your state camp.

YOUR CHANCE AT

NATIONAL EXPOSURE

CLICK HERE OR GO TO PREPPLUSSPORTS.COM

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 FULL PACKAGE TRYOUTS
Full Package Athletics will be holding open tryouts for their 4th-11th grade travel teams. Full Package is the AAU program that molded many current and former college stars inclduding Georgia Tech starting point guard Iman Shumpert. If you want to play in top tournaments against elite competition, while getting coached and trained by experienced professionals, Full Package is where you need to be.

CLICK HERE FOR TRYOUT INFO

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February 4th, 2009- Ruben Cotto

Ruben Cotto was a very unknown player in Illinois for the

2007-2008 season. Cotto is 6-1

combo scoring guard who transferred in from Miami, FL to Alton, Illinois where he prepped his final high school season for Coach Layne Bennett and the Alton High School Cardinals. After a big senior season in which Cotto lead the Cardinals to a 24-7 record and an appearance in a regional championship game, the Puerto Rico native had a tough decision that loomed ahead of him on which college he would attend. Cotto  ultimately chose to cross the Mississippi River and play for the Rick Majerus lead SLU Billikens. After nearly a semester in a SLU uniform, Cotto didn’t feel right and decided to transfer out seven games into the season. 

Click Here to read about Cotto's new home

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Dave Spahn's Notes of the Day- January 31st, 2009

As we have stated earlier on this site, Kareem Amedu of Neuqua Valley High School is one of the most underrated players in the state for the class of 2010. He runs the show down low for the Wildcats, and he has been a large reason that their team is 20-1 and ranked 11th in the state by the Chicago Sun Times. One college finally took the initiative and did what no school has done at this point, offer Kareem a scholarship. The Wagner Seahawks have entered the Kareem Amedu sweepstakes early thanks in large part to their assistant coach John Pugliese. John, being a Neuqua Valley graduate himself, is trying to start making his home state a recruiting priority for his Seahawks in the years to come. 

 

Look for an in depth story in the near future...

 

Wayne Blackshear Transfer and Curie Run-Down- January 29th, 2009

 

I spent last Sunday at the Ronald “Chops” Billinger shootout at North Park University, brought to you by Vince Carter. It was a great event. It had great teams, top players, close games, and the spectators were all the usual suspects, not to mention the fact that the event was named after a very exceptional man, so naturally I had a good time. But we got a little extra in this one. Curie played in the final and “marquee” game of the day against Morton, but the top story was not the game’s thrilling finish on the court, rather it was all about who was not on the court, or even in the gym. I was watching the game with the Adidas rep from Chicago (Adidas sponsors Curie), and when he asked me where Wayne Blackshear was, I had to give him the same response as almost anyone else in the gym would’ve given him. I told him “I have no clue.”

Click Here to read all about Wayne and the future of Curie basketball

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Dave Spahn's Notes of the Day- January 28th, 2009

With the news that Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried had resigned on Monday, speculation began that Cully Payne would decommit from the Crimson Tide and open up his recruitment. "As of right now, I'm sticking with my commitment to Alabama," Cully said. "I'm going to wait and see who they hire as their next head coach, and then I will make a decision from there." 

Cully jumped out to a phenomenal start this season, leading his team to a top 25 state ranking while gaining respect from scouts all over the country. Cully was a legitimate candidate for Mr. Basketball in Illinois before fracturing his vertebrae. He hopes to get back into action on 
February 16th and help lead his squad far into the state playoffs.

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Reggie Smith Taking Thornton To The Top- January 26th, 2009

There is no "elite" player in the state who's stock has risen more in my eyes this season than Reggie Smith of Thornton. The 5'11 guard was always a stud and always was in the top 10 of my rankings. He was always one of the best athletes in the nation, and his talent was always undeniable. But until this year I didn't trust him. I didn't trust that he could play the point, hit the outside shot, lock up on defense, and hit the shot at the end of the game. How much one season can change things. I trust this kid so much now that if he had the ball in his hands at the end of a close game, and someone asked if I thought he would hit the shot, I would bet my girlfriend on it (she doesn't read the website :). This kid is the reason why Thornton is #1 and the state title favorite, and he is going to have a long list of high major suitors this summer if I have anything to do with it. Senior Writer Dave Spahn caught up with the man himself...

CLICK HERE TO READ DAVE'S ARTICLE ON REGGIE SMITH AND THORNTON

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Emil Clayton Journal #1- January 26th, 2009
Emil Clayton of King deserves some pub! This Chi town guard has been one of the most underrated players in Illinois since he burst on the scene by having a great AAU season with Reggie Rose's Chicago Express squad. He is smooth and quick, has swagger and IQ, and a nice outside stroke. He followed up that AAU season with a top notch showing at the Full Package Exposure League brought to you by Illinoishsbasketball.com. This season he has been putting up big time scoring numbers for King High School.

CLICK HERE TO READ EMIL CLAYTON JOURNAL #1
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Cavan Walsh's Notes- January 23rd, 2009
Mid-State Editor Cavan Walsh has been chatting with some of the top players in the state, and he's got the scoop on all the latest news. In this edition of Cavan Walsh's notes, Cav gets the scoop on Hayden Hoerdemann and Tom Norton of Bloomington Central Catholic, Glenbrook South's Jack Cooley, and Brooks' George Marshall.

CLICK HERE FOR CAVAN WALSH'S NOTES



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Jabari Parker- January 21st, 2009
Jabari Parker, a 6’3 8th grade guard from Robert A. Black Middle School has decided to attend Simeon High School. Jabari, the son of NBA legend Sonny Parker, ranks as one of the top 3 players in the state and one of the top 10 in the nation for the class of 2013. Jabari is also a stellar student in the classroom and a very nice, humble young man. I got the opportunity to watch Jabari’s Robert A. Black squad take on Chicago Beasley this past weekend. Beasley is led by 6’8 8th grader Tommy Hamilton Jr.: Jabari’s AAU teammate and the #1 player in the state for 2013. The game was quite a show to say the least.

Beasley vs. Black
Beasley took a big lead early in the game and Hamilton looked unstoppable. He was all over the court; blocking shots, grabbing rebounds, and scoring on put-backs, mid-range jumpers, and post moves. The big bodied power forward even managed to sink some impressive shots from long range and score on a few dribble drives. With the game all but over, Jabari led a comeback that saw Black get neck and neck with Beasley down the stretch. Parker put on display the poise, toughness, basketball IQ, ball handing ability, and beautiful outside shooting stroke that have kept him near the top of the rankings. Beasley came away with the last second win, but both players came out of the game as winners as there were hundreds of fans and a number of high major college coaches in attendance and all they came away believing the hype. Look out for both of these players on the AAU circuit with the Mac Irvin Fire. Hamilton has not yet selected a high school, but rumor has it that Whitney Young, Simeon, and Seton are among the leaders.
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Jermaine Winfield Shot- January 21st, 2009
North Lawndale junior power forward Jermaine Winfield is recovering in his west side home after being shot in the leg following a win over ACT Charter at Collins High School on Tuesday. Winfield was shot while trying to help a teammate that was getting jumped by three students who were waiting outside Collins following the game. I’ve known Jermaine for years and he is one of the nicest kids I know, someone who always seems to have a smile on his face. It is unfortunate that this would happen to such an undeserving victim, and this instance is very telling as to the disastrous level the violence in our city has gotten to. This comes just 2 weeks after 5 were injured in a drive by shooting that took place at Dunbar High School during their game against John Hope.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND SEE HIS COACHES AND RIVALS REACTIONS
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Jereme Richmond Interview- January 20th, 2009
This video interview is a little old, but still has high entertainment value. 6'7 Waukegan star Jereme Richmond talks to me about everything you can think of from Illinois to Mr. Basketball to the Mac Irvin Fire. The interview was done after the Shootout at the Hall, but technical difficulties with my camera delayed the release. Hope you enjoy it.


JEREME RICHMOND INTERVIEW

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Darius Smith Is #1- January 20th, 2009 

The debate is over. When my next installment of 2009 rankings comes out, Darius Smith will be the undisputed #1 player in the state. I feel silly for not realizing this before. Yes, Chris Colvin and Brandon Paul are great high school basketball players with tons of potential. Both of them are very real NBA prospects. But when it comes down to it, if I was selecting players to build a championship team there is no question my #1 selection would be Darius Smith. I’ve seen Darius play over 30 times with Marshall over his 4 years of high school and another 20 or 30 times on the AAU circuit, and I have to say I have never seen him play noticeably poorly. Even when his shot is off he manages to come up with 7 assists, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals. In his three years of high school the kid has started at guard for 2 state 3rd place teams and one state champion. This year in the 5 times I have seen him play he has been flat out unstoppable. Darius has been in and out of the #1 spot in my rankings throughout his 3+ years of high school, but this time I really believe he is there to stay. After watching his 24 point first half in a thrashing of Lake Forest Academy (he finished with 36) I felt blessed to have had the opportunity to have been in the gym on that day. His defense has always been #1, and his intangibles, basketball IQ and winning mentality have always been at the top too. Now that his offense is up to par, there really is no question that he is the best. The kid represents what Chicago basketball is all about; defense, toughness, pride, and heart. The debate is over, and Darius Smith is #1.
Look for an interview with Darius in the coming days.
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Morton Mustangs- January 20th, 2009

I haven’t gotten around to mentioning this team a lot this season, but I feel like it’s about time. Coach Tony Mertinucci’s Morton Mustangs are having an amazing season and are doing it in an amazing way: by playing team basketball and working together towards the common goal of going downstate. Led by seniors Luke Scarlatta, Joe Belcaster, Raul Guzman and Oscar Macias, the Mustangs are ranked in the top 10 in the state for the first time in a very, very long time. They beat some very talented teams this season, including Whitney Young, and they won the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. They also did this with one 1 “D1” prospect and with an unassuming cast of characters. This is a truly remarkable group of kids, and you can look for some extensive coverage of their triumphs in the coming days on this site.

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"Chops" Shootout- January 20th, 2009
This coming weekend will mark the 2009 Ronald "Chops" Billinger annual shootout. The 2 day event will feature a ton of top talent, with the headlining players being Lavonte Dority, Phil Jackson and Wayne Blackshear, and the top teams Morton, Leo, and Foreman. The event is a tribute to a man that I and almost everyone in my line of work aspires to be like. Chops was a man of great determination and intergrity, and was a person with a soft spot in his heart for kids that needed his help. Check out my rundown of all the talent that will be on display this weekend...
CLICK HERE FOR THE SCHEDULE AND RUNDOWN
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Mike Shaw and Dre Henley- January 17th, 2009

Sophomores Mike Shaw and Dre Henley have been tearing up the hardwood for Tom White's De La Salle Meteors this season. Both Players have accumulated a consensus Top 5 ranking for the Class of 2011, and they share a common passion about the wonderful game of basketball. College coaches drool over their versatility and athleticism, as well as their high basketball IQ's. Senior Writer Dave Spahn caught up with both of them, and here is what they had to say in an exclusive video interview...

Click Here to see Mike Shaw and Dre Henley talk about the De La Salle Meteors

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Notes From The Bulls- Cavs Game- January 15th, 2009
I got home a little while ago from the Bulls win over the Cleveland Cavs tonight, and I gotta tell you I had a blast. 6 of us went to the game in all, and the group included me, Senior Writer Dave Spahn, Illinois Commit Tracy Abrams of Mt. Carmel, and his teammate Malcolm Hill-Bey- one of the top freshman in the state. We all came expecting to see the LeBron James show, at the expense of our beloved Bulls. The fact that the Bulls were able to even keep the game close with one of the elite teams in the NBA was amazing enough, but the fact that they were able to win it in overtime was astounding. The atmosphere in the United Center reminded me of the magical playoff season of two years ago.
While at the game I got a chance to speak with two of the coolest guys in Chicago basketball: Reggie Rose and Kenny McReynolds.

I spoke to Reggie at length about the upcoming AAU season and his team the Derrick Rose All-Stars. This Adidas squad is going to be absolutely loaded with talent, and could challenge the Fire as the top team in the mid-west. Tracy Abrams, Ryan Boatright (East Aurora), and possiby Malcolm Hill-Bey will make up their in-state backcourt, while a number of BIG TIME high major kids from Indiana will fill in on the wings and in the post. This team will be fun to watch, to say the least. Reggie also mentioned that Tracy, Ryan, Wayne Blackshear, and some others could get the opportunity to compete in the Adidas Nations event this year, which is an honor for any high school baller. 
I got to chat with Kenny a little about a variety of topics including tommorrow night's match-up between Young and North Lawndale; a game which he will be covering for Me-TV. Let me just say that the 5 time Emmy Award winner, Chicago Public Schools Hall of Famer, Illinois Basketball Hall of Famer, and former Chicago Black Radio Sportscaster of the year award winner is one of the funniest dudes out there. There is  never a dull moment when you're talking to Kenny...the man is outrageous! He also claims to be a very well dressed man, and wants all of us to look out for what he wears tommorrow on Me-TV.
In case you were wondering, the Bulls did score 100 points so we got our free Big Macs. Also, Dashing Doughnut won the race and I will be cashing in on my prize tommorrow morning.

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FP Fall League Underrated Players- January 15th, 2009
The Full Package Exposure League brought to you by Illinoishsbasketball.com featured some of the top players nationally, as well as some great local players. While many of the stars receive massive amounts of publicity, there are some players who quietly showcase their skills in a way that for some reason seems to go unnoticed. I, for one, believe some of these great performances deserve more recognition than they are getting. Therefore, I want to give a few shout outs to some players who might ultimately become household names throughout the state.
Note: most of this article was written in late November, but the release was delayed because I got lazy and didn't edit and post it... don't blame Dave for the extreme delay.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT REMI NDIAYE, MARKUS RODGERS, KYLE MIKLASZ, AND CHARLES MCKINNEY
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Gozie Umeadi To UIS- January 15th, 2009
Class of 2008 Fenton and Rising Stars Gold star Gozie Umeadi has decided to transfer schools. Gozie made the decision earlier in the year to leave the University of Wisconsin Green-Bay, where he entered this season as a preferred walk-on, and now he has resurfaced at soon-to-be- D2 University of Illinois- Springfield. Gozie will finish this year as a red-shirt and have 4 years of eligibility left starting next fall.

CLICK HERE TO SEE GOZIE'S THOUGHTS ON HIS TRANSFER
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Curie Edges Hope- January 15th, 2009
A day late, but still worth mentioning… #24 Curie snuck by hope on Wednesday 58-55. The game was a barn burner and provided two spectacular individual showings. 6-5 sophomore wing Wayne Blackshear scored 28 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Condors. Blackshear ranks as a top 3 player in the state and a top 10 player nationally in the class of 2011. Derrick Hill Jr. scored 30 points and dished out 7 assists for Hope. Scroll down the homepage to see an article I recently wrote about Derrick and his breakout senior season.




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Dave Spahn's Notes of the Day- January 15th, 2009

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you have all been waiting for has finally arrived. North Lawndale will finally take the hardwood against Whitney Young this Friday, January 16th at Whitney Young High School. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m, and the entire game will be broadcasted live on Me-TV.

Second ranked North Lawndale, who finally has their full cast back, is looking to stay atop the CPL Red-West with a road win against seventh ranked Young. Young's backcourt depth will provide a hard day's work for the Phoenix. Players such as Chris Colvin (Iowa State), Marcus Jordan, Ahmad Starks (Oregon State), Anthony Johnson (Purdue), and Sam Thompson all should play significant roles come tomorrow night. North Lawndale, with their outstanding backcourt of Terry Johnson (Illinois State), John Taylor, Ziljian Jones, and Stephen Thorpe, hopes to prove that they have the firepower to beat Young for the second consecutive year, a task that not many teams can brag about.

On a different note, I was aimlessly searching through recruiting stories and message boards when I came across a video that is sure to stir the pot. The Bradley Braves decided to do a remake of the 1985 Chicago Bear's rendition of the "Super Bowl Shuffle", and they called it the "Bradley Basketball MVC Shuffle." I will save my comments about the video because, quite frankly, I have too many mixed emotions about it. Click on the link below to watch this interesting video...

Click Here to see the Bradley Basketball MVC Shuffle

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Aaron Nelson For Mr. Basketball- January 14th, 2009
We all know the names of the front runners: Colvin, Smith, Richmond, Paul, Vogrich, Mills, the list goes on. These are all great players who are putting together very fine seasons, but none of them are doing what Aaron Nelson is doing at Bloom. The 6'7 big man may not be a top college prospect, but he is as good a high school player as I have seen this season. He has been putting up monster numbers, scoring over half of his team's points on a few occasions, and has single handedly led Bloom to a top 20 ranking in the state. He may not be committed to a Big 10 school, and he may not be ranked in anybody's top 10 players, but this kid is playing his tail off and deserves some love for it.
Click Here to read all about Aaron Nelson and to read my bid to nominate him for Mr. Basketball...or at least for All-State consideration.
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Daniel Poneman's Notes Of The Day- January 14th, 2009
Lake Zurich senior Brandon Kunz is definitely a player to watch this season. He is one of the most underrated players in the North Suburbs, and has been posting big numbers all season. Most recently, he scored 20 points in a win over Rolling Meadows. The 6'6 forward could have a great college career at the D2 or D3 level. 



Shout-out to Wole Aregbesola! The former Full Package/Illinoishsbasketball.com Fall League participant has been having a stellar seaon so far. The 5-11 guard posted 15 points and 6 assists for Kenwood in a 65 to 37 pounding of Robeson. Kenwood is definitely one of the more underrated teams in the sate this season. Watch for them to make some noise in the red-central. 




The #1 unsigned senior in the state, Darius Smith, has been very hesitant to this point in the season to release a list of schools recruiting him. The cat is finally out of the bag, and it bears some surprises. Smith had a long list of suitors after him this summer after he blew up on the national scene with the Illinois Warriors, and coming into the fall some of the schools closely associated with his name were Bradley, Oregon State, Minnesota and others. He was close to singing with Minnesota after a visit to their campus, but after they picked up another guard he decided to wait it out. Now, after a stellar start to the season, the 6'1 Marshall High guard has released a list of schools. Indiana, Kentucky, Marquette, DePaul, and Arizona are his top 5, with Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon State, Southern Illinois, UAB, and Arizona State all still involved. He stated that he plans to take official visits before he makes a decision.

Marcus Jordan is another unsigned senior who was not quick to release a list of schools to this point. LSU and Miami were once said to be frontrunners for the 6'2 guard from Whitney Young, but now his recruitment has shifted again. Jordan recently told Scott Powers of the Sun-Times that Oklahoma and Toledo are the most involved schools at the moment.

 6'1 Rock Island sophomore Chasson Randle has 6 scholarship offers. Iowa, Iowa State, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Bradley have offered the Illinois Wolves combo guard. He is averaging 18.7 points per game this season, and has led Rock Island to a 9-6 record playing alongside 6-6 senior forward Brandon Pullman. 


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Luke Scarlata- January 13th, 2009
Although many people knew that this year’s Morton group would be a very solid team, very few saw a Proviso West Holiday Tournament championship on the Mustang’s accomplishment list. Even fewer saw a 12-1 start to the season and a top three ranking in the state and top 100 ranking in the nation. Give much of the credit to the 2008 Proviso West Holiday Tournament MVP Luke Scarlata, but he probably won’t accept it. Humble as humble can be, Luke gave the credit for a tremendous start to the season to his teammates, coaching staff, and parents. Senior Writer Dave Spahn up with Luke for a little while, and here is what he had to say about his stellar senior season…

CLICK HERE TO READ DAVE'S INTERVIEW WITH LUKE
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SNY NYC INVITATIONAL
 Hey Illinois HS Basketball Fans: If any of you all happen to find yourself in New York City at the end of the month, and you don't check out this tournament, then you can no longer consider yourself a basketball fan. This tourney is legit!

CLICK HERE

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Trey Rice Picks A Pair- January 13th, 2009

Rayvonte “Trey” Rice, a 2010 power guard from Champaign Centennial, has picked up a pair of scholarship offers courtesy of Wagner and Western Michigan. Rice has been enjoying a big time year for highly ranked central, playing alongside Ohio Commitment James Kinney.

Click Here to read Trey's reaction about the offers

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Daniel Poneman's Daily Notes- January 13th, 2009
One team that does not get enough love around the state is Niles Notre Dame. Coach Tom Les’ 10-3 squad has been playing very good basketball, and could make a run in the state playoffs behind a deep team that is led by seniors Mike DeGregorio and Jimmy Martin and junior Shawn Wallace.


Dmitri Riggs has had a turbulent career to say the least, but it looks as if the 6-3 Bloomington High School guard has finally found his groove at the varsity level. An AAU star and former #1 player in the class, Riggs always seemed to play inconsistently for Bloomington, and a lack of motivation and effort was always suspected. Now he is playing terrific basketball for the Purple Raiders and posted 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists in his last game. Riggs may not qualify for the division 1 level and have to go juco, but if he does D1 a mid major school is sure to scoop him up. If he goes juco, look for Vincennes to be the early leader.  

Plainfield North is definitely a team to watch in the state playoffs. The Tigers, who were unheralded coming into the season, improved to 16-2 this weekend by defeating conference rivals Plainfield Central and Ottawa. They are now moving into the statewide spotlight, as the wins pushed them to a top 20 ranking (18th) in the state. Reporters and scouts across the state first started realizing their vast potential at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament when they upset Waukegan, then the #1 team in the state, 61-62.The team is led by 5’7 point guard Reggie Lemon (17 pts, 6 assists, 4 stls v. Central, 15 pts v. Ottawa, 16 pts 5 assists v. Waukegan). Lemon won the AC Williamson award, an honor awarded to the most valuable player at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. Lemon was also a top performer in the Full Package Fall Exposure League Brought to you by IllinoisHSbasketball.com.      

Glenbrook North 6-6 junior wing Alex Dragicevich is clutch. I watched a game earlier this season where he scored almost all of his 35 points in the final 10 minutes of an overtime win over Lake Forest. Most recently he scored 18 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Spartans came back from being down 10 points to Main East to win 61-59. 
  
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Jerome Harris Journal #4- January 12th, 2009
Jerome Harris, a  6'3 senior guard from Collins High School in Chicago has been putting together a very impressive season so far. He has always had the talent to be a top player, and now he is putting together the stats to boot. Harris has been posting eye popping numbers in CPS play. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, in his last game, a 72-60 win over Phoenix, he posted 25 points 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In a game against Perspectives he had 25 and 8 in a blowout win. In a 72-60 win over Douglass, he had 16 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, and  he posted 24 and 6 in a blowout win against best practice.


CLICK HERE TO READ JEROME'S 4TH JOURNAL FOR ILLINOISHSBASKETBALL


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A Night To Remember- January 12th, 2009
Saturday was a night to remember for Louis Green of St. Joseph, and for his coach Gene Pingatore as well. The 6-8 UIC recruit had possibly the best game of his career in the 69-58 win over Evanston in Evanston’s Beardsley Gym by posting 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Not to be out done, Coach “Ping” secured his legacy as the most decorated coach in Illinois High School basketball history by winning his 826th game: good for 1st all time in Illinois. The first win of his career was a 51-50 victory over St. Pats in 1969.

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Big Ups To My Former Teammate- January 12th, 2009
Big ups to my man Brian Kucera! The 5-11 senior point guard has been playing outstanding basketball for Loyola, most recently scoring a career high 22 points in leading the Ramblers to a 54-50 upset of 20th ranked St. Ignatius. You may wonder why this is so relevant…well, four years ago Kucera starred alongside me (Daniel Poneman) in the backcourt for the Full Package 14u “C” team, before we both got moved up to the “B” team at the end of the season. My man has come a long way! Other starters on that “C” team included Ricky Birdsong Jr.: one of my closest friends in the world and is now starring for one of the top ranked high schools in Washington, and Michael Henley: a big time contributor for Lincoln Park. Coming off the bench for the squad was 5’2 Jake Lerman and 5’7 James Keely. Jake has sprouted to close to 6 feet and is clocking major minutes for Glenbrook North, and Keely, now 6’3, is the top outside shooter for the Evanston Wildkits.
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Chris Paul- January 12th, 2009
I know it's not high school basketball related, but I came across something that is certainly worth mentioning. Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets has 29 points and 1 turnover in his past three games. He is averaging 20.4 points, which is top 20 in the league, and leads the league with 11.3 assists, and 2.8 steals per game, to go with 5.4 rebounds and a 49% FG percentage for a Hornets team that is playing as well as any team in the NBA. That dude is a rediculous talent, and in my opinion he is the best player in the NBA not named Kobe or LeBron. Now get this...Tracy McGrady is ahead of him in All-Star voting!!! That is not right... so get out there and vote! It's not too late!


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National Rankings Released- January 12th, 2009
Rivals High (Yahoo) came out with their top 100 national ranking recently, and 6 Chicago teams were featured. These teams are ranked this high despite the obvious parity across the state and lack of a clear cut #1, #2, or #3 team, as there are no more undefeated teams and only three top ten teams have one loss. North Lawdale checks in at #31, Thornton cracks the top 50 at #37, Whitney Young makes a big drop to #81, Champaign Centennial is the only downstate team on the list at #92, De La Salle checks in at #98 though they would be much higher had they beat Detroit Country Day in their close overtime loss, and Morton makes their debut in the rankings at #99. Congrats to all 6 of these talented squads!
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Where Are They Now- January 11th, 2009

All-Americans?: Osiris, Evan, Jerel, Sherron
Many Illinois products who are veterans on their college teams are contributing big time for highly ranked teams including John Scheyer (GBN) at Duke (ranked 2nd), Bobby Frasor (Brother Rice) at North Carolina (ranked 3rd), John Peoples (St. Joseph) at Notre Dame (ranked 13th), and Josh Tabb (Carbondale) at Tennessee (ranked 15th), among others. However, four players in particular are tearing up the college basketball scene, and are legitimate candidates for All-Conference (all play in different conferences) and All-American honors. 

CLICK HERE FOR STATS, ANALYSIS AND MORE FROM THE OUTSTANDING SEASONS OF JEREL MCNEAL, EVAN TURNER, OSIRIS ELDRIDGE, AND SHERRON COLLINS

 

Oregon Ducks: Humphrey, Dunigan, Crittle, Catron
Oregon coach Ernie Kent tapped into the Chicago talent pool in a big way this past year when he locked up three commitments from the windy city. Following in the footsteps of their former Meanstreets AAU teammate (Joevon Catron- Thornton), 6’10 Chicago Farragut center Mike Dunigan, 6’5 Chicago Hales Franciscan shooting guard Matt Humphrey and his teammate 6’8 power forward Josh Crittle all singed with the Ducks and headed west in hopes of making their mark in the Pac-10 conference. With almost half of their freshman season under their belts they are well on their way, as all three have been contributors for the young squad.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT THEIR SEASON SO FAR INCLUDING STATISTICS, ANALYSIS AND MORE

Iman Shumpert: Georgia Tech
Iman Shumpert (Oak Park-River Forest High School) saw his national stock rise as much as any other player in the nation last year. A 36 point outburst while playing with Full Package against the Georgia Stars at the King James Classic during the spring AAU season before his senior year started a string of stellar performances for the athletic guard. These performances boosted him from being a virtual unknown nationally to the # 2 player in the state by IllinoisHSbasketball.com, being ranked as high as a top 15 player nationally by some national experts, and having colleges like North Carolina, Kansas, Illinois and Georgia Tech hot on his trail.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT HIS BIG TIME FRESHMAN SEASON INCLUDING STATS, ANALYSIS AND MORE
 

Dion Dixon: Cincinnati
Dion Dixon ended his senior season as IllinoisHSbasketball.com’s third ranked player in the state of Illinois. Many national websites overlooked Dion because he didn’t consistently participate in big time AAU tournaments throughout his high school career, and some didn’t even consider him a high major prospect. I think now it’s safe to say that they were wrong about this kid.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT DION'S FRESHMAN SEASON IN THE LOADED BIG EAST

 

 

Lewis Jackson: Purdue
The fourth ranked player in the class of 2008 was not from Chicago and didn’t get to play in front of packed houses at Chicago St. and DePaul in weekend shootouts. Rather Lewis Jackson hailed from Eisenhower High School in Decatur, Illinois and was very underrated throughout his high school career. The speedy 5’9 point guard with super-human hops has now been thrust into spotlight more so than any other freshman from Illinois’ class of 2009 and about as much as any freshman in the nation.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT LEWIS' SEASON STARTING FOR THE 14th RANKED BOILERMAKERS

 

 

 

 

Kevin Dillard, Ryan Hare and More: Southern Illinois

Coach Chris Lowrey’s Southern Illinois Saluki’s are always talented, and always have a roster full of in-state talent. In 2008 he brought in a recruiting class that ranked amongst the best in the nation, with the St. Louis product Anthony Booker coming in as the top ranked prospect in the class with his teammate Torres Rountree not far behind. SIU’s freshman class has proven to be one of the best in the nation, but not because of Booker and Rountree. Rather two Chicago area products have made the biggest splash in Carbondale: Kevin Dillard and Ryan Hare.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT KEVIN DILLARD'S PUSH FOR MVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR AND RYAN HARE'S SURPRISE SEASON

 

 

 

Carl Richard: Indiana State
The 7th ranked player in my final rankings was 6’5 forward Carl Richard of Richards High School in Oak Lawn. Carl was the MVP of the Full Package Fall Exposure League brought to you by IllinoisHSbasketball.com, and he led the Richards Bulldogs to the class 4A state title. I always considered Richard to be very underrated by local and national services. Richard could’ve gotten high major offers had he waited until the late singing period, but he loved Indiana State so much that he committed at the end of the summer before his senior year.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT RICHARD'S FRESHMAN SEASON

 

 

 

Verdell Jones III and Matt Roth: Indiana

We all know about the Kelvin Sampson era at Indiana, but just to refresh your memory let me give you a short recap… The same Indiana coach who stole Eric Gordon from the University of Illinois got caught cheating, and the resulting events led to Indiana having zero returning scholarship players for new coach Tom Crean. This made room for a lot of incoming freshman to clock a lot of playing time. Two of these freshmen, Verdell Jones III and Matt Roth, hail from the state of Illinois.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT THEIR VERY EVENTFUL FRESHMAN SEASON

 

Juice, John, and Kyle: Northwestern
Northwestern got off to their best start in many years this season with an 8-2 non-conference record thanks in large part to a strong group of former Illinois prep stars. 3 of the 5 starters (they have all started all 13 games) for the now 8-5 squad hail from the Chicagoland area.


CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT THE SUCCESSFUL SEASONS OF MICHAEL THOMPSON, JOHN SHURNA, AND KYLE ROWLEY


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Foreman Holiday Report- January 9th, 2009

There is no doubt about it; Foreman Coach Terry Head’s backcourt is one of the most talented in the state, and as a unit they could be the most productive backcourt in the state top to bottom. The three juniors put on a scoring clinic throughout their three games at the Proviso West Tournament. They then fought their way to a surprise appearance in the finals of the CPS Holiday Invitational.

Point guard Lavonte Dority and wing-guards Mike McCall and Tommy Woolridge have been playing together for years. The experience they’ve gained in the springs and summers on Terry Head’s Illinois Heat AAU team, the summers with the Foreman squad, and the free time they spent playing parks and in gyms across the city in pickup games over the years combine to make them as comfortable playing together as teammates can be. Add that ease to outstanding natural ability and 5 years of experience starting at the varsity level in Coach Head’s system, and you have something truly special. They are truly playing better than any backcourt in the state, and they are all just juniors!

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FOREMAN HOLIDAY REPORT
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Lavonte Dority- January 9th, 2009

Lavonte Dority, who is Foreman's point guard and usually leads the team in assists, was outstanding scoring the rock at Proviso West and continued his stellar play in the CPS tournament. In this article I go in-depth into Lavonte's recent successes, his recruitment, and give a detailed scouting report.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT DORITY

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Mike McCall- January 9th, 2009

Many writers and talent scouts think that Mike McCall is the most talented of the three, and the debate over who is better between he and Dority is one on the most visited topics of discussion amongst media types at Foreman games this season. Though we at IllinoisHSbasketball.com feel that Dority is the better of the two, McCall certainly is not too far behind. In this article I go in-depth into Mike's recent successes, his recruitment, and give a detailed scouting report.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT MCCALL

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Tommy Woolridge- January 9th, 2009
  The sleeper of the group is 6-2 shooting guard Tommy Woolridge. His name didn’t pop up at all on any schools recruiting lists or on local websites until last season, but since he got on the scene he has slowly and steadily risen up the ranks. Tommy is the least praised of the three junior guards, but his strong play in so many of Foreman’s games this season makes you wonder why that is.



CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT WOOLRIDGE

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Daniel Poneman's Notes of the Day- January 8th, 2009
Kareem Amedu had a very impressive night in a 71-48 routing of Plainfield Central. The 6-6 junior forward proved he is one of the most underrated players in the class of 2010, as he was nearly flawless in pushing #15 Nequa Valley to 13-1 by defeating a Wildcats team that was coming off a win over previously unbeaten and very talented Providence St. Mel squad. Amedu posted 19 points and 9 rebounds while connecting on 9 of 10 shots, and did not play at all in the fourth quarter of the blowout. 

As if the 2011 class in Illinois wasn’t loaded enough, two sophomores in Joliet are proving that they deserve some love too. After a very productive AAU season with the Illinois Red-Raiders, Brandon Tyson and Remy Roberts-Burnett broke onto the scene by earning all-league 1st team honors at the Full Package Fall Exposure League. Now they making a splash for their school team too, as both players have seen significant varsity minutes this season. Remy, a 6-1 guard, started off the season on varsity, but a recent hand injury has delegated him to the sophomore level while he recovers. Tyson, a 6-4 forward, started off the season on the sophomore team but he got pulled up to varsity for the first time all season in their last game. In his varsity debut Tyson played a handful of minutes and posted 6 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and a block. Both players were also very impressive at the Pangos Midwest all-underclassmen camp this fall, and Remy’s performance was good enough to get his name mentioned on Scout.com.
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Flying Under The Radar: Travis Scott- January 8th, 2009
It’s rare that a player manages to slip under the radar despite being a three year varsity contributor at a high profile school that plays in top tournaments and shootouts every year. However this is the case with Travis Scott, as the 6-5 forward from Hillcrest is not as well known across the state as he should be. Scott caught the eye of many talent scouts and college coaches for the first time this year at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. Though many of them thought this was a breakout event for the senior, this is actually the second season that Scott will be the top producer for Hillcrest.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT TRAVIS SCOTT'S PERFORMANCE AT THE PROVISO WEST TOURNAMENT
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Talk About Underrated: Derrick Hill Jr.- January 7th, 2009

As highly publicized as many of the top players in the Chicago Public League may be, it seems that every year there are a few kids who break out and you wonder how they managed to slip under the radar for so long. So far this season, Derrick Hill Jr. of John Hope College Prep is one of those aforementioned Chicagoans. He has been tearing all competition this season from Chicago to Kankakee, where he won the MVP award after leading Hope to the Kankakee Holiday Tournament title.


CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT DERRICK HILL JR

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Devon Hodges Interview- January 5th, 2009
If the feeling is right, then what’s the point in waiting? Devon Hodges knew from his first visit to Madison that Wisconsin was the place he wanted to be, so just four days after receiving an offer from Head Coach Bo Ryan on New Year’s Eve the 6’7 sophomore forward from Romeoville High School has decided to make it official. Devon Hodges became the second member of Illinois’ 2011 class to make a college decision as he decided to commit to the Wisconsin Badgers.

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE INTERVIEW AND COMMENTARY ON THE COMMITMENT


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New Trier Holiday Report- January 5th, 2009
New Trier came into the season with fairly lofty expectations that they just flat out have not lived up to. While the early struggles may just be temporary, and just a result of the retirement of long time Head Coach Rick Malanati, they do look like an improving team with some good college prospects. Though they lost all three of their games in the Proviso West Holiday Tournament, to Evanston, Proviso West, and Foreman, some players on the team did manage to show that they deserve some serious college attention.
This New Trier Holiday Report goes in depth about Alex Rossi, Connor Boehm, Fred Heldring, Doug Howard and Sean Stanley.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE NEW TRIER HOLIDAY REPORT
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Montero Rice- January 5th, 2009
As if the sophomore class (2011) wasn’t loaded enough in Illinois, a new player has emerged as a definite D1 prospect. 5-11 TF North guard Montero Rice is a main reason that Coach Tim Bankston’s Meteors are off to a great start to the season, much to the surprise of talent scouts and reporters across the state.
CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT RICE
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Evanston Holiday Report- January 5th, 2009

Evanston Township High School came into the season ranked 14th in the state. Coming off a 3rd place finish in the state last year and with an influx of new young talent, expectations were high for the Wildkits. However they have been plaugued by turnover issues, outside shooting woes, selfishness, and inconsistency, and the result has been a quite sluggish start to the season.

This Evanston Holiday Report goes in depth about Ryan Frazier-Chambers, Nik Garcia, Eric Dortch, and Isiah Irving.

Click Here to read all about the latest scoop on ETHS

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 Troynell Adams Will Try a New Path- January 4th, 2009

Troynell Adams, a 2009 ultra athletic wing who played the first semester for Coach Wolf Nelson at Farragut Career Academy, has made an unprecedented decision that is unique to all of high school basketball. Adams has left the Admiral squad and Chicago all together and is now currently attending classes at Carl Albert State College in Poteau, OK.

Click Here to read all about Troynell and his unusual journey