Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue No. 1
Week of June 20, 2020
This newsletter is something I’ve thought about for a long time. There’s so much great basketball in Illinois to cover, and it’s hard to cover it all. With media cuts and now a pandemic, even less of it is/will be covered.
A single newsletter can’t solve those issues. Not even close. But it can help to get Illinois high school basketball news to the people that want it.
So why create it now? I miss basketball. Plain and simple. And this week had tons of news: state tournament, commitments, coaching changes and a major recruiting week. It seemed like if there was ever a week to launch, this was it (it didn’t hurt that weekend free time has never been higher).
So here it is: My first shot at an Illinois high school basketball newsletter.
FAQs:
If you subscribe, I’ll only email you once a week.
This newsletter is a passion project. I don’t want to monetize it. I just want readers to see more great basketball writing. It will always be free.
This list will never be exhaustive; I’ll always miss news. Email rudnik.jakub@gmail.com or find me on Twitter @jakubrudnik for feedback/tips/questions/etc.
With that being said, here’s this week’s Illinois high school basketball news:
State Finals News
After 25 years in Peoria, the IHSA boys state finals are returning to Champaign. The IHSA board voted to move the tournament to the State Farm Center. Champaign hosted the finals for 77 years before it was moved to Peoria. The Sun-Times’ Michael O’Brien details the move.
The IHSA also announced that the girls state finals will remain at Illinois State in Bloomington-Normal for three more years. Dion Martorano has the story for the Journal & Topics.
High-Profile Commitments
Ivy League Rivals
Two of the top 2021 recruits in the state announced their commitments within hours of each other. A year from now, former high school teammates Blake Peters and Louis Lesmond will be college rivals. Peters, who made the ESPY’s as a freshman and led Evanston in scoring as a junior, committed to play at Princeton. Lesmond, a French native who played for Notre Dame College Prep after transferring from Evanston after sophomore year, committed to Harvard.
College Hoops 2K8 Coming to Life?
For the last couple of months, SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell has been simulating a dynasty mode with Western Illinois, where the Leathernecks have become national champions. His fantasy world has a cult following. But historically WIU hasn’t made much hoops noise.
In real life, Western Illinois received one of its biggest commitments in history with 2020 three-star point guard Marcus Watson. Watson had originally committed to Wake Forest before head coach Danny Manning was fired. Since hiring former Morgan Park head coach Nick Irvin, the Leathernecks have landed major recruits, including 2020 shooting guard Ramean Hinton. WIU seemingly offered every prospect in the state this week (see recruiting sections). Scott Holland wrote about the secret to WIU’s recruiting success for the Journal Star.
Westinghouse Commitment
On Saturday afternoon, Westinghouse 2020 guard Devin Davis announced on Twitter that committed to Creighton as a preferred walk-on.
Coaching Moves
Montini named Adam DeMong its new boys head coach. The Glenbard West alumni and former Boston College player has been an assistant coach at Lewis University, Ohio University, Loyola University, St. Patrick High School and Glenbard West. Joshua Welge has the story for My Suburban Life.
Lauren Foster is the next girls head coach at Bloom. She’s coached dozens of college and professional players. Several reacted to the news.
Changes for OPRF
A busy offseason got busier for Oak Park-River Forest. Last Saturday Josh Smith – a Division 1-level guard – announced he will transfer to Culver City in California for his senior season, which James Kay covered for the Wednesday Journal. Smith is the second high-profile transfer from OPRF in a matter of months after Isaiah Barnes announced he’ll play his senior season at Simeon.
The Huskies also found their new head coach in ‘07 graduate Phil Gary, who replaces Matt Maloney after the latter stepped down in May. Gary played collegiately at FIU and was the head coach at Walter Payton last season. Kay details Gary’s playing and coaching credentials.
Nojel Eastern Available, Again
Former Evanston Township and Purdue guard Nojel Eastern is back on the transfer market. In a tweet he said he was not accepted to Michigan, where he’d previously committed, due to credit transfer issues. He started 62 games over the last two seasons for the Boilermakers.
High School Transfers
2021 point guard Ismail Habib will transfer from Lincoln Park to St. Laurence for his senior season, reported O’Brien.
2022 point guard Brylan Phillips will transfer to Decatur MacArthur from Decatur Eisenhower, per Prep Hoops’ Scott Burgess. Phillips heard Valparaiso and Southern Illinois this week, according to Burgess. Matthew Flaten has the story for the Herald & Review.
Homeschooled 2023 forward Chikasi Ofoma announced he will play next season at Joliet West, joining a team that went 27-4.
Recruiting Offers
This week was one of the busiest recruiting weeks of the year: June 15 was the first day coaches could directly reach out to the class of 2022. The soon-to-be junior class made up the bulk of the recruiting news, but there was plenty of other offers across all classes.
Deerfield’s 2020 center Brandon Lieb continues a run of late interest. This week he was offered by Utah, Oklahoma State, DePaul, and Penn.
2022 Boys Recruiting
2022’s top-ranked prospect AJ Casey (PF, Tinley Park) received offers from Iowa State, Nebraska, Purdue and Indiana. He also heard from Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State and others.
Illinois offered two of the top players in the 2022 class: Fenwick point guard Trey Pettigrew and St. Joseph center Kyle Thomas. SI’s Matthew Stevens wrote about Thomas’ late father, Indiana University and St. Joseph basketball standout and Montini coach Daryl Thomas.
Pettigrew also received offers from Western Illinois and Chicago State. Thomas received a Western Illinois offer as well.
Yorkville Christian 2022 wing Jaden Schutt had a major recruiting week. He received offers from Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern and Marquette. Welge covered the offers and other interest for Kendall County Now.
Buffalo Grove 2022 wing Kam Craft received his first offers: Drake, DePaul, UIC and Nebraska.
Glenbard West 2022 forward Braden Huff received his first offers: Creighton and Northwestern.
Simeon 2022 point guard Jaylen Drane received offers from WIU, UW-Milwaukee, Nebraska and Siena.
Oak Forest 2022 forward Robbie Avila received offers from DePaul and Toledo.
Larkin 2022 point guard Damarius Wheeler-Thomas received offers from Chicago State, Detroit-Mercy and Grambling State.
Lake Forest 2022 power forward Danny Wolf received his first offers: Western Illinois and UW-Milwuakee
Lake Forest Academy 2022 power forward Nigel Hylton received an offer from Western Illinois.
Simeon 2022 forward Lance Rogers received an offer from Western Illinois and UW-Milwaukee.
Tuscola point guard Jalen Quinn received his first two offers: UIC and SEMO. Joey Wagner of the Herald & Review wrote about the offers and 17 schools showing interest.
T.F. South 2022 wing Xavier Lewis received offers from Grambling State and Detroit-Mercy.
Montini 2022 shooting guard Andrew Stokes received an offer from Yale.
De La Salle 2022 guard DaJuan Bates received an offer from Detroit-Mercy.
De La Salle 2022 PF Marcelius Cohen received an offer from Detroit-Mercy.
2021 Boys Recruiting
Morgan Park 2021 wing Brandon Weston received an offer from Western Illinois.
Notre Dame College Prep 2021 guard Anthony Sayles received an offer from Western Illinois.
Hillcrest 2021 guard Hamahrie Bowers received an offer from Western Illinois.
Zion-Benton 2021 guard Amar Augillard received an offer from Chicago State.
2023 Boys Recruiting
Joliet West 2023 guard Jeremy Fears Jr. received an offer from Kansas State.
Whitney Young 2023 guard Dalen Davis received an offer from Western Illinois.
Simeon 2023 point guard Jalen Griffith received an offer from Western Illinois.
Simeon 2023 power forward Davius Loury received an offer from Western Illinois.
2022 Girls Recruiting
Mattoon 2022 guard Mallory Ramage received her first offer from UNC Wilmington.
Saint Viator 2022 guard Joy Bergstrom received an offer from Valparaiso.
2021 Girls Recruiting
Whitney Young 2021 guard Timia Ware received an offer from Clemson.
Aurora Christian 2021 wing Anna Griffin received an offer from Arkansas State.
2023 Girls Recruiting
Joliet West 2023 guard Lisa Thompson received an offer from Illinois.
More Prep Basketball Stories
Fenwick will play in the 2020 City of Palms tournament. The field includes IMG, Montverde, St. Vincent-St. Mary and others.
Burlington Central’s Kathryn Schmidt was named Fox Valley Female Athlete of the Year by The Daily Herald. She scored more points than any girl or boy in school history.
Grayslake Central’s Kate Bullman was named Lake County Female Athlete of the Year by The Daily Herald. The two-sport star (volleyball) averaged 19 point and 10 rebounds and will play at Illinois State next year.
Barrington’s Anna Mae King was named Northwest suburbs Female Athlete of the Year by The Daily Herald. Though she was an all-conference guard as a junior, she was an even in the pool. The 2019 state runner-up in the 1-meter diving competition will dive for Boston College.
“Vernon Hills girls basketball hoping to build on athletic, academic success” by Narang at the Pioneer Press.
“Valparaiso recruit Molly Sheehan on Benet becoming a host of Coach Kipp’s Hoopsfest: ‘It’s why you play basketball.’” by Matt Le Cren for the Naperville Sun.
Basketball notebook for The Beacon News: East Aurora’s Jacques Kelly, cancelled all-star games, West Aurora’s Logan Mont, Geneva’s Josh Preston and Kaneland’s Brett David.
“Stevenson girls basketball team embraces school’s extracurricular emphasis” by Jon Kerr for the Pioneer Press.
“Nate Cole among standout students who helped Buffalo Grove boys basketball earn prestigious award” by Steve Reaven for the Pioneer Press.