Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue 7
Week of August 1, 2020
Who would have thought that one of the biggest basketball news weeks of the year would happen in late July? In the COVID-19 world, sports calendars are far from normal.
On top of the scheduling news from the governor and IHSA, we had lots of recruiting, coaching news, the shot clock results, and more.
To send me stories or recruiting news, find me on Twitter or email rudnik.jakub@gmail.com.
Let’s get to basketball!
The Changing of the Seasons
Everyone knows by now that football and a handful of other sports are moving to spring, and all seasons are shortening. What does this mean for basketball at this point?
Schedule: The basketball seasons are penciled in for November 16 to February 13. These dates are fluid, and a mid-December start is quite possible as the state monitors COVID-19 cases, reports Michael O’Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Current Activities Allowed: As basketball is considered a medium-risk sport, it is currently allowed Level 1 and 2 activities. High school teams are allowed intra-squad scrimmages, with parental consent for minors. To move into Level 3 or 4, the state’s COVID-19 situation will need to improve.
Holiday Tournaments: They’re in jeopardy based on gathering size, O’Brien tweeted based on a media call with IHSA director Craig Anderson. Crowds seem almost impossible. Perhaps over the next three-to-four months they can figure out a way to still play the games and limit exposure for teams.
State Tournament: Even if we have a basketball season, there are many hurdles to to play the state finals in Champaign, including health concerns and the Big Ten’s schedule, writes Dave Reynolds at the Journal-Star.
Players Transferring Out of State
Illinois has seen a number of major out-of-state transfers in recent years, and the pandemic has only pushed that trend further. Some of the state’s top 2020 and 2021 talent has left. Often it is to top programs across the nation, but not in every case. After the news this week, football saw a handful of recruits leave in hopes of getting the exposure needed for scholarship offers. Just this week we saw five players announce they’ll play out of state next year:
Evanston’s Jaylin Gibson will play at Legacy School of Sports Sciences in Spring, Texas. Bob Narang wrote for the Pioneer Press about Evanston’s reaction losing one of its top players after going 61-9 the last two seasons. And Michelle Relerford with NBC 5 Chicago spoke to Gibson’s parents about why they’re moving their son.
Kankakee 2021 guard AJ Storr will transfer to Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, a top-10 program nationally. Mason Schweizer of the Daily Journal reported that though Storr’s father moving to Las Vegas was a major factor, uncertainty from COVID-19 and a season in Illinois played a role.
Rock Island 2022 guard Amarion Nimmers will transfer to Assumption in Iowa. He’ll team up with D1 prospect Emarion Ellis. It is unclear if the pandemic played a role.
Lake Forest Academy 2022 forward Nigel Hylton is transferring to Thornlea Secondary School in Ontario. It is unclear if the pandemic played a role.
Unrelated to COVID-19, former Morgan Park wing Brandon Weston officially announced on Twitter he is transferring to Hillcrest Prep in Arizona, where he’ll play alongside former Fenwick point guard Trey Pettigrew. Weston will reclassify to 2021, as had been expected for some months. Scott Richey wrote about Weston and the Illini’s interest for The News-Gazette.
In-State Transfers
Deerfield 2021 forward Walter Mattingly is transferring to Lake Forest.
Other COVID-19 News and Stories
“Answering some key questions about state's plan for high school sports” via Kevin Schmit at the Daily Herald.
Rick Armstrong for the Aurora Beacon-News: “IHSA delivers best possible plan for fall sports after what coach calls an ‘obviously political’ announcement by Gov. Pritzker”
Shot Clock Update
Whitney Young boys head coach Tyrone Slaughter released results from his poll of Illinois head coaches on the addition of a shot clock. A majority of both boys and girls coaches would like a shot clock, with boys coaches somewhat more in favor. Next steps are bringing a proposal to the IHSA.
“Vote revealed: Overwhelming majority of the state’s high school basketball coaches support shot clock” by Joe Henricksen at the Chicago Sun-Times.
Pat Disabato at the Daily Southtown talked to Hillcrest coach Don Houston, Brother Rice coach Bobby Frasor, Sanburg coach Todd Allen, Lincoln-Way West coach Brian Flaherty and Marian Catholic coach Mike Taylor about a shot clock. Flaherty and Taylor each talked about their major playoff wins in part due to a shot clock.
Commitments
Grant Community 2021 center Jazzlyn Linbo committed to D1 Purdue-Fort Wayne.
Central 2021 guard Elana Wells committed to D2 Indianapolis.
McHenry 2021 guard Ashley Wachter committed to D2 Illinois-Springfield.
Dundee-Crown 2021 forward Alyssa Crenshaw committed to NAIA Saint Xavier.
Phillips 2020 guard Keyon Joiner committed to NAIA Lincoln College.
Boys Recruiting News
Joliet West 2023 guard Jeremy Fears Jr. received an offer from Iowa. He’s got offers from Iowa State, Maryland, DePaul and others.
Danville SF Tevin Smith received an offer from Cal State-Fullerton.
Michelle Clark 2023 wing Mikell Jones received an offer from Detroit.
Michaelle Clark 2023 wing Mikqwon Jones received an offer from Detroit.
DePaul College Prep 2021 guard Rasheed Bello received an offer from D2 Wisconsin-Parkside.
Brother Rice 2021 PF Luke Moustakas received an offer from D2 Wayne State.
Cobden 2021 SF Noah Franklin received offers from D2 programs Truman State and Pittsburg State.
Bolingbrook 2021 point guard Kyonte Thomas received an offer from NAIA Trinity International.
Bloomington Central Catholic 2021 point guard JT Welch received an offer from NAIA Judson.
Girls Recruiting News
Christopher 2024 forward Amiah Hargrove received her first offer, from Illinois. It seems she’s been having an outstanding summer for Brad Beal Elite.
Kenwood 2022 guard Brianna McDaniel received offers from Georgia and Iowa. That puts her at 27(!) D1 offers.
Joliet West 2023 guard Lisa Thompson received offers from Florida and Maryland.
Edwardsville 2022 wing Sydney Harris received offers from Loyola and Drake.
Lincoln-Way West 2022 forward Brianna Wooldridge received an offer from Kansas State.
Saint Viator 2022 guard Joy Bergstrom received an offer from Loyola.
Marian Catholic 2023 guard Brianna Hill received an offer from UW-Milwaukee.
Kenwood 2022 guard Whitney Dunn received an offer from Indiana State.
Burlington Central and Midwest Elite 2022 wing Taylor Charles received an offer from Princeton.
Bartlett 2022 guard Kenzie Hare received an offer from Missouri-Kansas City.
Mattoon 2022 guard Mallory Ramage received an offer from Wofford.
Mother McAuley 2022 guard Nyla Walker received an offer from Chicago State.
Lincoln-Way Central 2023 guard Azyah Newson-Cole received an offer from Long Island University, her first D1 offer.
Crete-Monee 2022 guard Jada Bowen received an offer from Long Island.
Normal Community 2022 guard Karleigh Creasey received an offer from NAIA College of Saint Mary.
Maine South 2021 post Ellie Ronan received an offer from D3 Oglethorpe.
Loyola Academy 2021 guard Arielle Dabu received an offer from D3 Dominican.
Loyola Academy 2021 guard Isabella Ogliore received an offer from D3 Dominican.
Sacred Heart-Griffin 2021 wing Emily Brenneisen received an offer from D3 Augustana.
Nequa Valley 2021 PF Jada Devine received an offer from D3 Coe College.
Saint Viator 2021 guard Emma Morrisey received an offer from D3 Knox College.
Saint Viator 2021 forward Aubrey Horbach received an offer from D3 Knox College.
Marengo 2021 SG Jennifer Heinberg received an offer from JuCo McHenry County College.
Coaching Stories
Sad news as MacArthur’s girls coach Mike Williams died early Wednesday morning. Joey Wagner helps remember Williams for the Herald-Review. ““He meant a lot. He wanted all of his kids to go (Division I). He was the coach that had faith in you more than you did."
Tim O’Brien at the Beverly Review interviewed Chris Gardner about taking over as the boys head coach at Morgan Park. They discussed his coaching experience, how Gardner didn’t always expect to be a coach, taking over for Nick Irvin, and the style of basketball he expects to his teams to play.
“Hinsdale South assistant John Holakovsky ‘definitely ready,’ named to succeed Mike Dunn as Yorkville’s head coach,” writes Rick Armstrong at the Aurora Beacon-News.
“Yorkville tabs John Holakovsky as new head coach” via Josh Welge for Kendall County Now.
Saint Rita 2001 and Illinois State grad Matt Gordon was named one of the top men’s basketball assistant in the Missouri Valley.
Lauren Foster announced on Twitter that she’s officially Bloom’s girls head coach.
Illinois Players in College
Illinois is loaded. Former Morgan Park guard Ayo Dosunmu announces he will return to the Illini for his junior season after withdrawing from the NBA Draft. Shannon Ryan has the story for the Chicago Tribune, and Jeremy Werner hosted an emergency Illini-focused podcast for 247. We’re excited to see Dosunmu team up with former Morgan Park teammate Adam Miller once again.
Former Stevenson small forward Justin Smith, who grad transferred from Indiana to Arkansas, officially withdrew his name from the NBA Draft. It didn’t stop him from tying the combine’s vertical jump record first.
Three local players were granted waivers and are eligible to play for UIC this season: Maurice Commander (Curie, Marist), Teyvion Kirk (Joliet West) and Zion Griffin (Hinsdale South).
Other Stories
“How tough is being a Central Illinois sports official? 'You couldn't pay me enough to do it.'“ via Randy Kindred at The Pantagraph.
“Geneva senior forward Dylan Fuzak works to add strength to 6-foot-9 frame and diversity to offensive game: ‘You have to take a hard look at this kid.’” from Paul Johnson at the Aurora Beacon-News.
“Katie Peterson stepped down as Waubonsie Valley’s girls swimming coach to give birth. Now, husband Jimmie Jacobs, who coached in the boys and girls basketball programs, is deploying to Africa.” by Matt Le Cren at the Naperville Sun.
Pana alumni and Millikin head coach Olivia Lett named to the D3hoops.com all-decade team for her play at Illinois Wesleyan.
Bleacher Report ranked the best basketball players from Chicago. D Rose was an honorable mention.