Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue No. 2

Week of June 27, 2020

Recruiting News

Michigan Lands Another Chicago Recruit

Since taking over the Wolverines men’s basketball program in May 2019, head coach Juwan Howard — a Chicago native and All-American at Vocational — has made his presence felt in Illinois recruiting. This offseason he landed transfers Mike Smith (Fenwick graduate by way of Columbia) and Nojel Eastern (Evanston alumni who played three years at Purdue), though Eastern ultimately had to back out of his commitment when credits wouldn’t transferred.

This week Howard landed his biggest Chicago prize yet in four-star small forward Isaiah Barnes. The 6-7 swingman, who played at OPRF the last two years, chose the Wolverines over high majors such as Kansas, Maryland, Wisconsin and Georgia. He is a modern-day wing with size, athleticism and three-point shooting. He’ll play his final prep season at Simeon alongside DePaul commit Ahamad Bynum and a slew of juniors with D1 offers.

• Sun-Times’ Joe Henricksen: Simeon’s Isaiah Barnes commits to Michigan

• Mlive: Why Isaiah Barnes chose Michigan, sight unseen, and what he brings to the basketball program

• UM Hoops: With Isaiah Barnes commitment, Juwan Howard goes back to his Chicago roots

Illinois Keeps Another Player In State

On June 23, Illinois offered Brandon Lieb, the best remaining uncommitted prospect in the 2020 class. Two days later Lieb, a 6-11 center from Deerfield, committed to the Illini. Lieb, a third-team all-state player who averaged 13.5 points and 9.3 rebounds as a senior, joins Morgan Park’s Adam Miller in making up half of Illinois’ recruiting class.

• Herald & Review’s Joey Wagner: Illinois basketball gets commitment from Deerfield's Brandon Lieb in the Class of 2020

• Chicago Tribune’s Shannon Ryan: Illinois Basketball Adds Brandon Lieb, a 7-Footer From Deerfield, to its Class of 2020

• Lake County News-Sun’s Bob Narang: Deerfield 7-footer Brandon Lieb was headed for prep school. Then coaches from Power Five programs started calling.

Other Commitments

• Whitney Young 2020 point guard Tyler Beard has decided to take a prep year at Hargrave Military — delaying his commitment to Georgetown by a year — over uncertainty from COVID-19.

• Pekin 2020 forward Justin Taphorn committed to Wisconsin as a preferred walk-on. Stories from Sports Illustrated and SB Nation.

• Huntley 2020 guard Uchenna Egekeze committed to Calvin College.

• Yorkville Christian 2020 shooting guard Christian Sovern committed to Concordia University Wisconsin.

Boys Recruiting News

• Tinley Park 2022 forward AJ Casey received an offer from Louisville.

• Yorkville Christian 2022 guard Jaden Schutt received an offer from Michigan State.

• Joliet West 2023 guard Jeremy Fears Jr. received an offer from Maryland.

• Glenbard West 2022 forward Braden Huff received an offer from Virginia Tech.

• Glenbard West 2022 guard Caden Pierce received his first offer: from UIC.

• Lake Forest Academy 2022 forward Danny Wolf received an offer from Chicago State.

• Former Downers Grove North PG Eddie Boston (Casper College) received an offer from Nichols State.

• Cobden 2021 SF Noah Franklin received offers from Army, Missouri Baptist and Huntington.

• Fairfield 2021 SG Landon Zurliene received an offer from Quincy.

• Brother Rice 2021 PF Luke Moustakas received an offer from Quincy.

• Springfield Lanphier 2021 PF KJ Debrick received an offer from Marist.

Girls Recruiting News

• Carmel 2023 forward Jordan Wood received an offer from North Carolina.

• Joliet West 2023 guard Lisa Thompson received an offer from Miami (FL).

• Morton 2022 forward Katie Krupa received an offer from Harvard and Princeton.

• Aurora Christian 2021 forward Anna Griffin received an offer from Central Michigan.

• Bartlett 2022 guard Kenzie Hare received an offer from Murray State.

• Fremd 2021 forward Grace LaBarge received an offer from Quinnipiac and Stetson.

• Saint Viator 2021 guard Emma Morrisey received an offer from Marian University.

• Glenbrook South 2021 guard Eden Frick received an offer from New York University.

• Marian Central forward Morgan Laudick received an offer from Loras.

• Tuscola 2021 guard Brynn Tabeling received an offer from Upper Iowa.

• Fenwick 2022 forward Elise Heneghan received an offer from Illinois-Springfield.

• Waubonsie Valley 2020 PG Lauren McKnight received offers from University of Dubuque and Morton College.

Other Recruiting Stories

• Western Illinois swimming in talent as Public Leaguers rush to join Nick Irvin by Henricksen.

• Class of 2022 guard Jaden Schutt breaks down his offers via Zagsblog

• Rolling Meadows rising sophomore Cameron Christie following in brother’s footsteps by Henricksen for the Sun-Times.

• Still not enough eyes on Notre Dame’s Troy D’Amico by Henricksen.

• Boys basketball notes: Oak Forest rising star Robbie Avila receives offers from DePaul and Toledo, but those could be just the beginning via Pat Disabato of the Daily Southtown

Coaching News

• Sad news as Mascoutah boys basketball coach Justin Love, a former SLU player, passed away at 41. Love was signed by the Phoenix Suns and played 12 seasons professionally, mostly in Europe. Stories via Belleville News-Democrat, the Herald Publications and STL Today.

• Mather hired Tyler Leighton as its new boys head coach. Leighton was named Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and second-team all-american in 2009 at IU South Bend.

• Montini has hired Shannon Herold Spanos, a 1999 Montini grad, as its new girls head coach. Story from Joshua Welge at MySuburbanLife.

• Curie boys head coach Mike Oliver is still suspended but has been getting paid since April, the Sun-Times’ Michael O’Brien reported on Twitter.

Coaching Stories

• Introducing OPRF's new boys hoops head coach: A Q&A with Phil Gary via James Kay at the Wednesday Journal

• Mascoutah’s new girls basketball coach knows his way around the Indians program via Dean Criddle at the Belleville News-Democrat.

More Prep Basketball Stories

• Caroline Jachino of Pleasant Plains is The State Journal-Register’s Female Athlete of the Year via Bill Welt.

• Lincoln’s Kaden Froebe is The State Journal-Register’s Large School Boys Basketball Player of the Year via Ryan Mahan.

• Lamphier’s Martrice Brooks is The State Journal-Register’s Large School Girls Basketball Player of the Year via Mahan.

• Day 1 and Day 2 schedules for the 2020 Rose Shootout at Mt. Carmel, via Scott Burgess.

• Peoria always rolled out the red carpet for the state finals in boys basketball, but that isn’t enough anymore via Disabato.

• Former Libertyville coach Sanders recalls good memories in Champaign via Patricia Babcock McGraw of the Daily Herald.

• Lane Tech considering changing Indians mascot from the Sun-Times and Block Club Chicago.

• Dan Miller, a tireless youth sports advocate who helped run the Rockford Elementary Basketball Association, died June 19 at 64 via Alex Gary of the Rockford Register Star.

• Riverton’s Spencer Yoggerst is The State Journal-Register’s Small School Boys Basketball Player of the Year by Welt.

• Pleasant Plains’ Asya Smith is The State Journal-Register’s Small School Girls Basketball Player of the Year via Welt.

• Fremd alumni Haley Gorecki Waived by Seattle Storm via Dion Martorano of the Journal & Topics.

• Loyola boys basketball recognized for academics: ‘Our guys played with great intelligence.' via Dan Shalin for the Pioneer Press.

• Hersey boys basketball stresses accountability on the floor, in the classroom via Steve Reaven of the Pioneer Press.

• Lake Forest girls basketball team makes time for scholastic success via Narang of the Pioneer Press.

• Little Ten Conference approves addition of Illinois Math and Science from Kevin Hieronymus at MyWebTimes