Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue 10
Week of August 22, 2020
We’ve got the NBA and WNBA bubbles, and college programs getting back to camp. The remaining fall sports are getting underway. But high school basketball is in its end-of-summer lull.
Still, we had a surprising amount of coaching news, and there was plenty of recruiting news, particularly with the girls. The biggest story of the week, as I’ll likely say a lot over the next three months, is the continued fallout from COVID-19.
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Let’s get to basketball!
The COVID-19 Ripple
Weeks after the IHSA changed its sports schedule and rules around COVID-19 — leaving uncertainty around basketball and other sports — the downstream effects are still being felt.
This week it was a rash of holiday tournament cancellations:
The 64-team State Farm Classic in the Bloomington-Normal area won’t be played this year, reports Wes Huett for the Journal Star and Jim Benson reports for The Pantagraph.
The Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic was also cancelled, as reported by The State Journal-Register.
The Centralia Holiday Tournament has also been cancelled, according to Twitter reports.
The Marseilles Holiday Tournament, an 11-year staple, has been cancelled, reports J.T. Pedelty for MyWebTimes. The organizers are exploring the possibility of a shootout.
The IHSA guidelines for competition during COVID-19 make all competition uncertain, let alone a massive event with hundreds of athletes and even more fans. For the fall sports, any meet can have no more than 50 participants and officials. For multiple races, teams must leave premises immediately after competing. Translate these rules to a basketball tournament, and the logistics seem almost impossible.
The Marseilles model of moving to a shootout seems like the best-case scenario for many tournaments. Schools and tournaments will be scrambling to see what is possible depending on guidelines and the IHSA phase, and then to get teams to join their events.
Transfer News: Two More Head Out of State
A handful of Illinois players who expect to play at the next level have headed out of state over COVID-19 uncertainty. Two more left this week, making at least eight players transferring out of state since the IHSA announced its decision to change seasons and schedules.
Bolingbrook 2021 SG Kai Evans is transferring to Trinity Prep International in Las Vegas. He has offers from Western Michigan, Chicago State and UW-Milwaukee, according to Verbal Commits.
Rockford East 2021 guard Biggie Luster is transferring to Trotwood Madison in Ohio.
Collinsville 2021 PF David Granger is transferring in state to East St. Louis, per Scott Burgess of PrepHoops. Two weeks ago the Flyers picked up another high-profile transfer in Granite City guard Christian Jones.
Commitments
Former Lincoln Park 2021 point guard Ismail Habib announced his commitment to Austin Peay. Habib was one of the top uncommitted players in the class, and he averaged 22 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists as a junior at Lincoln Park. He will play his season season at Bishop Walsh prep in Maryland after previously planning to transfer to St. Laurence.
Former Rock Island shooting guard JaMir Price committed to Mineral Area Community College. Just over a year ago he announced he was leaving Bradley, and he’s spent the past year away from basketball. Price said on Twitter that the decision to step away “really saved my own life.”
Stark County 2021 point guard Olivia Hopp announced her commitment to NAIA Culver-Stockton College in Missouri. The Wildcats went 20-11 last season and had two players from Illinois on the roster (Shelby Connell from Quincy Notre Dame and Ryan Dooley from Central A&M, both seniors).
Prospect 2021 point guard Eliot Dojutrek announced her commitment to Aurora University. The Spartans had nine players from Illinois on the roster last season, and Dojutrek averaged 13 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, according to her recruiting profile.
Glenbard South 2020 guard Brandon Malone has signed with D3 Lewis & Clark in Oregon, reports Scott Burgess at PrepHoops.
Boys Recruiting News
Fenwick 2021 forward Bryce Hopkins received an offer from Kentucky. The Wildcats are the biggest rival of Louisville, the team Hopkins was previously committed to. Since opening back up his recruitment, Hopkins has offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and Providence. Many analysts are predicting Kentucky as the favorite, though Illini fans hope his recent Zoom meeting with the coaching staff keeps them in the running.
Former Kankakee 2022 SF A.J. Storr (transferred to Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas) received an offer from IUPUI. He already held an offer from Chicago State.
Norris City-Omaha-Enfield 2021 PF Joe Melton received an offer from D3 Illinois College.
Metea Valley 2021 C Henry Krzyzewski received an offer from D3 Rose-Hulman.
Former Morgan Park wing Brandon Weston, who is playing a prep year at Hillcrest Prep and reclassified to 2021, has narrowed his college choices to six: Illinois, Michigan, Wake Forest, Pitt, Seton Hall and Western Illinois.
Girls Recruiting News
Kenwood 2022 guard Brianna McDaniel received an offer from Louisville, which finished the season No. 6 in the country. McDaniel currently holds 32 D1 offers.
Lyons Township 2021 guard Lindsey Hahn received an offer from D2 Winona State.
Marian Catholic 2021 guard Juliana Cutrara received an offer from NAIA Indiana Tech.
Niles West 2021 guard Angelica Cirineo received an offer from D3 Lakeland University.
Maine West 2021 guard Brianna Hernandez received an offer from D3 Aurora University.
Loyola Academy 2021 guard Arielle Dabu received an offer from D3 Wisconsin Lutheran.
Loyola Academy 2021 guard Isabella Ogliore received an offer from D3 DePauw University.
Downers Grove South 2021 PF Ashley Lang received offers from D3 Rockford University and Aurora University.
Lincoln-Way East 2021 PG Samara Swire received an offer from D3 North Park.
Plainfield East 2021 forward Melissa Schmidt received an offer from D3 Carthage College.
Grayslake Central 2021 guard MK Drevline received an offer from D3 North Central.
Trinity 2021 guard Savanna Childress received an offer from D3 North Park.
Coaching Stories and News
Kewanee has hired Matt Clark as its next boys basketball coach. Clark, who has spent the past three seasons coaching at Visitation Catholic School, takes over the Kewanee program after the death of previous head coach Shaune Lewis on July 3. Terry Duckett has the story for the Dispatch Argus, and Troy Taylor covered the hiring for the Star Courier.
Wheeling has hired Tom Antosz as its new head boys basketball coach, its assistant principal announced on Twitter. Taft head coach Jason Tucker gave a glowing recommendation of Atosz on Twitter.
New Waterloo boys head coach Scott Spinner “brings college pedigree to the program” writes Dean Criddle with the Belleville News-Democrat. Spinner, a graduate of DeSmet High School and Webster University — both in St. Louis, was the first head coach in NAIA Lindenwood-Belleville history, but he’s never been a high school coach.
Wheeling alum and current Leyden girls head coach Stephanie Kuzmanic was announced as part of the 2020 Carthage College Hall of Fame class. Dion Martorano has the story for the Journal & Topics, including Kuzmanic’s truly impressive resume.
After tweeting the news last week, Martorano now has a story up on Matt Weber being named the Prospect girls head coach. Martorano spoke to the Buffalo Grove alum, who will also be an assistant football coach, about coming to Prospect after coaching and teaching at Wheeling.
COVID-19 Updates and News
“IHSA, area ADs have answers: How does online-only school format impact sports eligibility?” from Dave Eminian at the Journal Star.
Illinois Players in the Pros
Fred Van Vleet, an Auburn graduate and current member of the Toronto Raptors, weighed in on body cam footage released by the attorneys of Raptors GM Masai Ujiri. “It was heavy stuff, man, Van Vleet said. “How many times do cops do that without the bodycam on?” The footage showed a security guard push Ujiri as he tries to enter the court to celebrate the team’s NBA Finals win. Ujiri wasn’t wearing his credential as he walked to the court, and the security guard has filed a lawsuit against Ujiri for assaulting him.
The Undefeated posted a video to Twitter of Niles West graduate and current Seattle Storm player Jewell Lloyd talking about what Kobe Bryant instilled in her.
“Illini fall out of favor: Leonard, Nunn riding Heat’s pine in NBA bubble” from The State Register-Journal. Kendrick Nunn played at Simeon and Myers Leonard played at Robinson High School.
“PHOTOS: Bloomington High and Illinois Wesleyan grad Brady Rose, who is now playing pro overseas” from The Pantagraph. Rose is headed to Bulgaria after playing his first pro season in Germany.
Illinois Players in College
Tim O’Brien caught up with the Burrell brothers — Melo, Cam and Isaiah — who are all alumni of Morgan Park. Melo and Cam, both part of state championship teams, are still playing at the college level.
Absolute Basketball Experience did a video interview with former Glenbrook North player and current Duke assistant John Scheyer. They talked about Scheyer’s relationship with Coach K, this season’s expectations and Scheyer’s reputation as a master recruiter. Former Whitney Young and current Duke player DJ Steward agrees that Scheyer is the best recruiter in the country.
“Curbelo & Miller 'extremely competitive' in workout battles:” Derek Piper at 247 writes about Morgan Park’s Adam Miller in his first camp with the Illini.
Other Stories and News
“Marist senior Sydney Affolter looks ‘ready for the college level’ after sensational summer playing in Iowa” writes Tony Baranek for the Daily Southtown. He talked to the Iowa recruit about coming back from a knee injury and her summer preparation.
Former Lockport forward Alando Tucker was one of three people inducted into the Joliet Area Sports Hall of Fame. Currently an assistant at Wisconsin (where he played his college ball), Tucker had a long pro career and was an NBA first-round pick. Jeff Vorva has the story for the Daily Southtown.
Joliet West 2023 guard Jeremy Fears Jr. was named a top performer at the Bradley Beal Elite Challenge. He also discussed his offer from Iowa with Hawkeye Nation.
Joliet West stars from different eras connected when Gary Bell (who went on to play for Notre Dame in the 90s) interviewed 2023 guard Lisa Thompson on his Keeping it G video series.
“Majority of coaches hope high school will add shot clock” via John Lemon at the Daily Herald.
Jalen Butler, a top-100 2021 basketball player in the state from Niles North, committed to NIU to play football.
Chad Readey, a top-100 2021 basketball player in the state from Homewood-Flossmoor, committed to Northwestern to play baseball.