best high school basketball players in illinois best high school basketball players in illinois

Don't forget to check out our other high school basketball player rankings: The Stadium Talk Podcast, "Season One: High School Football in America," is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Amazon Music or wherever else you get your podcasts from! This week we're looking at the midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. High School: Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio). Nick Anderson photo by Back9Network Wikimedia commons. Chicagos first state champions. Williams led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA championship game in 2005 as a junior starting point guard, but they fell to the University of North Carolina. As a bonus, Okafor was huge in Youngs biggest games: 35 points and 13 rebounds in a sectional final win over St. Rita; 33 points and 14 rebounds in a state semifinal win over Stevenson; 22 points and 23 rebounds against Providence (Fla.) in the City of Palms Classic; and he averaged 31 points and 12.5 rebounds in the loaded Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon. 0. how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois During his senior year state title run, the first in Rock Island history, Randle averaged 21.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Scottish basketball player Robert Archibald played power forward and centre for the University of Illinois from 1998 to 2002. Bryce Curry Ohio. Bottom Line: Bartlesville's David Castillo was just one of three sophomores to make The Tulsa World's 2022 All-State team and might be one of the best guards in the country for the Class of 2024. One of the best performances by an Illinois player was his 35 points against Michigan State in January 1974. Named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year as a junior, the 6-11 Okafor was the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year, MVP of the McDonalds All-American Game and Mr. Basketball in Illinois as a senior. Both Yorkville Christians Jaden Schutt and Glenbard Wests Braden Huff are nipping at his heels with both of their individual recruitments heating up. His time with the Illini includes playing both power forward and centre, setting numerous team records, making it to the national championship game, and winning numerous honours. Some of the notable players to come out of Indiana are Victor Oladipo, Tyler & Cody Zeller, Mason & Miles Plumlee to name a few. Darrin "Dai Dai" Ames, sr., Kenwood (Illinois) Ames had one of the best performances of the season at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament, scoring a tourney-record 65 points, and the point guard scored 27 going up against DJ Wagner and Camden (New Jersey) on Friday. Gatorade State High School Players of the Year how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. 30 Best High School Basketball Players of all time Coach: Spin Salario March 2, Scott Burgess He averaged 9.3 points as a rookie last season. Bottom Line: Don't get it twisted Waukee Senior High power forward Omaha Biliew could be a game-changer for Iowa State if he ever ends up on campus, and he's the highest-rated recruit the Cyclones have landed in the modern era. And being a good shooter these days is about the quickest path for a young player to get on the floor in college. He was a member of Bill Selfs back-to-back Big Ten championship teams in 2000-01 and 2001-02. McDonald's All-American. Why do we love Biliew so much? These are the best high school boys basketball players in every state headed into the 2022-2023 season for the midwestern states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Douglas had a stellar career with Illinois, where he was a statistical leader in numerous categories. 6'5". Darrion Baker Hillcrest (Country Club Hills, IL) Star: George Wilson (86 points in last four state games). 5-11 / 165. After taking over for Bryan Leonard in the third game of the 198283 season, Winters started at power forward for the following four years. Altenberger ranks in Illinois' all-time top 25 in scoring (1,271 career points) and holds the Illini record with a three-point shooting percentage of .472 over his four seasons. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. Johnson studied history from 1977 to 1981 at the University of Illinois. 10 Best: Wednesday Sectional Semi Preview Scott Burgess March 1 5 Takeaways: Downers Grove North vs Whitney Young Scott Burgess February 28 10 Best: Tuesday Sectional Semi Preview Scott Burgess February 27 Elijah Lovemore Dives Into Visits Scott Burgess February 26 More News 5 Takeaways: Central Illinois Regional Finals When he graduated, he ranked third in school history for games played with 138 and was second all-time at Illinois in terms of rebounding (909), scoring (1,279 points) at number 22, and games played 138 which put him at third. High school basketball: The top 10 players in the Class of 2022 He was chosen for the 20102011 Big Ten seasons third team AlAllBigen as a senior. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. Here's our list of the best high school girls basketball players in the 13 Midwest states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. From 1993 through 1997, Garris played point guard for the University of Illinois collegiate basketball team. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ . He became the No. Has turned into an intelligent floor general who is comfortable commanding an offense. With 114 victories, Brown is tied with James Augustine for the most victories in Illinois history. So here they are: The best of the best from each part of the state. Ranking the Best Careers of All Indiana Mr. Basketball Players in Who do you take? Subscribe Already a subscriber? A true big with a sweet skill set for his size and position. Times changed, the game was integrated, players grew taller and more wildly athletic. In his final two years at Simeon he averaged a combined 19.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 blocks while going 63-4. Alexander averaged 25 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks as a senior and was named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year. Belleville Wests EJ Liddell (32) holds up three fingers after dropping one against Evanston in the Class 4A state championship. In 199091, Kaufmann led the squad as a junior scoring average of 21.3 ppg. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. In 2009, he graduated from Illinois with a bachelors degree in recreation management. . The athleticism has improved. Rnk: Athlete: POS: Rookie Yr: School: Overall Rank: 1: George Mikan: C: 1947: Archbishop Quigley (Chicago) 12: 2 . Class Of 2027 Player Rankings - Top25scouts Illinois Basketball: The Top 50 Players in School History Douglas was selected for the Illinois All-Century Team in October 2004. While the high-level consistency remains a work in progress, Casey still boasts the biggest upside in the class. A ranking of the 2004 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois . McKenney was named a MaxPreps Freshman All-American in 2022 after he averaged 16.5 points and 6.3 rebounds for St. Mary's and started every game for his school on the way to a 20-5 record. Since the beginning of the game, players from Illinois have had a significant influence, and they have flourished even after leaving Illinois. Tisdale concluded with 176 career blocks to place second in school history and 1,243 points to rank No. Thompson (41), Tyrone Johnson (17). Feb 27, 2023. He also had 139 games played at the end of his career, which he shared with Demetri McCamey as the most games played by any player in the University. 1 ranked Benet in the sectional. The Illini then rolled to the Final 8, when the Arizona Wildcats upset them in a contentious and hard-fought contest. Fred Van Vleet, who starred at Rockford Auburn, made the third team. In the early 1960s, Illinois had a physical presence in the middle thanks to Bill Burwell. The best big-man attribute is hes an excellent passer. Stay connected with BVM Sports: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram, {"rules": {"password": "required", "password_confirm": {"equalTo": "#registerPassword"}}}. It's rare to find a player this young who has already crafted his reputation based on his defense and rebounding. On February 16, 1963, he set the Illinois single-game scoring record with 53 points against Indiana. All players listed include height, year in school, position and points earned. High school basketball: Ranking the top prospects in the Class of 2022 - Chicago Sun-Times High School Basketball Sports High School Sports Ranking the top prospects in the Class of 2022 Here is a final look back at the Class of 2022 and where they rank as college prospects. James Augustine and Brown both played in 137 games during their careers. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. Post-high school career:As a junior at Connecticut, Boatright was a key defensive player and averaged 12.1 points in helping the Huskies to a NCAA national championship. Boatright shared the 2011 Mr. Basketball Award with Rock Islands Chasson Randle. Dotzler's stats have made a significant leap each year, and as a junior, he averaged 15.7 points, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals. Dave Downey (NCAA 1963 program) photo by NCAA Wikimedia commons. There were some individual magical moments throughout Brunsons career, highlighted by the record-setting 56 points he scored in the state semifinals loss to Young as a junior. Also won state in 1960 behind George Wilson (back row, fouth from left) and suffered playoff defeats by one and two points in 1959 and 1961. Happy travels! Parkers biggest attribute is that he won. Downeys career scoring average of 18.9 is fourth in school history, while his career rebounding average of 11.0 ranks third, with 790 career rebounds ranking seventh. Moreover, he was chosen for the first team of the Big-10 twice and the third team of the AP All-Americans. 2026; 2025; 2024; 2023; 2022 . Recommended Lists: Badminton Players Baseball Players 5 Shaquille O' Neal (Basketball player) 135 32 Birthdate: March 6, 1972 Sun Sign: Pisces Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States Shaquille O'Neal is an American former basketball player who currently works as a sports analyst. Darius Hawkins Illinois. A spark-plug scorer and safe bet to be a productive offensive player at the next level due to his shot-making ability from all areas of the court. Supporting cast: Bobby Jones (64), Steve Thomas (64), M.C. Altenberger was. Career highlights: 3x NBA all-star, 2x NBA champion Aguirre was voted both the AP and Naismith Player of the Year his final season at DePaul (1979-80) and was the first overall selection in the 1980 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Buzelis averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals for Brewster in 2021-22 and played for the World Team at the Nike Hoop Summit following his season. Vote: Southwest Illinois boys basketball player of the week 1 draft pick in every state in the U.S. when it comes to high school boys and girls basketball. For 20 years, his 40-point outburst as a sophomore would stand as the school record. In recent years, Indiana has also produced some of the most talented siblings in college basketball that went on play in the NBA. HONORABLE MENTION (19): Lauren Slagle, Geneva (6-1, Sr., F) 17; Ava Gugliuzza, Lincoln-Way West (5-7, Sr., G) 15; Cassidy Arni, Geneva (6-0, Sr., G/F) 9; Natasha Barnes, Chicago Kenwood (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Mariann Blass, Elmhurst York (5-9, Sr., SG) 6; Danielle Brooks, Chicago Kenwood (5-7, Fr., G) 6; Ally Cesarini, LaGrange Lyons (5-7, Sr., G) 6; Olivia Corson, Normal (5-10, Jr., G/F) 6; Meegan Fahy, Maine South (5-5, Jr., G) 6; Maddy Fay, Palatine Fremd (6-2, Sr., F) 6; Alyssa Hughes, St. Charles North (5-7, Sr., PG) 6; Destiny Jackson, Chicago Whitney Young (5-6, Soph., G) 6; Lindsey Knuth, Rockford Guilford (6-0, Sr., F) 6; Jessie Ozzauto, Huntley (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Baylie Parks, Lake Zurich (6-0, Sr., G) 6; Sidney Rogers, Glenbrook South (5-4, Sr., SG) 6; Lexi Sepulveda, Plainfield East (5-9, Jr., G) 6; Hayven Smith, Lincoln-Way East (6-6, Jr., C) 6; Elise Ward, Chicago Marist (5-11, Sr., F) 6.LIST OF VOTERS (26): Derek Bayne, WREX-TV Rockford; Josh Brown, Robinson Daily News; Jack Bullock, A Baseline View (Southern Illinois); Kaleb Carter, IllinoisBasketball.com; Jeremy Chawgo, Breese Journal; Kevin Chlum, LaSalleNews Tribune; Michael Clark, Northwest Times (Ind. He gained notoriety for his abilities and the Fighting Illinis triumphs in the two seasons (19411943 and 19461947), which were interrupted by the world war. When playing for the Illinois team, Mark Smith averaged more than 6.1 rebounds and four assists. Unfortunately, he was not drafted into the NBA and never got a chance to show his skills at the grandest stage. Cupps has become a star in the three years since that video blew up the internet, leading Centerville High to a Division I state runner-up finish in 2022, as he averaged 14.2 points, 6.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds. As a senior, he averaged 16.6 points per game from his cutting drives while also setting a school record with 89 steals for the year with his freakishly athletic body. The Manual and Simeon four-peat teams got two each. Davis was an absolute unknown until the spring of his junior year. Harper played at Illinois for three seasons, with his finest year coming in 19821983 where he led the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game. Ames might only be 6-foot-2, but he's a nightmare on both ends of the floor, as he can fill it up on one end and is a defensive menace on the other. Powell was chosen as an honourable mention All-Big Ten selection during his final season by both the leagues coaches and media. Note: All data is from the high school database on Basketball Reference. Averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1 . The squad finished the year with a coachs rank of 16, winning the Kentucky Invitational Tournament during the season. Cook played 132 games for the University of Illinois over four years, each season leading the Illini in rebounds. Eleven of the 16 state finalists ended the season ranked . (Chicago Tribune). [1] [2] Throughout the state, 281 individuals were nominated and were chosen by geographic region and tournament era. Thoren was voted team MVP, first-team All-Big Ten, and first-team All-American following the season. Booker had a breakout season as a junior in 2021-22 averaging 12.5 points and 6.7 rebounds as he helped lead a stacked Cathedral squad to a Class 4A state championship. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) celebrated 100 years of the IHSA State Tournament in the 2006-07 season. 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Specifically, Illinois Class of 2023 will showcase several future Division I and Power 5 college basketball players who will look to further prove themselves in 2022-23. The team fell just short of reaching its first final four since 1952, falling to the University of Kentucky in a contentious game. The 2010s era of prep basketball in Illinois came to an end last spring when the Class of 2019 graduated and moved on to the college ranks. From 1998 to 2002, the 63 guard played basketball for the University of Illinois. Cupps was named Mr. Ohio Basketball and Ohio MaxPreps Player of the Year as a junior and is committed to playing for Indiana. February 24, Scott Burgess Thus, a bust at the next level really isnt relevant (Jereme Richmond), nor is a late bloomer with a modest high school career who went on to become a star at the next level (Frank Kaminsky). The understated Randle has one heck of a career rsum, including a Class 3A state championship as a senior and sharing the states Mr. Basketball Award that same year with another all-decade performer, Ryan Boatright. Weatherspoon was chosen in 2004 for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team., Dee Brown at the Washington Wizards v/s Orlando Magic game photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. Momcilovic, 6-foot-8, averaged 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 2021-22 and picked the Cyclones over offers from Minnesota, UCLA, Creighton and Virginia, among others. McClain attended the University of Illinois with high school teammates Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams from 1997 to 2001. Where Castillo really turned heads for the first time was in international play as he helped lead the Team USA U16 National Team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas World Championships in 2021.