Co-captain of the 2005 team that finished with a record of 37 victories and competed for the national championship, Brown was unstoppable, scoring 1,812 points, dishing out 674 assists, and maintaining 231 steals. With five players ranked in the 2023 ESPN 100 and four more ranked in the 2024 . IL High School Basketball Scores Today 23 Games Tomorrow 3 Games Marian Catholic26-7 Lemont27-6 Today 7:00pm Geneva24-9 Wheaton-Warrenville South27-5 Today 7:00pm C Calvary26-7 Madison17-12 Today 7:00pm Saint Ignatius College Prep21-11 Westinghouse19-10 Today 7:00pm Sacred Heart-Griffin29-3 Normal West19-14 Today 7:00pm With 177 blocks, Thomas blocked more shots than any Illini player ever. Brunson also made an impact internationally. HONORABLE MENTION (19): Ensley Tedeschi, Benton (6-1, Sr., PG/SG) 30; Natalie Peterson, Freeburg (6-0, Sr., G/F) 18; Kaitlyn Coombes, Paris (5-4, Sr., PG) 15; Dalia Dejesus, Deer Creek-Mackinaw (5-11, Fr., F) 15; Addison Swadinsky, Deer CreekMackinaw (5-7, Sr. PG) 13; Lauren Miller, Central-Southeastern (5-10, Soph., G/F) 11; Campbell Schrank, Winnebago (5-9, Sr., G/F) 11; Sophie Bormann, Metropolis Massac County (5-9, Sr., SG) 9; Clair Hulke, Rock Island Alleman (6-0, Jr., F) 9; Mady Kibelkis, Peotone (5-8, Sr., SG) 9; Madi Schroeder, Peotone (5-11, Jr., PG/PF) 9; Blair Eftink, Quincy Notre Dame (5-8, Sr., G) 8; Grace Roland, Elmhurst Timothy Christian (6-2, Sr., C) 8; Kyla Elsbury, Sherrard (Sr., F) 6; London Walker George, Chicago DePaul Prep (5-9, Soph., F) 6; Jenna Hunter, Peotone (5-11, Sr., F) 6; Mya Janssen, Stillman Valley (6-1, Jr., F) 6; Whitney Rumbold, Tremont (5-10, Sr., F) 6; Layne Rupert, Hillsboro (5-7, Sr., G) 6. 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. There is no other way to explain it. 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. Here is a look at the 10 best Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA) boys basketball players in the Class of 2023. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. He graduated from Illinois as the schools seventh-highest scorer ever. David Oyona-Ibandzo. (It's worth noting that Bartlesville is coached by former Kansas State guard Clent Stewart.) Freitag had an early offer from Wisconsin before his sophomore year and now holds offers from Baylor, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Virginia and Nebraska as well. As a senior he averaged 20.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 63 percent from the field. Happy travels! Moreover, he was chosen for the first team of the Big-10 twice and the third team of the AP All-Americans. 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. Facebook; Twitter; instagram; FB Rec. Davis put up monster numbers during his senior year, though Perspectives didnt play the type of schedule that showcased his talents to the masses. In 2004, Downey was named to the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team. Boys Basketball . Bradford played for the Fighting Illini and amassed a career total of 1,735 points, 275 assists, and 108 steals while shooting.389 from the field. Life on a third straight one-year contract with the mega-talented Astros isnt bad at all. Anthony Davis of Perspectives-MSA playing for his club team Meanstreeets. Subscribe Already a subscriber? Facts, Famous people, Sports, United States, The 201112 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team photo by MrMcPhoto - Wikimedia commons, 2011 12 Illinois Fighting Illini mens basketball team photo by MrMcPhoto Wikimedia commons. Illini Starting Five 1946-47 photo by D. Kirk Son of Walton Kirk Jr. Wikimedia commons. Prep boys basketball action remains in full swing with the postseason underway. 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. His leadership helped the Illini win the Big Ten mens basketball tournament, and in 200203, he was awarded the games best player. Adan Diggs Arizona. Ken Norman, was a powerful rebounder who averaged 9.8 rebounds per game in his final season at Illinois, but his scoring was an even bigger contribution to the team. The final spot in the state championship game for the IHSA 3A Tournament is set between second-ranked Lincoln (35-0) and fourth-seeded Deerfield (29-5) today. Professional basketball player Donnie Freemans photo sourced from Wikimedia commons. Every year he played, Gills Illini received NCAA bids. 12. Behind his former teammate Deon Thomas, Garris concluded his career at Illinois as the schools second-leading scorer all-time. Chicagos first state champions. Post-high school career:In three seasons at Villanova, Brunson won a pair of national championships. WNBA greats from Illinois include Candace Parker, Yolanda Griffith and Tamika Catchings. Get original content and the most important sports news from trusted sources delivered to your inbox. From 1993 through 1997, Garris played point guard for the University of Illinois collegiate basketball team. Gill was nominated to the first-team All-American (UPI) and led the Big Ten in scoring as a senior. Guard Rennie Clemons of Illinois occasionally stood out while playing basketball. He ranks sixth in Big Ten history with his career 3-pointers and career steals. The drastically different team is built around its All-Star cornerstone, and new players will match her intensity, The best Illinois high school basketball players of the decade, High school football notebook: Malik Elzy quickly catches on, Aidan Gray picks Northwestern, Illini start hot, City/Suburban Hoops Report Three-Pointer: Observations from the first live period weekend, High school football notebook: Brooks Bahr picks Michigan, Frank Covey heads to Northwestern, Ken Leonard prepares to retire, The Astros Dusty Baker 73 years young is still at it, and hes one Hall of a manager. Here's a look at our top Chicago high school basketball stars to ever grace the hardwood. Anthony Mauro New Jersey. There were three different players Anthony Davis, Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor who at one time were considered the top-ranked prospect in the country during their high school career. quality girls basketball players over the years. 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. Downey played college basketball at the University of Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team from 1960 to 1963. Simeon Vocational Academy is where Anderson played high school basketball before moving on to play for the Fighting Illini team that won the NCAA Final Four in 1989 for three years while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The highlight of his career was the 196061 campaign when Wessels was honoured as an All-American honourable mention on an Illinois squad that concluded the regular season with a 915 overall record, enough for seventh place in the Big Ten. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. From 2007 until 2011, he was a student at Illinois. Bottom Line: One of two players on this list committed to playing for Iowa State alongside Waukee (Iowa) power forward Omaha Biliew, Pewaukee High's Milan Momcilovic was named Division 2 All-State and the Woodland-West Conference Player of the Year after leading his school to the Division 2 state championship as a junior in 2021-22. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (BVM) The high school basketball season is set to tip off, and once again, the state of Illinois features some of the top talent in the country. Stay connected with BVM Sports: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram, {"rules": {"password": "required", "password_confirm": {"equalTo": "#registerPassword"}}}. All rights reserved. 2023 www.rrstar.com. Heaven Chea Washington. Deon Johnson Ohio. He played for the Fighting Illini for four seasons, starting three of them. Having participated in 137 games, Augustine is tied with Dee Brown. Williams won the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball award and was voted the Big Ten player of the year after the 20002001 campaign. With his record number of points in a career, he also placed eighth all-time among Illini. During his senior year, he also captured the NCAA Slam Dunk title at the Final Four. Throughout his three seasons as a player, Burwell averaged 12.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore, 18.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a junior, and 15.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a senior. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Parker with the No. Bottom Line: Cathedral High center and Michigan State commit Xavier Booker is a Top 10 national recruit and a player who could make an immediate impact at the next level. Oak Forest's Robbie Avila (21) maintains possession of the ball during the game against DePaul Prep at the . But pure and simple, Davis is the most talentedprospectto come out of Illinois in the last decade, which is why he was the No. Feb 27, 2023. From 2002 through 2005, he represented the Illinois Fighting Illini in collegiate basketball. Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Lowell Hamilton, Kenny Battle, and Marcus Liberty were among the other starters on that team in addition to Bardo. Williams received First-Team All-Big Ten honours in 2004 and 2005 when he was a junior. James Augustine photo by Hodyachih Wikimedia commons. State Series Information & Results; Records & History; Basketball Advisory Committee; 3-Year Season Calendar; IHSA Administrator. 1 in our boys' rankings. He ranks fifth in Big Ten history in his career assists. With sound form and mechanics, range and a pure release, Schutt has elite shooting ability that easily translates to the next level. Has turned into an intelligent floor general who is comfortable commanding an offense. He wrapped up his career with eye-popping numbers, including 2,508 points and 1,004 rebounds in his four-year career. Douglas was selected for the Illinois All-Century Team in October 2004. Prep girls basketball action remains in full . Plus, Ethan Happ and Keita Bates-Diop were second-team All-Americans. Although Kerrs senior season was the greatest of his three varsity seasons, the team would go on to have the least successful run during the same period. In 2004, he was selected for the All-Century Team at the University of Illinois. He flashes various scoring abilities. My goodness. In his college career, he made 216 three-pointers, which ranks fifth all-time among Illini players. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; SportsLine; MaxPreps; Shop; StubHub; Follow 247Sports. West Des Moines Dowling Catholic trucked Davenport North on the road to a 52-38 victory on Feb. 27 in Iowa girls high school basketball action. Peyton Kemp Michigan . Marian Catholics Tyler Ulis during the class 4A supersectional against Edwardsville. As a sophomore, Burwell made an immediate impact and served as the middle anchor for Illinois 1963 Big Ten winning squad. Based on the armys selection of Mathisen, Menke, and Smiley, Phillip and his teammates would decide not to take part in either the NCAA or NIT tournament. Gill attended the University of Illinois after being named to the six-player All-Tournament team while attending Rich Central High School in Olympia Fields. Bottom Line: What an absolutely fascinating prospect. 13. Under the direction of head coach Bruce Weber, Frazier spent four seasons at the University of Illinois (20052009). Subscribe Already a subscriber? High School: Bartlesville High School (Bartlesville, Oklahoma). 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. a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruits.More Info About; Contact Us; Advertisers . Now there are some fresh faces joining those three top 10 fixtures. This season the Railsplitters are the. Log in Playoff results: W 70-64 vs. Rock Falls (state final), W 74-62 vs. West Aurora (state semifinal), W 72-59 vs. Herrin (state quarterfinal), W 63-43 vs. Elgin (supersectional), W 68-59 (OT) vs. Dunbar (city final). Emerging from Gary Roosevelt High School as the 1955 Indiana Mr. Basketball, Wilson Eison was another multi-year player for Purdue. In 2004, Gill was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team., Brian Cook Clippers photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. Plus, he was a difference-maker defensively with 144 blocked shots. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. Bottom Line: Darik Dissette was named Class A All-State after leading Minot High to a 27-2 record and the Class A state championship as a junior in 2021-22. Read more: 10 Famous Basketball Players who played for UNC. In December 1966, he was named the Illinois mens basketball teams starting point guard. With the Illini, he averaged more than seven rebounds per game, and his 156 career blocks were excellent to place him fourth in the all-time at the university. 2023 Illinois HS Basketball Player Rankings | Prep Girls Hoops Illinois 2023 Rankings WL indicates Watch List Access all of Prep Girls Hoops Subscribe for access to all premium articles and rankings. Chasson Randle of Rock Island moves quickly down the court, defended by Terrance Walker of Brooks. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? Post-high school career:Randle was a star at Stanford, where he became the schools all-time leading scorer with 2,375 points and was an honorable mention All-American as a senior. The IHSA girls basketball state finals return Thursday through Saturday at Redbird Arena in Normal. Johnson studied history from 1977 to 1981 at the University of Illinois. San Ysidro (San Diego CA) 4. Pulaski (5-8, Sr., PG) 8; Josie Armstrong, Tri-County (5-8, Jr., G) 6; Ashlynn Arnsman, Mendon Unity (6-0, Sr., F/C) 6; Jase Burkett, Woodlawn (5-6, Jr., PG) 6; Laney Cahoon, Orangeville (5-7, Soph., G) 6; Olivia Meyers, Elmwood (5-11, Sr., F/C) 6; Alondra Reyes, Chicago Hope Academy (5-8, Sr., F/G) 6; Briley Rhodes, Okawville (5-6, Sr., SG/PG) 6; Maddy Swisher, Champaign St. Thomas More (6-0, Sr., G/F) 6; Clara Bella VanOpdorp, Annawan (5-3, Soph., PG/SG) 6. A list of "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament" was assembled on December 14, 2005. As a junior he was named AP College Basketball Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year and won the Wooden Award. Note: All data is from the high school database on Basketball Reference. Roosevelt Thomas Illinois. He's also the only sophomore from the midwestern states to make our list. A ranking of the 2004 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. In 2004, he was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team. Williams was selected as one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament in 2007, in honour of his outstanding play during that tournament. 35.Canton McKinley High School (Canton, Ohio) 6 Players (Tie) Brent Walker celebrates after making a big shot for Canton McKinley during a game in 2019. He was a member of Bill Selfs back-to-back Big Ten championship teams in 2000-01 and 2001-02. 1 point guard in the Class of 2024 played as a freshman at Bergen Catholic (N.J.) High and missed his entire sophomore year with a high ankle sprain. 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. Here are the 50 best Illinois basketball players of all time. Cooper Zachary Indiana. For local insights and insiders travel tips that you wont find anywhere else, search any keywords in the top right-hand toolbar on this page. While not the most athletic, Avila has solid footwork, can handle the ball, uses both hands and can extend a defense with shooting range out to the three-point line. As a result, Bensons recruitment has exploded. February 28, Scott Burgess He was that talented of a player and that dynamic of a high school basketball figure. After taking over for Bryan Leonard in the third game of the 198283 season, Winters started at power forward for the following four years. The Top Ranked Basketball Players of All-Time from Illinois High Schools . Mid-major programs will keep their fingers crossed the point guards recruitment stays at their level. And forget about the ranking as Parker was the No. The fan base, historical events, and players from Illinois are legendary. 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. He managed to achieve 1,271 career points and subsequently held a three-point shooting percentage of .472 through the four seasons he was at Illinois. What this all says is that picking an Illinois All-Decade Team wasnt easy, though the criteria is quite simple. February 27, Scott Burgess Also, three-point shooting has never been more important in the game of basketball, which is why Yorkville Christians Jaden Schutt and Buffalo Groves Kam Craft continue to rank so high. The game and show will be a chance for Clark to showcase her . 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. He now ranks 12th all-time in Illinois scoring after concluding his collegiate career as the most prolific scorer in school history. In the fall of 1950, Kerr committed to Illinois, and for the 195051 season, he played on the freshman squad. 2022 Illinois High School Girls Basketball Player Rankings | Prep Girls Hoops Illinois 2022 Rankings WL indicates Watch List Access all of Prep Girls Hoops Subscribe for access to all premium articles and rankings. The Zeller brothers and Plumlee's were all raised in Indiana. He graduated from Illinois as the schools seventh-highest scorer ever. He was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team and received an honourable mention for the Big Ten. He began 30 of the 32 games he played as a freshman, finishing third in the Big Ten Conference in assists with 4.53 per contest. 2026; 2025; 2024; 2023; 2022 . He produced in a big way and was the ultimate competitor. Choose your favorite sports and teams to follow to be able to see all of the content you want to enjoy first. Top 100. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? He emerged as the all-time top scorer in Illinois basketball history in March 1969. He scored a school record 2,335 career points, including averaging 23 points and 6.8 assists as a senior. Supporting cast: Bobby Jones (64), Steve Thomas (64), M.C. Rayvon Griffith, Taft Taft forward Rayvon Griffith celebrates after the Senators won the Division III regional championship,. Lincoln High's 7-foot-1 center, JT Rock (another great name) still has two years to develop before he gets to the next level. During his senior year, he also captured the NCAA Slam Dunk title at the Final Four. He became the No. While playing for the Fighting Illinis Final Four squad in 12 games as a freshman in 198889, Kaufmann averaged 4.3 points per contest. First, you have to ignore the basketball stardom Davis has reached out of high school. 2 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. The player who did more for himself during the early live periods than anyone, grabbing attention with his physical attributes, athleticism and motor. Deron Williams #8 of the Brooklyn Nets photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. By the time he was a senior, the 6-9, 245-pound Alexander was a consensus top five prospect in the country and a McDonalds All-American. Star: George Wilson (86 points in last four state games). 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. Thompson (41), Tyrone Johnson (17). Phone: (309) 663-6377 Fax: (309) 663-7479 : 2715 McGraw Drive Bloomington, IL 61704-6011 Map & directions : Office Hours The same season, he was named to the first team of the Big Ten and the All-American teams. 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 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. Belleville Wests EJ Liddell (32) holds up three fingers after dropping one against Evanston in the Class 4A state championship. Altenberger played for Illinois from 1982 to 1987. Throughout his 10-year pro career, Ohl averaged 15.9 points per game, demonstrating how well his scoring ability transferred to the NBA. They anchored one of the Big Tens top teams during their time there, and the Illini eventually earned a number one seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Elite 8. On February 16, 1963, he set the Illinois single-game scoring record with 53 points against Indiana. 220 32 8. 11/08/2022 Joliet West Tigers Kenwood Academy Broncos Rolling Meadows Mustangs East St. Louis Flyers Moline Maroons Whitney Young Dolphins Neal F. Simeon Career Academy Wolverines Lake Forest Scouts Basketball a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruits.More Info About; Contact Us; Advertisers . He had a treasure chest of accolades, including being a McDonalds All-American, Illinois Mr. Basketball winner and a two-time Sun-Times Player of the Year. While playing for Illinois, McBride led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA Final Four in 2005 and was named to the All-Big 10 honourable mention team. February 26, 5 Takeaways: Central Illinois Regional Finals, Scott Burgess He attended Illinois between 1993 and 1998. Now's your chance to vote for . Along the way, somebody invented the jump shot and the crossover dribble and added a three-point line. High School: Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio). 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. Scott Burgess Ranking the Class of 2022: How the seniors stack up heading into July. It's rare to find a player this young who has already crafted his reputation based on his defense and rebounding. Douglas was selected for the Illinois All-Century Team in October 2004. Bottom Line: Jefferson's Daniel Freitag was the only underclassman to make the Minnesota AP All-State squad first or second team after he averaged 26.7 points as a sophomore in 2021-22. If a team repeated as champion, we tried to pick the better one with the exception of the 1991 and 92 Proviso East teams that won with almost entirely different lineups. While the high-level consistency remains a work in progress, Casey still boasts the biggest upside in the class. Davis was the consensus college National Player of the Year while leading Kentucky to a national championship as a freshman. His 17.3 points per game rank as Illinois eighth-best career average. 1 player in the country. It's a pretty simple concept you have the No. Austin Parks, St. Mary's Memorial, junior, 6'9" Averaged 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore and earned second-team all-league honors. Bottom Line: Elliot Cadeau will be in a new state and at a new school for his junior season with Link Academy the five-star recruit and No. Post-high school career:As a unanimous first-team All-American at Duke as a freshman, Okafor led the Blue Devils to the 2015 national championship. Georgia From 1966 to 1969, he was a student at the University of Illinois. Kaufmann scored 9.8 points per game in 29 games as a sophomore in 19891990. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ . Top 100 +. We also wanted to know or did we? 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.