Recap of Simeon vs. Whitney Young 12/22/11

With John Calipari of Kentucky and Rick Pitino of Louisville on hand, players from both sides stepped up their game. As fans from everywhere were funneled into the UIC Pavilion, the players took the court for an exhilarating game. The who;s who of top Chicago prospects came to play and some under the radar players made their name known. Games like this make high school basketball so fun to watch. I felt like a bobble-head doll looking at all the payers move around the court. From my last post, I focused on some players I would be keeping my eye o. Some that I did not mention will be worth mentioning. Don't worry about me shortchanging you on the analysis because my high school crystal ball is telling me this won't be the last time I see these teams play this year. Here is what I observed:

SO, C, Jalil Okafor (6-10, 275 lbs, offers by Illinois, DePaul, Syracuse, Arkansas, Connecticut, and more) The player of the game; simply put. Everything he did was dominant. Okafor has a soft touch inside and can step out and hit the 10 footer. For Simeon, he was near impossible to guard. With Taylor, a future Marquette player next year, guarding Okafor, Okafor was taking him to school. His quick feet and soft hands (catching the basketball of course) forced Simeon to double and sometimes triple team Okafor. Even after that, Okafor was still able to get some lay ups and dunks around the rim. Outside of going up for a dunk and stuffing himself at the rim, there really was nothing Okafor did wrong. IF there is one thing that would prevent him from being a top 5 prospect in the nation in the Class of 2014, it would be his explosiveness. Unless he continues to shed some weight, Okafor does not have much lift when he jumps. Still, though, this is on of the elite sophomores in America

SO, F, Paul White (6-8, 200lbs, offered by Baylor, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Louisville) I did not know what to expect from White. I thought his game was similar to Baylor's Quincy Miller in that he can handle the ball, shoot from the outside, and big enough to make an impact on the inside. I was not far off from that assessment. White was the makeshift point guard for the Dolphins bringing the ball up the court and having the offense revolve around his decision making. White had 8 turnovers to go with his 7 points and 4 rebounds, but the turnovers came from a player making point guard plays without being a point guard. I think Whitney Young took advantage of White's superior ball handling ability and had him force too many plays. Having a true point guard would have opened up White's game more and would have given him more of an opportunity to score. Still, I'll take away from the 6-8 point forward his ball handling skills; something very few players at 6-8 have.

SO, PG/SG, Miles Reynolds (6-2, 200 lbs, no official offers) I was disappointed that Reynolds did not control the ball more; that responsibility was bestowed upon White. Reynolds did finish with 4 assists but played off the ball mostly. apparently Whitney Young does not feel Reynolds is ready to take full control of the offense. Though a sophomore, I think Reynolds is going to have to assert himself as the premier ball handler for the Dolphins. His role in the offense was far less than I expected.
 
JR, C, Tommy Hamilton, JR (6-9, 240 lbs, offers from Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern) Did Not Play- Nice job on my part to look for a guy who was injured; what is this amateur hour? However, two players caught my eye: SR, F, Nate Brook (6-6, 200 lbs, no offers) who finished with 7 points and 4 rebound as well as SR, SG, Jordan Smith (6-3, 180lbs) who had 6 points and 2 rebounds. Even though the numbers aren't staggering, both stood out. Brooks had some nice dunks in the first quarter and displayed some exceptional athleticism. Smith looked like he was out to prove something as he tried to go for a couple facial dunks against Simeon. I liked his size and his decision making when plays broke down. smith is a nice secondary option on offense.

JR, SG, Kendrick Nunn (6-2, 175 lbs, offers from Texas A&M, Memphis, Illinois, Xavier, Missouri, North Carolina State, DePaul) One could argue Nunn could have been player of the game because Simeon actually won the game. Nunn finished with a team high 19 points but what really impressed me was his assertiveness and his improvement shooting the ball. Nunn did well from beyond the arc, but maybe the best thing Nunn did was get to the foul line. Nunne got to the line around 10 times which tells me Nunn has stepped up his aggressiveness from last year. In limited time, Nunn settled for jump shots last year. This year, Nunn was in attack mode. Another piece of his game that stood out was his athleticism. I knew he was very athletic but the 6-2 guard was soaring well above the rim. Simply put, Nunn is much better from last year.

JR, SG/SF, Kendall Pollard (6-4, 185 lbs, no official offers) Like Reynolds on Whitney Young, I was disappointed that Pollard did not factor much in the game. One play that stood out was a put back attempt by Pollard that showed his leaping ability. It looked like Pollard jumped off a trampoline for the put back. I could see why some scout have taken notice of his game. Pollard's role on the team is not clearly defined and I don't see him playing more that 10 minutes a game with all the players around him.

SR, PF, Steve Taylor (6-7, 230 lbs, committed to Marquette) Unofficially, Taylor had 16 points and 6 rebounds (thanks Simeon for taking your sweetass time coming out with an official box score) but the thing that impressed me the most is how much more in shape Taylor was and how improved his ball handling was. At times, Taylor was bringing the ball up the court and playing both inside and outside. He has a unique skill set that should have him contributing right away next year for Buzz Williams. Taylor had the daunting task for taming Okafor and that in itself made him look bad. However, Taylor was able to his some outside shots and crash the boards and used his added strength from last year to impact shots in the lane. Taylor looked more like a ball controlling small forward as opposed to a slender power forward which he played last year, and that in itself is why Taylor has improved his game.

JR, SF/PF, Jabari Parker (6-7, 220 lbs, offers from Duke, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, BYU, DePaul) Parker finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, but Parker seemed a little off. Clearly the most talented player on the floor, Parker had a tough time getting his shot to fall. Still, Parker was able to get to the rim, even though he was met by about 4 different defenders, as well as get himself open from beyond the arc. Even though his shooting percentage wasn't glamorous, it does look like Parker has more confidence taking a jump shot this year compared to last. It is clear to see, even in a sub par performance (sub par performance for Parker is usually better than most other players on the court) that Parker is one of the most talented players in the country.


NEXT WEEK: HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK'S MANY HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS.

Recap of Simeon vs. Whitney Young 12/22/11

With John Calipari of Kentucky and Rick Pitino of Louisville on hand, players from both sides stepped up their game. As fans from everywhere were funneled into the UIC Pavilion, the players took the court for an exhilarating game. The who’s who of top Chicago prospects came to play and some under the radar players made their name known. Games like this make high school basketball so fun to watch. I felt like a bobble-head doll looking at all the players move around the court. From my last post, I focused on some players I would be keeping my eye on. Some that I did not mention will be worth mention. Don’t worry about me shortchanging you on the analysis because my high school crystal ball is telling me this won’t be the last time I see these teams this year. Here is what I observed:

SO, C,  Jahlil Okafor, (left) (6-10, 275 lbs, Offered by Illinois, DePaul, Syracuse, Arkansas, Connecticut, and more) The player of the game; simply put. Everything he did was dominant. Okafor has a soft touch inside and can step out and hit the 10 footer. For Simeon, he was near impossible to guard. With Taylor, a future Marquette player next year, guarding Okafor, Okafor was taking him to school. His quick feet and soft hands (catching the basketball of course) forced Simeon to double and sometimes triple team Okafor. Even after that, Okafor was still able to get some lay ups and dunks around the rim. Outside of going up for a dunk and stuffing himself at the rim, there really was nothing Okafor did wrong. If there is one thing that would prevent him from being a top 5 prospect in the nation in the class of 2014, it would be his explosiveness. Unless he continues to shed some weight, Okafor does not have much lift when he jumps. Still, though, this is one of the elite sophomores in America.  

SO, PF, Paul White (6-8, 200 lbs, Offered by Baylor, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State) I was not what to expect from White. I thought his game was similar to Baylor’s Quincy Miller in that he can handle the ball; shoot from the outside, and big enough to make an impact on the inside. I was not far off from that assessment. White was the makeshift point guard for the Dolphins bringing the ball up the court and having the offense revolve around his decision making. White had 8 turnovers to go with his 7 points and 4 rebounds, but the turnovers came from a player making point guard plays without being a point guard. I think Whitney Young took advantage of White’s superior ball handling ability and had him force too many plays. Having a true point guard would have opened up White’s game more and would have given him more of an opportunity to score. Still, I’ll take away from the 6-8 point forward his ball handling skills; something very few players at 6-8 have.

SO, PG/SG, Miles Reynolds (6-2, 200 lbs, no official offers) I was disappointed that Reynolds did not control the ball more; that responsibility was bestowed upon White. Reynolds did finish with 4 assists but played off the ball mostly. Apparently Whitney Young does not feel Reynolds is ready to take full control of the offense. Though a sophomore, I think Reynolds is going to have to assert himself as the premier ball handler for the Dolphins. His role in the offense was far less than I expected.

JR, C, Tommy Hamilton, Jr (6-9, 240 lbs, Offered by Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern) Did Not Play- nice job on my part to look for a guy who was injured; what is this amateur hour. However, two players caught my eye, SR F Nate Brooks (6-6 200 lbs, no offers) who finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds as well as SR SG Jordan Smith (6-3, 180 lbs) who had 6 points and 2 rebounds. Even though the numbers aren’t staggering, both stood out. Brooks had some nice dunks in the first quarter and displayed some exceptional athleticism. Smith looked like he was out to prove something as he tried to go for a couple facial dunks against Simeon. I liked his size and his decision making when plays broke down. Smith is a nice secondary option on offense.  

JR, SG, Kendrick Nunn (left) (6-2, 175 lbs, Offered by Texas A&M, Memphis, Illinois, Xavier, Missouri, North Carolina State, DePaul) One could argue Nunn could have been player of the game because Simeon actually won. Nunn finished with a team high 19 points but what really impressed me was his assertiveness and his improvement shooting. Nunn did well from beyond the arc, but maybe the best thing Nunn did was get to the foul line. Nunn got to the line around 10 times which tells me Nunn has stepped up his aggressiveness from last year. In limited time, Nunn settled for jump shots last year. This year, Nunn was in attack mode. Another piece of his game that stood out was his athleticism. I knew he was very athletic but the 6-2 guard was soaring well above the rim. Simply put, Nunn is much better from last year.

JR, SG/SF, Kendall Pollard (6-4, 185 lbs, no official offers) Like Reynolds on Whitney Young, I was disappointed that Pollard did not factor much in the game. One play that stood out was a put back attempt by Pollard that showed his leaping ability. It looked like Pollard jumped off a trampoline for the put back. I could see why some scouts have taken notice of his game. Pollards role on the team is not clearly defined and I don’t see him playing more than 10 minutes a game with Parker and Taylor in front of him.

 

SR, PF, Steve Taylor (6-7, 230 lbs, Committed to Marquette) Unofficially, Taylor had 16 points and 6 rebounds (thanks Simeon for taking your sweetass time coming out with a box score) but the thing that impressed me most is how much more in shape Taylor was and how improved his ball handling was. At times, Taylor was bringing the ball up the court and playing both inside and outside. He has a unique skill set that should have him contribute right away next year for Buzz Williams. Taylor had the daunting task for taming Okafor and that in itself made him look bad. However Taylor was able to hit some outside shots and crash the boards and used his added strength from last year to impact shots in the lane. Taylor looked more like a ball controlling small forward as opposed to a power forward which he played last year, and that in itself is why Taylor has improved his game.

JR, SF/PF, Jabari Parker (right) (6-7, 215 lbs, Offered by Duke, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, BYU, DePaul) Parker finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks, but Parker seemed a little off. Clearly the most talented player on the floor, Parker had a tough time getting his shot to fall. Still, Parker was able to get to the rim, even though he was met by about 4 different defenders, as well as get himself open from beyond the arc. Even though his shooting percentage wasn’t glamorous, it does look like Parker has more confidence taking a jump shot this year compared to last. It is clear to see, even in a subpar performance (subpar performance for Parker is usually better than most other players on the court) that Parker is one of the most talented players in the country.

NEXT WEEK: HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK’S MANY HOLIDAY TOURNEMENTS. 

What I will be watching for: Simeon Vs. Whitney Young

Finally, the blog is back in full force. A combination of a slow AAU summer and just straight up laziness on my part has left all of you waiting (I’m sure) for a post. But finally, some actual basketball to talk about; not just team previews and player previews, but actual basketball. What a way to kick off a new season of high school basketball in the city of Derrick Rose’s shoulders with two Chicago Public League titans in Simeon High School and Whitney Young High School squaring off. This matchup is like Ali vs. Frazier, Rocky vs. Ivan Drago, USA vs. Russia- complete powerhouses.  Together, both teams have enough division one players to field a final four team in 3 years with a slew of 5 star and 4 star ballers. In case you’ve turned a blind eye to high school basketball, and what non-creepy grown man would, you may have missed Simeon, yes, your Simeon Wolverines are the number one team in the nation. Yep, the nation, that’s right.  So obviously you’d see yours truly parked in the friendly confines of the UIC Pavilion to watch this epic match up. So what will be one of hopefully many matchups between these two powers between the regular season, the CPL playoffs, and the state title, this is what I will be watching for:

Whitney Young Dolphins:

 SO, C,  Jahlil Okafor, (left) (6-10, 275 lbs, Offered by Illinois, DePaul, Syracuse, Arkansas, Connecticut, and more) Okafor is a consensus top 5 player in the class of 2014. He has several schools drooling over the opportunity to have his services. Last we saw him he was much bigger than most of the people he went up against, and that should not have changed. What I will be watching for is how much more agile and nimble he is in the paint. For him to take the next step in high school dominance, he will have to have quicker feet and more explosiveness. I want to see if he took the summer and AAU season to slim down, add more muscle and add more speed. If at least two of those have become true, expect the same type of publicity Jabari Parker of Simeon is getting for Okafor.

SO, PF, Paul White (6-8, 200 lbs, Offered by Baylor, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State) Paul teamed up with fellow teammate Okafor on the U16 USA Basketball team over the summer and that increased his publicity in the high school ranks. Some will call him the Robin to Okafors Batman, but I think these are just two unique skillsets on the same team. Last year, White did not garnish a lot of minutes playing on an upper-class laden team. White will get to show more of his game this year. I would like to see if White is developing into a true power forward or an explosive small forward, a la Chicago native and current Baylor freshman Quincy Miller. His shot is still developing but I think in order for White to gain 5 star status, he will have to establish a true position instead of just an athletic wing.

SO, PG/SG, Miles Reynolds (right) (6-2, 200 lbs, no official offers) No matter what level, good teams have good point guards. Junior point guard Derrick Randolph (5-9, 165 lbs, no official offers) transferred from Whitney Young leaving a vacant spot this year at the point guard position. Reynolds probably is the inheritor of the position. I will be watching for who predominantly plays that position going up against a Simeon team with a deep backcourt. Reynolds has nice size for the point guard position but I would like to see his shooting and passing skills. His development this season could make Whitney Young go from a great team to an unstoppable team.

JR, C, Tommy Hamilton, Jr (6-9, 240 lbs, Offered by Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern) Hamilton will take on a mini-leadership role as upperclassman are few and far between on this team. Hamilton has had his desire and effort questioned and over the last year, Hamilton has dropped in the player rankings. I will be watching not only his developing post game inside but his ability to step out and hit a 15 footer. Hamilton will never have a distinguished game face that some weirdoes like to represent effort, but I want to see him show some sort of emotion during the game. He has the skills to be great, but does he have the desire? It is almost like having a supermodel that doesn’t know how to walk down the runway- it would be a waste of talent.

Simeon Wolverines:

JR, SG, Kendrick Nunn (left) (6-2, 175 lbs, Offered by Texas A&M, Memphis, Illinois, Xavier, Missouri, North Carolina State, DePaul) I saw Nunn early last year when his name was not quite as well known and the first thing that stood out about him was his defense and his three point shooting skill. Nunn had a couple of seniors playing his position last year and that took away some of his minutes. When people talk about Simeon, they always talk about Jabari Parker. Nunn seems like the ugly stepchild. But Nunn is as offensively gifted as the guys around him. I will be watching for more assertiveness by Nunn to show why he is one of the best shooting guards in the country.

JR, SG/SF, Kendall Pollard (6-4, 185 lbs, no official offers) I’ve been reading this whole summer that beyond the Mt. Rushmore of Simeon players on this year’s team, there’s this player that no one is talking about who is about to start receiving some division one offers. That player is often referred to as Kendal Pollard. I’m not quite sure what his position is and what exactly his role is, but when some of the major starters like Nunn, Parker, and Taylor are out, will Pollard keep the momentum going?

SR, PF, Steve Taylor (6-7, 230 lbs, Committed to Marquette) The senior leadership will be coming from both Taylor and G Jalanie Neely (no offers). But Taylor has the most experience out of the two and his days seem brighter for now since he will be attending the Big East next year. One thing I will be watching for is how college ready his body may be. Last year, Taylor showed his skill both inside and outside, but was very lean. I have heard he has bulked up a bit and he needs to if he wants to contribute right away for Marquette. I think if he has built off his skills from last year and added a couple extra pounds of muscle, Taylor could become a great player.

JR, SF/PF, Jabari Parker (right) (6-7, 215 lbs, Offered by Duke, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, BYU, DePaul) Last but not least, the number one player in all of the land, Mr. Parker. The fact that Microsoft Word needs a spell check for Jabari is a slap in the face because his name will be as well-known as Dwayne and Derrick. Parker will be one of the great high school players of all time in Illinois with the ability to win 4 state championships. There really is not much Parker needs to do to improve from number 1 overall. If there is one thing I will look for, it will be assertiveness by Parker. Last year, Parker tried to balance out his scoring with his passing and rarely put up more than 17-18 points a game. This year, Parker, in the 4 games Simeon has played, Parker has been more of a scorer. Simply put, I want to see Parker look like a man amongst boys, like Joey Chestnut in a hot dog eating contest vs vegans. Is that too much to ask???

NEXT WEEK: The results of Simeon vs Whitney: Part 1

I'M BAAAAACK

Coming soon: The Blog returns. Like Lindsay Lohan from the tabloids, like Oprah from dieting, and like Angelina Jolie adopting Africans, the Future of Basketball returns. You can look forward to team and player reports, as well as me going gaga over the number one team in the nation, yep, not state, but nation in Simeon. I'll strap on the letterman jacket and pimply face and head back to high schools this year to see this areas most exciting teams and players.

Top Teams in Illinois- Hales Franciscan

As Deion Sanders said, “I’m ba-aaaack!” Sorry for the layoff. Think of the return of this blog like Family Guy being cancelled by Fox after 3 seasons then picked up and better than ever 3 years later. So it hasn’t been 3 years, but I’m sure the anticipation of who my final team in Chicago that can contend for a state title is. Talking about this team as a possible state title contender would be like talking the actress from ‘Precious’ winning a Ms. Universe contest. However, there is some talent on this veteran roster; enough so that they might just raise some eyebrows. The conference they play in might hold them back, but from the success from last year should make this an exciting season…

 

Hales Franciscan Spartans- In a conference that includes De La Salle, Mt. Caramel, and Brother Rice, being one of the top teams is quite a feat. The window might be closing on the Spartans as the majority of their impact players and starters are seniors, so this season will have to end well because the next couple of season, the expectations will be lower. Size is not one of the strong suits of this team with no player over the height of 6’8. However, the Spartans have some good wings with great athleticism that can compete with most backcourts in the state. Star power is lacking but there are a couple players that make this team worth watching.

This team belongs to Sr. SG Aaric Armstead (6-4, 195 lbs, offered from Colorado State, Valparaiso, Fairfield). Aaric was the most exciting player on last year’s team due to his high flying abilities and lock down defense. His jump shot is not as sharp as it can be, but with his size and leaping ability, Armstead makes an ideal shooting guard. Teamed up with his older brother, then senior Aaron, a Wisconsin- Green Bay recruit, made a dynamic 1-2 punch that ended up falling short in the playoffs. Like the Molinas in baseball, there are more brothers that seem to show up each year. Jr. SG Adam Armstead (6-3, 175 lbs, no offers yet) is the next in line to be a division 1 athlete in the Armstead house. Adam is not quite where Aaric was as a junior, but he does possess some of the same qualities like good defense and the ability to stuff the ball down the basket. By the way, thank you to the Armstead parents for making the names of their kids so similar, kind of like George Forman’s kid’s name George III, George IV, and Georgetta.

A player to keep an eye on is Sr SF Eddie Alcantara (6-5, 200 lbs, no high major offers). The New York native has been an impressive sidekick to the Armstead family tree. Alcantara has a developing jump shot and will mix it up with the big guys down low, but Alcantara lacks a superior move to make him an elite talent. If his jump shot has improved over the summer has improved, and playing with one of the best AAU teams in Chicago, Mac Irvin Fire, definitely helps that, than Alcantara should see some attention from small conferences schools like a Fairfield or Manhattan. Both Alcantara and Armstead should be a major factor in the success of the Spartans.

The experience is their but the skill and talent are not quite what you’ll find on the elite Chicago-area teams. Watch for Armstead, the older one, to have a big season as the man on the state’s top 10 team. Like Alcantara, if Armstead can develop a more consistent jump shot paired with his great athletic ability, a better mid major program will be asking for his services. The lack of frontcourt depth will ultimately hurt this team but the wings should help the Spartans be a threat to win most of the games they participate in.

NEXT WEEK: THERE IS BASKETBALL OUT OF COOK COUNTY

Top Teams in Illinois- Morgan Park

Our series continues with a team that came onto the scene as a major threat to win state last year when one of the state’s top talents in SG Wayne Blackshear led a talented group on underclassmen deep into the playoffs. Now the torch is being passed like Vito Corleone did to Michael. There are not one or two amazing talents in this group like I’ve talked about in the past with each team. On this team, the collective group together is one of the best. Led by several juniors, the underclassmen will have to carry just as much leadership to make yet another deep run in the state playoffs. We travel a little further south, but not too much, to see some of Chicagoland’s underrated team…….

Morgan Park High School- When a team does so well in large part because of the performance of one player, that team tends to have a major drop off the following year that player departs-- see LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavilers. This year’s team does not seem to have the same firepower as last years, but some under-the-radar-type players are due for a big season. The biggest question will be on the incoming juniors handle the pressure as focal points of the offense, and that’s a big if, but even if two of the three main juniors can hold their own, as expected, then the Mustangs will keep on rolling. This will be a very young team that will most likely feature 3 juniors and 2 sophomores in the starting lineup. With no major contributing senior on the team, the juniors will have to be the de facto leaders. Fortunately, one of, if not the most important position on the court happens to be the Mustangs’ best player.

Meet future DePaul Blue Demon, Jr. PG Billy Garrett, Jr (6-2, 165 lbs, left). The son of a coach, Garrett, Jr’s knowledge of the game is beyond his years. While opponents teamed up on Blackshear last year, Garrett, Jr. made defenses pay for his explosiveness to the rim and his elite distributing ability. When Billy wasn’t making defenses look sillier than Shaq dressed as a Miami Police Officer, Garrett, Jr. was typically guarding the opposing team’s best player. This level of defense at the point guard position is almost as coveted as passing the ball. With his ideal height, Garrett, Jr. could guard and play both positions. Playing Robin to Garrett, Jr.’s Batman, the Champ Kind to Garrett, Jr.’s Ron Burgundy is yet another junior, PG/SG Markee Williams (5-9, 160 lbs, looked at by UIC, Loyola, and SIU). Despite being 3 inches (and that might be a generous estimate) smaller than Garrett, Jr., Williams plays off the ball and is a great compliment to Billy. As a left hander, Williams has great quickness and swift feet on both offense and defense. Combined with Garrett, Jr., the two might form the best 1-2 defensive combo in the state. If watching the NBA this year has taught us anything, beside Chris Bosh looking funnier with his spider dreadlock he had in Toronto compared to his weirdly shaped bald head in Miami, defense wins game. What this represents for Morgan Park is that they will not be taken out of games because of the opposition’s offense.

Good guards are like a good fastball pitcher- effective and helpful to beat the opponent but nothing without another option. Enter Jr. C Xzavier Taylor (6-8, 210 lbs, looked at by NIU, Northwestern, Florida State, Oklahoma, left). As a sophomore, Taylor showed at times slow feet and about as good as a motor as 1960’s Volkswagens Beetle on the Audubon. However, on the AAU circuit, Taylor has gained some quickness and has been more effective on both the offensive and defense boards. Taylor will be important for the Mustangs in their inside-out offensive sets they run. Last year, Taylor was the benefactor of some Garrett, Jr. feeds and played of star senior Blackshear freeing up him against defenders in the paint. Taylor won’t have that luxury this year but his added quickness and overall post moves should improve Morgan Park’s inside game. With most of the attention set on the Mustangs’ back court that will also include major contributions  from Jr. SG Terrance Quinn (6-1, 160 lbs, no offers), Taylor should be set for a big year in the points and rebound department.

Looking at this team, there is as much star power as a party at Andy Dick’s house. Garrett, Jr. will far and away be the Mustangs’ best and most important player. There are several good role players on this team that should take some of the load off of Billy. If Taylor could become a legitimate double-double threat game after game, and if Morgan Park could get another guard like Quinn or Williams to become a constant scorer, Morgan Park should be in the top ten, if not top 5 teams in the state.

NEXT WEEK: TOP TEAMS IN ILLINIOS (THE LAST ONE)

Top Teams in Illinois- De La Salle

This next team we’re about to talk about had the potential to be the top team in 2012, despite the talent on other teams. The loss of a key player is more crippling than high jumper in a wheel chair. Some people will write them off and they might not even crack the top 5 in Illinois for best men’s basketball teams. I’m a believer that talent wins out in most cases. Senior leadership will be lack and some young stars will have to grow up quickly for this team to have success. They will have their share of hiccups along the way, but ultimately, I see this team being a serious contender to make it downstate (or upstate if you’re reading this in southern Illinois). This year will be the warm up run before a more experienced and more talented team that will be ready to run down their opponents. For this year, the learning curve starts now……

De La Salle Meteors----- Driven by a couple seniors, De La Salle looked poised for a run to Peoria. After a tough loss to Whitney Young a couple rounds into the state tournament, the Meteors were left to pick up the pieces of a lost season. Some young ballers emerged last year and grabbed some attention from several scouts and for once, it looked like a team could match back-to-back state champion Simeon in talent. A new season begins and that experience and some of the talent no longer are there. This will force the incoming juniors and sophomores to take on a bigger role. For a team that had such high expectations, giving the keys to the car to kids that can’t drive yet can be a bit scary. And after graduation of a couple seniors and the blueprint for a successful season was beginning to be laid out, abruptly, one of De La Salle’s top players opted to take his talents to Simeon and continue his education and basketball career for the Wolverines making them more dangerous than they already were. The decision for Jr. PG Jaylon Tate (6-1, 175 lbs) to transfer left a lot of people in shock, like when people found out Hootie from Hootie and the Blowfish was black. This created a big hole for the Meteors to fill as their backcourt was now depleted. Fortunately for De La Salle, there is enough talent for this team to recover.

The leadership of this team will fall on two of its most talented players, despite some seniors on the team. Jr. SF Alvin Ellis (6-4, 185 lbs, recruited by Illinois, Northwestern, and DePaul, left) and Jr. SF/PF Alex Foster (6-8, 200 lbs, offers from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Purdue) will have to take on bigger roles as leaders on and off the floor. The talent of these two could make De La Salle a contender. Ellis had a descent season last year playing second fiddle to the senior wings on the team, but this year, Ellis will have a chance to shine in a new role. Foster, on the other hand, will improve on and develop more into a role from key role player in the starting lineup to the key player in the starting lineup. This would be like making Ringo Star go from Drums to lead guitar and vocals for the Beatles. Due to Foster’s talents of an athletic wing who can drive, shoot, and distribute, this should not be a daunting task. If this team has success this year, these two will have a large part in it. However, others will need to step up into bigger roles and be the role players Foster and Ellis were last year.

An unexpected departure led to an unexpected delivery. When the Meteors looked depleted, De La Salle received a surprising transfer all the way from the land of schnitzel and lederhosen; Germany (sorry Milwaukee). Class of 2013 C Gavin Schilling (6-9, 230 lbs, recruited by Iowa, Missouri, and Oregon), makes his voyage back from Germany to his home town of Chicago. As a freshman, Schilling generated some publicity as an athletic big man with good post moves. Schilling decided to follow some family back to Germany and hone his craft in Deutschland. As basketball has become a realistic career for Schilling, Gavin returns stateside to team up with the Meteors. Schilling will add some size to an undersized team and will definitely crack the starting line-up (though an ACL injury has sidelined him, Gavin should be ready for the season). With Schilling, Foster, and Ellis, De La Salle should have a dynamic frontcourt that should compete with most other teams they will face.

The question for this team is how the young stars will develop and who will step up in the backcourt and be the Meteors everyday point guard like Tate was for them last year. If both questions can be answered positively, this should be a very exciting and promising season. In the end, this year will just be the long build up to what should be one of the top teams in Illinois next year in 2012-2013. Foster has a chance to be special; even more so than PF Mike Shaw and SF Dre’ Henley were for the Meteors last year. Win or lose, I expect big things from Ellis and Foster at the end of the season and should be in the forefront of some of the elite recruits coming out of Illinois in 2013.

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