Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (July-August 2016)

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#1,251      

OWWDig

O
OWWDig
Smacko said:
Groce and the staff built a great relationship with TJL's HS coach which is carrying over. Helps a lot when you don't have to start over to earn a coach's trust and already have that established relationship.
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Good point. This also helps with Justin Smith. Even though we didn't get Brunson, Groce definitely won over the coaching staff at Stevenson. If we don't get Smith, it won't be because the staff there is an impediment.
 
#1,253      

Deleted member 10676

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Deleted member 10676
Haven't seen this up, if so, apologies.
Justin Smith talks recruiting. Mentions Illinois but usually after Xavier, Villanova and Stanford. (Xavier is everywhere this summer.) Also Wisky and Indiana (Crean is a great coach.)

[YOUTUBE]p9dEa30rPJE[/YOUTUBE]
 
#1,254      

CAHALL15

C
Central Illinois
CAHALL15
Chris Yates said:
For one, he's no longer swinging for the fences on every pitch. The "5-star or bust" days are gone. He now seems to understand that we can have a terrific roster with a solid mix of major national recruits and solid role players.

Second, he is now completing the process of forging the relationships with people whom he can trust to work with him in landing major recruits. I think he put too much trust in some untrustworthy people in his early years as a head coach. He has learned from getting burned.

There's more to each of those points, and there are several other ways in which he has improved in his recruiting and roster-assembly approach. Now, as he assembles an excellent roster, I'm hoping he will add a terrific x-and-o assistant for better in-game results. If we're patient, I think we'll wind up with a really good head coach in John Groce.
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I'd agree to an extent. However, I think the big thing this year is that none of these, thus far, are Chicago recruits. I think there are more politics in that area compared to downstate. Obviously, we recently got DJW, but it certainly helps when the high school coach genuinely supports you as it seems Coach Smith does at Simeon.

It's hard to exactly know if he's changing his approach when it comes to a position of need. Take last year for example: we tried to get Brunson and Evans, but we also offered Whitt, Shake Milton, Eric Davis, and others. Did he slow play some of the others while waiting for Brunson and Evans? I have no idea.
 
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#1,255      

IlliniBrave75

IlliniBrave75
IlliniBrave75
BOTS SATURDAY NOTEBOOK: DUNCAN DEMUTH STARTS HIS STORY

OTHERS OF NOTE

Trent Frazier just keeps doing it. The 6-foot guard out of the Sunshine State has fit in nicely with the Florida Elite bunch this week as the lefty has become a much better play maker with the basketball in his hands, a more dependable shooter from deep, yet has remained consistent with his dog-like approach and energy exertions on the floor.

http://www.hoopseen.com/news/event/201607/bots-saturday-notebook-duncan-demuth-starts-his-story
 
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Deleted member 10676

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Deleted member 10676
#1,259      

Deleted member 10676

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Deleted member 10676
This should be fun. After wins this morning Eagles 17u and 16u will be playing against each other for the Arch championship.

http://www.tourneymachine.com/Publi...4&IDDivision=h2015093022095227301aabed92c7b48

Big Marc ‏@BigMarcSports 17m17 minutes ago @BigMarcSports: Additional head coaches flying in to see @STLEaglesBBall 16U vs 17U at 215pm in a #FlyHigh All Eagles final -- be there!


Also if you click on Big Marc's twitter timeline above, you'll see a couple of nice JGood baskets. (Again, works fine for me on Chrome, doesn't work at all on Firefox.)
 
#1,264      

kuhl84

K
Orlando, FL
kuhl84
miketherevelator said:
Hope that isn't why Florida is there. I know they have a PG but ----
But lots of other good kids there too, Southern Stampede is a Nike EYBL team.
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Who is the PG you reference for UF? I'm not aware of one and neither is Scout.
 
#1,268      

kuhl84

K
Orlando, FL
kuhl84
Hester is a Freshman this year, not a recruit. They only have a PF and a wing committed for '17.
 
#1,270      

kuhl84

K
Orlando, FL
kuhl84
I have only seen Alexander referred as a wing, not a PG, but I don't know anything about him personally except that he was Mr. Basketball in TN.
 
#1,271      

t7nich

t7nich
Central IL
t7nich
Mojoman said:
Unless we get Goodwin or another Top 50 kid instead, I think it will be just a pretty nice top 20 or so class.
Tilmon was huge get for sure.
Right now we have two three star guys and if we add Frazier another three star.

Really need another big dog to make a Top 10 type class.

Still behind the type of classes being reeled in by top tier programs, but definitely a nice step for us.
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Williams is a 4 star recruit on all major recruiting sites.

And top tier programs will always reel in top ranked classes, with very little exceptions, so not really sure what your point is there. This class is shaping up to be what groce and the staff have been working towards for years. We obviously still have spots to plug in, but it could be better than Groce even expected with Goodwin rising like he has and Frazier on the rise as well. If the dominos fall into place we will likely end up with a top 10 class, and quite possibly a top 5 class. Still work to do, so we'll see. To your point, without Goodwin or a top 50 kid a top 20 class seems likely.
 
#1,273      

CAHALL15

C
Central Illinois
CAHALL15
t7nich said:
Williams is a 4 star recruit on all major recruiting sites.

And top tier programs will always reel in top ranked classes, with very little exceptions, so not really sure what your point is there. This class is shaping up to be what groce and the staff have been working towards for years. We obviously still have spots to plug in, but it could be better than Groce even expected with Goodwin rising like he has and Frazier on the rise as well. If the dominos fall into place we will likely end up with a top 10 class, and quite possibly a top 5 class. Still work to do, so we'll see. To your point, without Goodwin or a top 50 kid a top 20 class seems likely.
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Agreed. Yeah, Williams is a 4 star on ESPN, Scout, and Rivals. His ranking has dropped some as I remember him being in the 30-50 range when he committed and now he's 77 or so on Rivals and Scout and just outside the top 100 on ESPN.

It certainly does seem like Illinois has picked their next two ponies in Frazier and Goodwin. Hopefully, we can seal up at least one of those recruitments within the next month and then maybe apply some extra pressure to another big or whoever the staff values the most.
 
#1,274      

kuhl84

K
Orlando, FL
kuhl84
TCTORNADO said:
Here you go,,,,,

http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2015/1...-commits-florida-gators-basketball-recruiting

Plus Florida has nine 2018 PG offers out.
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My son follows UF pretty close, has had friends playing for them for last 8 years or so, but I don't have time. He tells me that they really wanted Sexton, but Avery Johnson probably has him sowed up. Frazier had camped with them the last couple of summers and played very well, but they never offered. Lots of Gators questioned that decision.

May have a chip on his shoulder over it now.
 
#1,275      

Retro62

Retro62
North Bethesda, Maryland
Retro62
miketherevelator said:
Those J-Good plays show up on the St. Louis Eagles twitter and on J-Good's twitter. (Who, by the way would have already signed with us if we could figure out a way to get Selena Gomez connected to Illinois somehow. Official pop singer?)
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Have we decided on a mascot yet?
 
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