For some reason, I think of Collinsville as a relatively small town, but I just checked and CHS has 1800 students. I guess that is pretty big.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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and they play against big competitive schools all the time.
sacraig
- The desert
Used to be a powerhouse program, too. Not when I went to school there, but used to be...
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Didn't they have a holiday tourney years ago , kinda like the Centralia Holiday tourney ?
They had a stud team in 2020. 31-3.
sacraig
- The desert
They did up through 2019 and then it got canceled last year, I believe. It's still going strong, though: https://www.collinsvilleholidayclassic.org/
Morez is everything we hoped AJ Casey would be. Hope he ends up reclassifying to 2023 because the sooner he’s in O&B, the better.
sacraig
- The desert
They've been good again recently. But after Bob Bone retired, they had years of just absolutely dreadful basketball.
The staff has been hesitant on Pence for a few reasons: 1) We're still potentially in on JJ Taylor, and at least Davius Loury and Jalen Hooks at the Wing in 2023 2) Chester hadn't seen him play in person and wanted to do that a few times before making a decision on him 3) The staff doesn't want to lose any momentum with Lake Forest & Meanstreets Asa Thomas who's currently 6'6" BUT the buzz around him is that he could easily end up at 6'9" even 6'10" sliding him to the 4 and opening up a spot for another wing in the class
If you watch videos of Thomas and Pence, Pence clearly has the stronger frame. Similar height, but when you compare release point on the jump shot, Thomas becomes about 6 inches taller. Pence shoots from his chin, Thomas is eye level or higher. If he does continue growing, that jumper will be extremely hard to impact.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
+1
Thomas can really stroke it. And he's much more than a shooter. Would LOVE to land him. An article I read late summer (might have been The Athletic) indicated he's still growing, so your moving to the 4 scenario isn't a pipe dream.
What impresses me is the variety of ways he hurt guys in that short clip [kudos to whoever compiled it]. There's a headiness to the way he takes what the defense gives him.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
+1
Cold blooded. Looks like a future pro (which doesn't mean he'll make it, but, hot damn, he's a stud).
Also, since when is Asa Thomas on Meanstreets? He played all summer with the Wolves.
Pence needs to change his shooting form. He'd have a hard time getting that shot off at the college level. But he's a heck of an athlete and he players really hard. And yes, Thomas is a ridiculously good shooter, who is sort of an important skill.
Yep...back in the 60's they were perennial state contenders.
Wouldn't he have the ball handling skills and length to make up for potentially losing so some speed? Asa still could be a 6'10 SF from what I've seen of him this season.
Also just wondering if 6'9" football recruit Magnus Moller would be interested in being a walk-on post.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Wasn't that the home of Elvis Richard Keene?
He plays AAU but not on one of the big shoe-brand circuits (Nike EYBL, Adidas circuit in Atlanta, etc) that most top-level players compete in. So it's still hard to judge relative to the competition. Pence is a nice player, but I think he probably ends up at a really solid mid-major (Loyola?) unless we jump in or someone else pushes really hard. I prefer Thomas and if Pence wasn't from Illinois I think people would question why we were checking him out.
He could end being a very good player and come back to bite us, but that can be said about any kid. The level we are currently recruiting at means there is no reason to rush and if he loves Illinois so much, he might even be patient and wait regardless.
Perhaps a similar situation with the kid from Tuscola, Jalen Quinn who is going to Loyola.
Cardinal and Ethan Happ situations are what I'd like to avoid. If we don't get Pence, hope he tears it up in another conference.
Didn't Happ grow a couple of inches prior to/in college? His recruiting profile lists him at 6'7"
That's another thing, wings are pretty easy to find. There are a lot of 6'4"-6'7" athletes out there. Skilled big men with some level of athleticism are extremely valuable.
Agreed. 1s and 5s are key in recruiting. 1s because PG is the most important position on the court. 5s because there's just not as many good Bigs around. Perfect example is Groce, would landed plenty of wings, but kept missing on stud PGs.
Also it's worth pointing out that the '21 class has two wings in it (probably three with Podz) and the '22 class has another in Rodgers. It would seem our priorities for the '23 class should be PG (Fears please!) and a "big." After that, if you can get a talent at the level of JJ Taylor, you go for it. And Asa Thomas with his superb shooting ability likely a take as well.
You can't win without a PG. You can't win a Championship w/o a dominant big man.
Who was Baylor’s dominant big man?
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