Maybe some people are simply bored and scrambling for information because they can’t go out on account of the current blizzard that has hit the entire state of Illinois. What is more likely is that there is a greater tendency to blow things out of proportion with respect to basketball recruiting news when things are slow. That appears to be the case once again with a few Illinois-based prospects, which is the focus of the latest edition of our recruiting blurbs.
… Yes, 6’8 class of 2011 forward Max Bielfeldt from Notre Dame High School in Peoria, IL has begun to receive interest from a few Big Ten schools in addition to the University Of Illinois. Bielfeldt took an unofficial visit to the University Of Michigan this past weekend, while a couple of others have been in contact. However, as of now the extent of this involvement has been overanalyzed and in some circles greatly exaggerated. While Bielfeldt is undoubtedly one of the top unsigned prospects in Illinois from the 2011 class and is enjoying a spectacular season at Peoria Notre Dame, right now there is no guarantee that he will receive any Big Ten scholarship offers. In fact, those that are showing interest would like to continue evaluating Bielfeldt and are taking a wait-and-see approach. Not only that, but did anyone stop to consider the possibility that these Big Ten programs may be trying to use the same recruiting approach that Illinois has with Bielfeldt?
… From the “some things you just know” file–While Southern Illinois University remains very much at the recruiting forefront for the services of 5’11 class of 2011 guard Michael Powell from Brooks College Prep in Chicago, Powell did not visit the Carbondale campus this past weekend (contrary to a report that was published elsewhere). Powell still plans on taking a visit to SIU in the near future and would also like to schedule a visit to UC-Irvine, the other school that remains quite prominent in his recruitment.
… Bruce Weber and the University Of Illinois coaching staff is continuing to watch 6’2 class of 2012 point guard Michael Orris from Crete-Monee High School in University Park, IL. Meanwhile, Orris has received scholarship offers from four Missouri Valley Conference schools to date and continues to be heavily recruited by those programs as well as several in the Horizon League. Crete-Monee varsity boy’s basketball coach Matt Ryndak tells us that Drake University, Indiana State University and the University Of Illinois-Chicago have been the most aggressive in their recruitment of Orris, as they have all been on him from the get-go. In the mean time, thanks to the play of Orris and 6’4 DePaul University recruit and all-state candidate Jamee Crockett, it is certainly looking as though Crete-Monee will be the team to beat from Chicago’s south suburbs once the class 4A sectional at Thornwood High School in South Holland, IL gets underway.
… There is still a ways to go in the recruiting process for 6’6 class of 2011 wing Dre Henley from De LaSalle Institute in Chicago, but want to know which school we think could be the sleeper when it comes to landing him? We are telling everybody to watch out for Fairfield.
… According to Illinois Wolves head coach and CEO Mike Mullins, 6’3 class of 2013 point guard Jalen James from Hope Academy in Chicago is receiving strong recruiting interest from Cleveland State. Mullins also reports that Wisconsin would like to have James take in a Badgers game in Madison some time in the future. We first identified James as a prospect to watch in Illinois from the 2013 class after watching him turn in solid performances at both the King James Summer Showcase in Waukegan, IL last July and the Joy Of The Game Fall Exposure League in Deerfield, IL this past fall. We would not be surprised to see Hope Academy make a strong run in the Class 3A state tournament, as they feed into a relatively weak sectional at King High School.
… 6’3 class of 2011 shooting guard Wes Koral from Wheaton Academy in West Chicago, IL continues to receive D1 interest from Evansvilleand High Point among others in addition to widespread attention from plenty of D2 programs.
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