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Here you will find the most comprehensive coverage of Illinois prep basketball that you will come across anywhere.

Lyons Township: Teamwork Personified 
Other than when we compile our preseason rankings, we rarely get the opportunity to talk about the top high school teams in Illinois.  However, when it comes to that subject Lyons Township certainly deserves to be in the discussion despite not sporting a superstar caliber player.  Being old-school guys, maybe that is the reason why we truly enjoy watching this team play.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye provides a further breakdown of Lyons Township's squad in this story.

Only In The Public League!!
It never ceases to amaze us how the reputation that surrounds high school basketball in the Chicago Public League continues to take a hit due to sleezy coaches and bureaucratic ineptitude.  Further evidence of this can be found in the Public League's complete disorganization with respect to their bracketing for the city playoffs, which have become completely irrelevant, and their inability to effectively deal with the wave of transfers that continue to occur.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye offers our thoughts on this mess and what needs to be done in this story. 

De LaSalle vs. St. Ignatius Contest Draws College Coaches
When you have underclass talent such as Mike Shaw, Nnanna Egwu and Alex Foster all on the same court you are undoubtedly going to attract D1 college coaches.  Such was the case tonight in a key Chicago Catholic League contest at De LaSalle Institute.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye lets everyone know what coaches were in the gym in addition to including some other notes in this report.

Latest Recruiting Blurbs
There are some interesting developments with respect to many of the top prospects in the state of Illinois from the class of 2011.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has all of them in the latest rendition of our recruiting blurbs, including the REAL story as it relates to the recruitment of Wayne Blackshear as well as news on plenty of other recruits from around the state.

Class Of 2011 Hidden Gem: Jonny Hill
Playing on a team that does not gear itself toward any one individual, you may get conflicting opinions as to who Glenbard East's best player is.  But as far as we are concerned it is undoubtedly 6'3 junior Jonny Hill.  The reality is that we are not sure we have seen another player in Illinois from the 2011 class who has gone more under the radar.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye lets everyone know why by breaking down Hill's game in this hidden gem feature.

Wisconsin Lands Commitment From 2011 Point Guard
It was no secret that one of the University of Wisconsin's top recruiting priorities in the class of 2011 was landing a quality point guard.  As it turns out, Bo Ryan and his coaching staff have done just that, as they have secured a verbal commitment from a solid floor leader from Chicago's south side.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has everything you need to know about what enabled the Badgers to close the deal in this story. 

Kudos To Quincy University
We have repeatedly stated that the Great Lakes Valley Conference may be the best small college conference in all of college basketball.  This season a school that has further epitomized that claim is Quincy University, and as a result they have begun to reap the rewards.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has the lowdown on this year's Quincy team and throws some well-deserved praise their way in this update.

Blackshear's Commitment To Louisville Remains Solid
As only he can do, a Chicago-based media pundit once again deliberately tried to stir the pot by saying that Wayne Blackshear's recruitment may not be over with despite his recent commitment to Louisville.  However, it looks as though his efforts failed, as tonight Blackshear's father confirmed that his son's commitment is solid.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye offers further details in this update.

Class Of 2010 Hidden Gem: Lane Barlow
Given his outstanding track record as a high school coach, when Gary DeCesare tells us that one of his players has D1 ability we listen.  DeCesare believes that he has yet another prospect who fits that description in the form of 6'1 combo guard Lane Barlow, who has been putting up impressive numbers at St. Rita High School in Chicago.  In this hidden gem piece, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye fills everyone in on what DeCesare has to say about Barlow and also offers a brief assessment of our own.

Final Thoughts And Analysis From Pontiac And Proviso West
We logged plenty of miles on the final day of action at both the Pontiac Holiday Tournament and the Proviso West Holiday Tournament and as a result the odometer got a workout.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye provides some final insight from our time spent covering the semifinals at Pontiac and the championship round at Proviso West in this wrapup.

There Is Now No Doubt--Sam Thompson Is #2 In Illinois From Class Of 2011
Ever since the 2009-10 regular season started Whitney Young's Sam Thompson has been playing as if he is on a mission and has something to prove.  As far as we are concerned, after leading Whitney Young to the championship of the prestigious Proviso West Holiday Tournament and having dominated plenty in other early season contests thus far, the results speak for themselves.  That is why we think that Thompson can now firmly lay claim to being called the #2 player in the state from the 2011 class.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye offers further analysis of Thompson and everything that has enabled him to make his mark in this report.

Recruiting Interest For Will Sullivan Soaring After Outstanding Performances At Jack Tosh Holiday Classic 
York Township's Will Sullivan has simply been splendid during the early part of the high school basketball season in Illinois.  It is therefore no wonder that several college programs have intensified their recruiting interest in the class of 2011 guard.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye lets everyone know which schools are knocking on Sullivan's door in this update.

Uneventful Day At State Farm Holiday Classic
Unfortunately, play on the second day at the State Farm Holiday Classic was more than a little bit disappointing and as a result there was not much for us to take note of.  Nevertheless, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye provides some thoughts and observations from our time spent at the tournament in this report.

Back Court Play Dominates In Quarterfinals At Big Dipper
The talk continues as to what high school team in Illinois has the best back court combination.  One thing that we know is that we saw two of the best in the quarterfinal round of the Big Dipper Holiday Tournament, courtesy of Hales Franciscan and Thornton.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has more on that as well as plenty of other observations from all four quarterfinal contests that we took in at the Big Dipper in this report.

Class Of 2012 Player Watch: Michael Orris
We have already mentioned what a point guard-heavy class the class of 2012 in Illinois is.  As it turns out, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye is the first to bring you the name of another prospect who has to be included among the tops in that class--Palatine's Michael Orris.  After watching Orris in first round action at the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic, there is no doubt in our mind that his up side is as great as any of the elite floor generals in the state from 2012.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye breaks down Orris' game and details everything that makes him an attractive prospect in this player watch story.

Holy Santa Claus!! Blackshear Ends His "Circus" Recruitment With Christmas Day Commitment
Only a player who plays for the Mac Irvin Fire would offer up a verbal commitment on Christmas Day.  We are talking about Wayne Blackshear, who made his college choice official today.  The bottom line is that this was probably a done deal as early as this past summer, but had it been announced then it wouldn't have been a Hollywood production would it?  Blackshear's decision comes as absolutely no surprise and as far as we are concerned pretty well confirms everything that we have said on how we doubt that there will be a package deal for him and his Fire teammate Mike Shaw.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has all of the particulars with respect to Blackshear's commitment and offers a few choice words for those who have it coming in this story.

Jabari Parker Receives Scholarship Offer From Pac 10 School
As more college coaches get the opportunity to see Simeon's Jabari Parker play, the greater the number of scholarship offers for Parker become.  A Pac 10 program is the latest to come forward, as their coaching staff stepped up to the plate with an offer after being in Chicago recently to watch Parker and his Simeon team in action.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has further details in this update.

Chasson Randle Receives Another Big East Scholarship Offer
It is obvious that other college coaches are not being swayed by Chasson Randle's recent comments expressing his admiration for the University Of Illinois.  That is evidenced by the fact that word has undoubtedly gotten out concerning Randle's outstanding effort at the Shootout At The Hall this past weekend.  As a result, Randle received another huge scholarship offer last night courtesy of a school that is among the cream of the crop in the Big East.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has the specifics in this update.

Meyers Leonard, Chasson Randle, Rayvonte Rice, Alex Dragicevich All Outstanding At Deron Williams Shootout At The Hall
In no way do we mean to take away from the performances of Chasson Randle, Rayvonte Rice or Alex Dragicevich, who were all spectacular at this year's Shootout At The Hall at the University of Illinois' Assembly Hall.  However, as far as we are concerned the event truly belonged to Meyers Leonard--that is how good he was.  How good?  Maybe the best second ranked prospect we have seen in the state of Illinois in over 10 years.  In this most comprehensive report, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye not only sings the praises of Leonard but also offers analysis on all of the other top performers at Shootout At The Hall along with plenty of other notable comments based on our time at the event.

Analysis And Commentary: Richmond vs. Blackshear--Who Is #1?
With Morgan Park's Wayne Blackshear having turned in some breath-taking performances to start the Illinois high school basketball season, he has undoubtedly proven to be a worthy challenger to Waukegan's Jereme Richmond when it comes to discussing who the best player in the state is.  But who is the best and how can it be determined once and for all?  We believe that there is only one way to settle it.  With that in mind, we have a question for all of the promoters out there: Are you listening?  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye offers further analysis and commentary in this story.

Recruiting Analysis: The Illini And The Class Of 2011
Once again, it seems as though too many members of the Illini Nation are up in arms again over what University Of Illinois head coach Bruce Weber's 2011 recruiting class is going to look like, despite the fact that they already have two commitments in place.  We offer one piece of advice to them:  take it easy, as all signs continue to point to nothing but reasons for optimism.  In this entry, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye breaks down how things currently stand with the Illini's 2011 recruiting efforts and explains why we believe that many of the Illini Nation's current thoughts are out of line. 

Thanksgiving Tournament Leftovers
For those who are still craving analysis from the top Thanksgiving Tournaments in Illinois to start the high school hoops season, look no further than right here.  The bottom line is that Illinois Prep Bulls-eye saw more than enough quality tournaments this past week to offer plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers to the point of serving up an entire smorgasbord.  It can all be found in this report.

Class Of 2012 Hidden Gem: Donald Moore
While our counterparts continue to overhype underclassmen who aren't even getting significant playing time and offer analysis based entirely on personal agendas, we have once again uncovered yet another hidden gem and offer comprehensive analysis based on the only thing that matters--the fact that we have actually seen him play!  The latest is Bloom Township's Donald Moore, who more than held his own when we watched him recently at the Chicago Heights Classic.  In this hidden gem story, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye breaks down Moore's game and discusses why he warrants close attention.

Garrett Jones Picks Up Two Horizon League Offers
Talk about perfect timing! Evanston's Garrett Jones exhibited just that last night at the Mundelein Thanksgiving Tournament, scoring 51 points in his team's victory over the host school.  The result?  A pair of scholarship offers have now come Jones' way courtesy of Horizon League schools.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has the latest in this update.

Reggie Smith Decides To End It Now--Signs With Big East School
We have to admit that we never thought that Reggie Smith would be pulling the trigger this soon when it came to ending his recruitment. But then again, considering the traveling team that he plays for, it isn't that surprising that he made a last-second decision which kept a lot of people in the dark in the process.  That being said, Smith decided to sign with a school that clearly presents him with a great opportunity and as a result is headed to the Big East.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has more behind Smith's decision in this story.

Top Available Spring Recruits From Class Of 2010 In Illinois
Now that the Fall signing period is over and done with (thank God!) we immediately turn our attention to who is left in Illinois from the class of 2010.  With that in mind, in this report Illinois Prep Bulls-eye breaks down the top four available 2010 prospects in the state and also drops the names of others that will be looking to sign a letter of intent during the Spring signing period.

Analysis And Commentary: Jay Price--The Unsung Hero Of Illini Recruiting
When it comes to assessing who deserves the credit for the University Of Illinois' recent recruiting fortunes, most people immediately praise both Bruce Weber and Jerrance Howard.  However, it seems that all too often Jay Price has been the forgotten man, as he has undoubtedly been instrumental in helping put together the Illini's 2009 and 2010 recruiting classes.  In this story, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye breaks down everything that Price brings to the table and analyzes why he has been so vital to the Illini's recruiting success.

Dukan Closes It Out
When it came to the recruitment of Duje Dukan, it was all about getting the opportunity to play college basketball at the high major level. As it turns out, Dukan will be doing just that, as after taking a visit to a school who had just recently offered him a scholarship, he decided to offer up a commitment.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has everything that you need to know with respect to what went into Dukan's final decision in this story.

Cameron Harvey Makes Early Verbal Commitment
Who would have thought that with the start of the Fall signing period for the class of 2010 two days away that commitments from Illinois-based prospects in the class of 2012 would start dropping like flies?  The latest player from that class who is off the board is St. Joseph's Cameron Harvey, who ended his recruitment this past weekend by opting for a Mountain West school.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has more on Harvey's commitment in this story.

Dave Dudzinski Chooses Patriot League School
There is no question that Dave Dudzinski did his homework when it came to his recruiting options.  In the end, the 6'9 big man opted for a Patriot League program that is undoubtedly a great fit, as it offers him the perfect blend of athletics and academics.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye takes a closer look at Dudzinski's commitment in this story.

Purdue Receives Class Of 2012 Commitment From Illinois Wolves
The coaching staff at Purdue University has always enjoyed a great relationship with the Illinois Wolves traveling team program.  From that standpoint, it is hardly shocking that today the Boilermakers were able to secure a commitment from a top Wolves underclassman. However, the surprise is that it is not the player who most people would have suspected, as it is someone who we are willing to bet is still unknown by most fans outside the state of Illinois.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has the news behind Purdue's latest commitment in this story.

Class Of 2011 Hidden Gem: Quintin Chievous
Everybody knows about the elite-level basketball talent that exists in Illinois' loaded 2011 class.  However, the list of "hidden gems" that have emerged appears to be endless.  Another name that we believe can undoubtedly be added to that group is Quintin Chievous, who performed well when we watched him recently at the Joy Of The Game Fall Exposure League.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye breaks down Chievous' game in this hidden gem feature.

Egwu Makes His Choice
We knew that when it came to announcing his college decision, Nnanna Egwu would ultimately be Big Ten bound.  The only question was which school the class of 2011 big man would select.  As it turns out, Egwu has made his choice official and there is no question that he helps bolster what is already a strong 2011 recruiting class for that program.  Illinois Prep Bulls-eye lets everyone know who the lucky winner is and the factors behind the choice in this story.

Hamilton, Parker Or Foster--Who Is #1 In the Class Of 2013?

2010 City-Suburban Showdown To Feature Three Awesome Matchups

Class Of 2012 Player Watch: Curtis Jones

Class Of 2012 Player Watch: Keith Carter

Class Of 2013 Player Watch: Jabari Parker

Wisconsin Lands Commitment From Class Of 2011 Illinois Wolves Prospect

University Of Illinois Lands First Commitment From The Loaded Class Of 2011

Class Of 2011 Player Watch: Jay Parker