January 2008 Archives

By Joe Henricksen

If diehard Illinois basketball fans can just forget about what is happening on the court this season, look past the recruiting failures of the last few years, they can find some healing. Yes, the committed players to Bruce Weber definitely helps ease the fact the program went from a national championship game to, well, what we're seeing now in such a short time. But it can't be underestimated the perfect move Weber made with the hiring of Jerrance Howard and what it has meant to the program.

By Joe Henricksen

Where are the big men? Well, there are none. OK, that's a little extreme, but it's not too far from the truth as college

coaches search anywhere and everywhere in their quest to land a player 6-8 or taller. Thus, big men, in most

cases, are being recruited to play at a higher level than they are prepared to or should play at.

By Joe Henricksen

Everyone loves to discuss and debate the prep basketball classes that come through Illinois. Is it a good year for in-

state talent? Where does the class rank among all-time great classes? We all can pick out the top classes as we

look back on them, starting with the deep and talented Class of 1998. That class remains the best the Hoops Report

has seen.

By Joe Henricksen

We are past the midway point of the season and plenty has been learned -- and confirmed -- as we begin to head

down the stretch of the regular season. Here are just a few random thoughts....

By Joe Henricksen

If Batavia didn't open enough eyes with its four-game sweep of the very competitive Elgin Holiday Tournament in

late December -- without its top player, Nick Fruendt -- then the eye-popping will certainly come if the Bulldogs can

pull off a win this Saturday night at the Meijer High School Hoops Showdown at the Sears Centre in Hoffman

Estates. Fruendt is back and the Bulldogs, who face powerful Marshall, are poised for what could be a monumental

moment in what could evolve into one magical season.

By Joe Henricksen

The natural progression is taking place, so we shouldn't be all that surprised when it happens. It never fails as we

see some of the top names as freshmen slowly fall in the player rankings the older they get, while relative no-

namers rise a couple of years down the road as they mature and blossom as players. This common trend can be

blamed on the early hype that is bestowed on these players coming out of junior high.

By Joe Henricksen

There probably isn't anyone who hates the idea of four classes in Illinois high school basketball more than Joe

Henricksen and the City/Suburban Hoops Report. Oh, there are plenty of people -- feverish fans, media members

and high school coaches -- who hate it just as much, but no one could possibly despise it more. And while I refuse

to accept it, the least I can do as part of a New Year's resolution is try to make the best of it.

By Joe Henricksen

While the oohs and aahs of the holiday season were over the fantastic overtime games at Proviso West (H-F over

Marshall in the semis and Whitney Young over H-F in the final) and the remarkable show Warren's Brandon Paul

and Oak Park's Iman Shumpert put on in their overtime semifinal battle at Pontiac, the Chicago Catholic League

quietly made a statement of its own over the holidays. The Catholic League produced four tournament winners

overall, with its top five teams going a combined 19-1 in five separate tournaments.