By Joe Henricksen

Wisconsin-Green Bay coach Brian Wardle's homestate has been awfully good to him since taking over the program last spring. Wardle, a Hinsdale Central graduate and the 1997 City/Suburban Hoops Report Player of the Year, was able to nab another talented prospect out of Chicago -- Hales Franciscan's Aaron Armstead.

The 6-3 shooting guard committed to Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday and will sign this week. He will join a recruiting class that already includes Crete-Monee's Greg Mays, an athletic 6-8 specimen, and Marshall point guard Keifer Sykes.

"They definitely made an impression on me," Armstead said of the coaches and the program at Wisconsin-Green Bay. "It's a great staff. I enjoyed my visit to the school, the campus, the players on the team."

Armstead is also excited about the fact he will be playing with some Chicago natives, which he says adds a familiarity and an atmosphere he is accustomed to.

"I've grown up with Keifer, so that definitely was a little part of the decision," Armstead noted. "But it's exciting and comfortable to know that there are other guys from Chicago up there."

Armstead has steadily improved and gained more consistency since making a splash as a sophomore at Hales. He's blessed with a high skill level and smooth game, including a pretty looking jumper that extends out to the three-point line. After expanding his shooting and scoring repertoire this past summer, the Hoops Report expects Armstead to have a big finish to his high school career playing for a strong Hales Franciscan team this season. Armstead's brother, 6-5 Aaric Armstead, is one of the top junior prospects in the state of Illinois.