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Bloomington-based recruiting analyst Bill "Flash" Flanagan has been hosting his Flash's Spring Hoops Review at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington for 12 years. It is a showcase for many of the top high school basketball players in the state.

His most recent camp, by his own admission, was one of the best. "Based on talent and depth, it was one of our better camps," he said. "Out of 250 kids who participated, there were at least 75 Division I prospects."

Mike Mullins, coach of the Illinois Wolves' AAU program, boosted the talent level by bringing three teams of 15, 16 and 17-and-under players.

The No. 1 player in the camp was 6-1 junior guard Dyricus Sims-Edwards of Washington, who had a breakout season while playing with Indiana-bound Mike Roth and leading their team to the Final Four in the state tournament. Illinois State has offered a scholarship and Kansas and Duke are showing interest.

"Other than (former Peoria Central star, 2004 Illinois Player of the Year and NBA lottery pick) Shaun Livingston, he is the best player I've seen come out of the Peoria area," Flanagan said.

While Sims-Edwards is well known, Flanagan admitted that he had never seen 6-6 junior Mikel Brigham of Danville before the camp. It was quite an eyeful. Brigham clearly was the No. 2 player in the field.

"He has been talked about as a Big 10 football prospect," Flanagan said. "But he can play basketball in the Big 10, too. He can run the floor. At 6-6 and 190 pounds, he dominated the boards. He is strong and athletic. But he might have to attend a junior college or prep school."

The other top performers in the camp (in order), according to Flanagan, were 6-3 junior guard Diamond Taylor of St. Joseph, who is committed to Wisconsin; 6-4 junior guard Joseph Bertrand of Sterling, who is committed to Illinois; 6-1 sophomore point guard Dre McCamey of St. Joseph; 5-11 freshman point guard Donivine Stewart of Bartonville Limestone; and 6-9 junior Zeke Schneider of Metamora.

Also 6-7 junior Conrad Krutwig of Jacobs; 6-5 freshman guard Andrew Taylor of Peoria Woodruff; 6-8 junior Nick Washburn of Mahomet-Seymour; 6-2 junior guard James Kinney of Champaign Centennial; 6-4 junior guard Tim Traversa of St. Patrick; 6-5 sophomore guard Alex Dragicevich of Glenbrook North; 6-4 senior guard Derek Tartt of Fenwick, who will attend a prep school, Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, next fall; and 6-7 junior Troy Snyder of Bolingbrook.

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