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It is too early to make a final selection, of course, but voters already are lining up to nominate the leading contenders for the Sun-Times Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball in Illinois.
In the Chicago area, the ballot is headed by Waukegan's Jereme Richmond, last year's Sun-Times Player of the Year, Foreman's Mike McCall and Deerfield's Duje Dukan. Morgan Park's Wayne Blackshear, who recently returned after recovering from an injury, also can't be overlooked.
But Downstaters insist the leading candidate to succeed Warren's Brandon Paul as Mr. Basketball, the Player of the Year in Illinois, is 6-3 senior Rayvonte Rice of defending Class 3A champion Champaign Centennial.
"If you're talking about a game tomorrow, Rice is likely to be more productive than Richmond," said longtime Champaign News-Gazette sports columnist Loren Tate. "If you're talking about the long term, Richmond should be better.
"Rice outplayed Richmond by a clear margin when they met (in December in Assembly Hall in Champaign). Rice simply overpowers high school defenders. The next level is another question that I can't answer. But Rice is way better than Paul and D.J. Richardson as far as I'm concerned."
In fact, Tate recently wrote that he believes Rice "has undersold himself" in signing with Drake rather than consider a Big 10 school like Illinois. Rice averages 25 points per game with a season high of 45 against Champaign Central. Against Waukegan, Rice scored 20 of his game high 32 points in the second half, as Champaign Centennial won 71-55. Richmond had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Lee Cabutti, retired Champaign Central coach and a longtime observer of high school basketball in Illinois, can't understand why Illinois coach Bruce Weber didn't recruit Rice, who also scored 34 points against state-rated Hillcrest.
"Rice can do it all," Cabutti said. "He is good when the chips are down. He can handle the ball. He jumps well and he is strong at 220 pounds. When he gets the ball, you will foul him or he will score. And he is better against the best competition. High school kids aren't physically able to compete with him.
"A year ago, some people said he couldn't play in the Big 10. Some said he should stick to football. He is a great athlete. He's going to Drake but I feel he is much better than that. He can play in the Big 10. I don't understand why Illinois didn't recruit him after seeing him for two years. Of course, I don't understand why Illinois didn't recruit Verdell Jones (another Champaign product), who is starring at Indiana."
Joe Henricksen, editor of City/Suburban Hoops Report, admits the issue is "a really tough call. I'm glad I don't have to make it official until March." He concedes Richmond and Rice are the frontrunners with Dukan and McCall in the conversation.
"Rayvonte has had a terrific season with big numbers," Henricksen said. "He will be a very good mid-major player in the Missouri Valley. He is a perfect example of a kid who picked the right level. He didn't try to go too high where he can be overrecruited and have to sit for a year or two.
"But I still give the edge to Richmond at this point for what he brings in all areas, including rebounding, blocking shots, defensive presence. But Rayvonte is right there."
Roy and Harv Schmidt of Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye said Rice "would be a more than deserving Player of the Year in Illinois at this point. He is a perfect example of how the Player of the Year award should embody the play who has had the most productive high school season and means the most to his team."
The Schmidt brothers said a valid argument can be made for Rice in those areas. While they point out that Rice isn't a better college prospect than either Richmond or Blackshear, that isn't what the award is all about. We're not projecting for the future. Rice plays hard from start to finish, the Schmidts add, and he is the main reason why Centennial is in position to win back-to-back state titles.
Meanwhile, the Schmidts contend that McCall is the darkhorse in the Player of the Year voting. "He has come up huge in all of Foreman's biggest games so far this sason and is a bonafide leader who knows how to win," they said.
"Should Foreman capture the Chicago Public League championship and make a deep run in the Class 4A state tournament, he would be a tough candidate to argue against."
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Have to agree with Foreman's McCall as the dark horse and a terrific recruit by St.Louis. I saw him play three games at the Proviso West tournament and he was flat out terrific. Offensively, passing, leadership, defensively he has it all. A deep run into the playoffs will give people a chance to see how good a player McCall is.
Majerus will do well with McCall and Dwayne Evans of Nequa Valley next year.
Saw Rice play last year and he has the football players body, but all the basketball skill and athleticism he needs. He will be a stud for Drake.
Loren Tate....the Long Goodbye.
Jereme Richmond Player of The Year and Mr Basketball hands down. Playing team basketball for Waukegan. And will be named McDonald's All-American later this week.
My vote goes to the much under appreciated and forgotten post players. Any POST player, that is. You pick the name and I vote for him.
I know, usually, the big man is not the top scorer or the flashiest guy shooting the three. But, the POST player is in the trenches, getting mauled, hacked and beaten up day in and day out. Who gets the rebounds? Who blocks shots? who is the anchor of the team? Name a team that has won anything without a post player’s presence and dominance. Magic had Kareem, Bird had Mchale and Jordan had Cartwright. Guards will always get the glory and the opportunity to score as they get a lot more scoring touches than the big men. But at best, a guard’s shot is almost always a lower percentage shot than a great pass into post to a big man with scoring moves. If anyone watched Waukegan’s loss to Ames, IA, understands what I am saying. Ames Forward McDermott, and not Harrison Barnes-the nation’s no.1 player, stole the show by his tenacity, rebounding, physical presence and scoring. While Jereme Richmond was great, as usual, he did not have the much needed post player to stop McDermott.
So, let’s give it up to the local Chicago big men, the blue collar, hard nose guys that get it done in the paint. Keep it up guys, your efforts and hard work does not go unnoticed.
Rayvonte Rice is having a tremendous season. He would be an acceptable alternative.
Jereme Richmond is the best player in the state period. He isn't showcased as much as a player of his caliber should be on that Waukegan team. Doesn't receive nearly enough touches on offense while playing center on defense even though he won't be at that position in college. Nice to see him sacrifice for the team. I say split the POY award between them. MR BASKETBALL is Richmond though. Congrats on McDonald's All-American award and expect a bright future at Illinois!! Great to see a top recruit in the nation stay home for once and commit to the state U!!
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE DJ HERVY OF RICH SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, AFTER THE GRADUATION OF KENDRICK MORSE, I DON'T THINK ANYONE EXPECTED DJ HERVY TO COME IN AND RUN THE RICH SOUTH ATTACK LIKE HE HAS, WITH A WIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND NEXT TUESDAY, THE STARS WILL HAVE TWENTY WINS ON THE SEASON, THEY HAVE LOST ONLY 4 BALLGAMES, DJ HERVY HAS KEPT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE OFFENSE, COACH RITTER HAS TO BE VERY PROUD OF THE JOB THAT DJ HERVY HAS DONE THIS SEASON, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GUARD WITH A HIGH BASKETBALL IQ, A YOUNG MAN THAT IS A LEADER, THAT MAKES EVERYONE BETTER, VOTE FOR DJ HERVY OF RICH SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, NUMBER 3 IS DOING A GREAT JOB AT RICH SOUTH, THE STARS PLAY AT HOME FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST RICH CENTRAL!
DJ HERVY OF RICH SOUTH ONE OF THE TOP POINT GUARDS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, HE CAN DRIVE, HE CAN SHOOT, HE IS A LEADER ON THE COURT, THE STARS TOOK SECOND A NILES WEST, THEY TOOK THIRD AT THE DIPPER WITH A WIN OVER THORNTON, THEY WILL HOST THEIR OWN REGIONAL NEXT MONTH!
BIG SHOUT OUT TO DJ HERVY OF RICH SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL!
MORRIS WOODS FOR POY. THIS GUY CAN FLAT OUT PLAY. MOST UNDERRATTED GUY IN STATE OF ILLINOIS.