Boys Basketball: November 2008 Archives

Scott Powers just called in from the Lane Tournament. Illinois coach Bruce Weber is in attendance (most likely to see highly-regarded soph Tracy Abrams). For some reason Abrams did not start the game, but super-hyped freshman point guard Malcom Hill-Bey did. And he was impressive, scoring eight points to help the Caravan to a 37-16 halftime lead over Lane.

Kind of a fun start to the season. Check back with YourSeason.com later tonight for coverage of all the best games in the area. By last count we will be covering about 20 games tonight.

LATE NIGHT UPDATE:

Check out the full game story on Mount Carmel here.

Weber was also at my game, Seton vs. St. Ignatius. Not sure who he was checking out in that one. Perhaps St. Ignatius center Nnanna Egwu. He's a 6-9 soph. He didn't play much. Looked slightly promising when he did.

Seton overall was a load. They are a runaway favorite to win Class 2A. St. Ignatius played well. They were without one of their top guys, Mario Knezovic, who was out with an injury.

Another freshman to watch: St. Rita's Deonte Johnson. I only caught the second half of the St. Rita-Northside Prep game, but Johnson was very fun to watch. He's a 5-8 ball of energy, whipping passes all over the court.

Two days ago in the basketball notes I asked why the Public League singled out Young coach Tyrone Slaughter and Von Steuben coach Vince Carter for recruiting Crandall Head. Here is Public League Sports Director Calvin Davis' response:

"I've been fair," Davis said. "The two people that received the suspension got it because there was compelling evidence and testimony. Give it to me on any other coach and I will do the same thing. Nobody was singled out and I'd be happy to investigate anybody else if any evidence is presented."

It was good to be back in a gym today. I checked out the first day of practice at Simeon. You can check out the story here.

The Wolverines have some experience with Jeremy Jones, Brandon Orange and Brandon Spearman, but the present and future of the squad will be determined by a very talented group of sophomores (DeShawn Greer, Tywon Pickney, Rashawn McElroy) and Rob Robinson, who was very hyped heading into high school and should start living up to that billing as a junior this year.

Steve Walker should provide some strength in the post. According to Simeon coach Robert Smith, Walker is no longer committed to Northern Illinois and his recruitment is wide-open.

Smith also named a long list of schools that had interest in Spearman: Iowa State, Baylor, Bradley, Kansas, Miami, Indiana State and Illinois State.

And he also mentioned a conversation he had with Illinois assistant coach Jerrance Howard about Spearman.

"I told him that none of the guards he has coming in can do what Spearman does," Smith said. "They've got a bunch of guys that can score, but you need someone to step up and guard. Spearman is the guy that can guard the other team's best player."

-I saw some reports today that Young guard Chris Colvin added Connecticut to his final list of five (now six I guess) and that he is going to announce his decision tomorrow (Wednesday). That's not what Chris' father told me yesterday (said it would be announced at a press conference on the 19th). I guess we will find out tomorrow.

-Word is that Jacob Williams, who left St. Patrick last month, is going to play at Bartlett this year. Bartlett opens the season against Waukegan, so that could be a very interesting game.

-Expect Marshall coach Courtney Hargrays and Morgan Park coach Mandel Oliver, who were both involved in the paddling controversy, to hold on to their jobs. Nothing has been decided yet, but that is what I'm hearing.

-Isn't it strange that the Public League singled out Young coach Tyrone Slaughter and Von Steuben coach Vince Carter for recruiting Crandall Head? I think it's fairly common knowledge that almost every powerhouse program in the city was recruiting Head. Why were they the only ones punished?

Found this link over on the ChicagoHoops.com message board. It's a must see.

From the SouthtownStar....

Two Bloom High School basketball stars accused of robbing a couple Oct. 13 in Chicago Heights have been indicted on additional charges.

Rajsaun Thompson and Brian Conway, both 17, initially were charged with armed robbery, but a Cook County grand jury also has indicted them for felony kidnapping and unlawful restraint, a spokeswoman for the state's attorney's office said.

They are accused of attempting to rob a 35-year-old disabled woman and her 32-year-old male friend near a bank in the 200 block of Joe Orr Road.

The woman contends that Thompson and a third attacker, who has not been charged, planned to sexually assault her before they fled when police arrived at the scene, responding to a call of shots fired.

Both teens' families have insisted that they are innocent. Thompson and Conway are next due in court Nov. 18.

According to Scout.com, Abrams recently visited Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky. Abrams was especially impressed with the Hoosiers:

"Indiana stood out because of all the people that were there," Abrams told Scout.com. "When I went to the other places they had big football games, but at Indiana it was for basketball that they had so many people there."

But Abrams also told Scout that Illinois was attractive, because he knows so many of the players headed there in the next few seasons.