Illinois Mens NCAA Basketball Update

[Carpet]

Today Illinois guard Demtri McCamey and Forward Mike Davis withdrew from the NBA draft to return to Illinois to boost their playing careers for next year.

This is really good news for Illinois basketball as the Senior leaders return and are greeted with a top 5 class of new recruits to teach and play with.

Look for Illinois basketball to be on the rise the future is bright.

[Carpet]

Coach Weber continues to seal the Borders in retaining Top Illinois talent.

Landing the top 3 players in the state of Illinois they have what many consider a top 5 class coming in.

Today a 2011 recruit named Mychael Henry committed to Illinois. The first chicago Public league player that Weber has landed in 8 years.

6-5 Henry hails from Chicago Orr HS last year he averaged
29 points a game and 9 boards. A pure shooter and I mean
a pure shooter.

Illinois is loading up on top talent and keeping the boys
at home. This is only possible because good players want to play with good players.

The Future looks very bright for Illinois basketball keep that in mind when you bet.

I know there are a few of you wondering why I have not said a word about football, well it wont be long I will give you my state of affairs for Illinois Football.

[Swicat]

Although I am not a illini fan like Carpet, I do keep track of the local Chicagoland recruiting and have to say that he is right on the money with his assessment of the Illini's upcoming classes.

They are definitely stacked and now the question is whether Weber can get them to mesh and reach their potential which did not seem to happen this year.

Swicat

[hart attack]

NOW IF THEY CAN ONLY SCORE MORE THAN 50 POINTS PER GAME AND MAKE SOME FREE THROWS WE MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING

[Carpet]

NOW IF THEY CAN ONLY SCORE MORE THAN 50 POINTS PER GAME AND MAKE SOME FREE THROWS WE MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING

In 2008 season Illinois scored just 64 points a game and it was the defense that saved them by allowing just 57 a game

In 2009 we saw Illinois scoring rise to 71 points per game but the defense also allowed more points at 67 a game.

The Free Throw shooting percentage was 71% as a team in 2009.

We should see this season the scoring average rise and the defense to be much better with the talent on board...

[Carpet]

Illini Update

http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoopsrepor...ower_poll.html

The new class is coming in and what a class it is. Illinois Mr Basketball and a 7 footer from southern Illinois that has got major game.

Illinois will now have two 7 foot players in Mike Tisdale Senior and Meyers Leonard Frosh. This will make for some very interesting practices for the Senior Tisdale who now will face someone his own size daily.

The 6-7 Guard Richmond is going to make a immediate impact and should start coming in. This kid has got major ball.

6-3 Crandall Head (Luther Heads little brother) is coming off an injury but I got to tell you, I have seen this young man play and its exciting style of basketball he gives you.
A true Gym Rat just like Luther was.

The Future is bright for Illinois Basketball

ORANGE BRIGHT

[Carpet]

http://www.usabasketball.com/men_team.php?page=mu18toa

Illinois recruit Jereme Richmond has been selected to the 2010 Basketball Mens Under 18 National team.

12 of the nations top 18 and under players have been named to the team.

This 6-7 guard Mickey D All american is coming to Illinois this year and wait till you see Mr Illinois basketball for 2009 game

[Carpet]

The Big 10- ACC Challenge this year is going to be a dandy.

Michigan State opens up play vs Duke

Illinois gets a shot at North Carolina at Illinois

Both should be great games to start the season

[Carpet]

PRE SUMMER Rankings class of 2011 per PREP HOOPS ASSIST.

1. KY

2. NC

3. TX

4. ILLINOIS

5. SY

10. ARKANSAS

Looks like Illinois is loading up again for 2011 and continue to lock down the State of Illinois talent.

Illinois and Arkansas are the only schools in the top 10 class for 2011 that have 2 TOP in state players staying home. Every other team the players are imported.

3 years in a row Illinois is Loading up and will be fun to watch.

Another team to watch is Arkansas, they are really landing some good ball players and the razorbacks are one to keep your eye one in a betting situation for the future.

[Carpet]

UIC is looking for a new Coach and are targeting Illinois master AC coach and recruiter Jerrance Howard.

Jerrance would be better off taking a assistant position with a Major D I team.

The Cupboard is empty at UIC as Collins left it bare. This coach just got another bump in pay and Illinois should of tied his hands in consideration of such a renewed contract.

He is a great Recruiter that is for sure but that is all he does for Illinois is recruit for the most part. It will be very difficult for Howard to be a head coach in a Inner City School like UIC and still recruit.

For Howard this would be a bad career move at this time because allot bigger opportunities await this assistant coach in the future.

Take the job for what 10 k more in pay and watch your stock go right down the drain being a Head Coach at UIC, This offers no career path for Howard. We watched Collins leave Illinois and stayed 14 years because no other school would take him.

I hope Howard just doesnt bite at the title Head Coach just now. The position he turned down as a AC Coach from KY this year I believe was a much greater opportunity to vault to a major coaching job than UIC

[Carpet]

Illinois assistant coach Mclain is one pumped up coach over the talent the Illini have. He feels that playing a quicker tempo should be mandatory.

"I think it will be a sin if you ever see the ball getting walked up court. These guys are so athletic they can really get out and run. It's like gazelles" We wanted to get out and run lasy year bit we havent.

In Big 10 play Illinois was the 2nd ranked in the Conf in tempo. If you compare that to Illinois being in the SEC or Big 12 they would have ranked 8th in either conf.

So yes this team is loaded with talent and speed. I do expect them to get after it this year at both ends of the court. Illinois is also one of the tallest teams in the country with two legit 7 foot players that can play some ball.

This is gonna be a fun year for Illinois basketball for sure.

[Carpet]

Luther Head was on campus today shooting around with the team showing off his NBA skills

Demtri McCamey PG of Illinois was ranked today as one of the best top 10 PG in the nation.

Illinois will be one of the tallest teams in the country with 2 legit 7 footers that can play at center. Tisdale a Senior can knock it down from any where on offense and his sweet jump hook is a thing of beauty to watch. Interesting that Tisdale the 7 ft senior is challenged every day by another 7 ft player named Meyers Leonard.

This is the most talent under one roof at Illinois since 2004 and the recruits are coming in for 2011 Illinois with a 8th ranked class.

This is going to be a fun year for Illinois Basketball, early preseason update for my friends who like NCAA Basketball.

[Carpet]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mul...ontent.11.html

Tisdale, a 7-foot-1 senior, is one of the country's more underrated offensive big men. He shot 58.0 percent from the field last season, made 83.9 percent of his free throws -- and five of his six long-range attempts. Davis (left) isn't quite as effective as a scorer, but he dominates the defensive glass (grabbing 23.5 percent of opponents' shots to limit second-chance attempts). Richmond, a 6-7, five-star freshman, is so versatile that he could be counted as a member of the frontcourt or the backcourt, but since he'll play the three and do most of his work inside the arc, he appears on this list.

[Carpet]

Illinois continues to add to its stellar 2011 recruting class getting a commit today from 6-8 Mike Shaw. Shaw rated the 8th best PF in the nation hails from Chicago. Illinois won out in a heated recruiting battle with Depaul and WV.

Bruce Weber has without a doubt maybe the best recruiting class in Illinois history for the class of 2011 and all 4 players are from chicago as the coach locks down Illinois in state talent.

It is reported that the Illini may add one more player this weekend to round out this top 5 recruiting class, a 6-6 player named langford out of alabama who is coming for a official visit this saturday.