Senior Sunday: Recruiting Updates

Recruitments are starting to heat up across the state of Illinois. Here we dive into the latest with the class of 2021 after talking with prospects across the state. Check out our Senior Sunday: Recruiting Updates!   [player_tooltip player_id="920948" first="Isaiah" last="Stafford"] (Bolingbrook) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Isaiah-Stafford-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1027332" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Isaiah-Stafford-1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Stafford is an athletic combo guard that is a shot maker and has greatly improved his ability to break a defense down off the bounce. We caught up with his high school coach Robert Brost to get the latest. He holds several D2 offers from, "UIS, Truman, Northern Michigan, and McKendree." What D1s are showing interest? "St. Thomas, Northern Kentucky, Wyoming, UIC, Northern Iowa, Valpo, Northern Illinois." Of the D2 programs Stafford has been on campus to all except for McKendree. Brost on if Stafford will make an early call and sign in the fall, "Not sure yet. Think it could go either way."   [player_tooltip player_id="920957" first="Brandon" last="Hall"] (Thornton) [caption id="attachment_1019737" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Brandon-Hall-PHC-Matt-Cletus.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1019737" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Brandon-Hall-PHC-Matt-Cletus-300x212.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="212" /></a> Photo: Matt Cletus PrepHoops[/caption] Hall is a big bodied and strong guard that can play on and off the ball. Hall tells us, “I’ve most recently talked to Austin Peay, Detroit, Western Illinois, East Tennessee, South Dakota State, and Southern Utah.” He landed his first offer from East Tennessee State on Thursday.         [player_tooltip player_id="995970" first="Jack" last="Mielke"] (Downers Grove North) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/John-Mielke-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1059043" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/John-Mielke-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Mielke is one of the most coveted D2 prospects on the board in this year’s high school class. The face up four can shoot it at a high level. He recently took a pair of visits to Hillsdale and Truman State. “I really enjoyed both the Hillsdale and Truman State visits. I really loved both of the campuses and felt that I got along very well with the team during the time I was able to spend time with them.” He broke down each of the two visits in depth and what he liked about each. “What really stuck out about Truman State was just the way Coach Horner and the team went about their business. You could just tell that their guys really took pride in their workouts both on the court and in the weight room and that is something I loved to see. As for Hillsdale the family and atmosphere was just phenomenal and I really enjoyed getting to experience that for the couple days that I was up there.” He is visiting Northwood this weekend and then will take an official visit to Northern Michigan on October 10. When is he looking to decide? “I’m still unsure about a timeline for a decision.”   [player_tooltip player_id="821772" first="Christian" last="Henry"] (St. Rita) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Christian-Henry-Spartz-2-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1059045" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Christian-Henry-Spartz-2-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Henry is a dynamic scoring point guard that can get buckets in bunches from multiple levels. On his recruitment we asked him who are the schools that are talking to him the most at this stage? “Drury University and Morgan State.” He says he has been talking to both on a regular basis on the phone. Neither has offered as of now.         [player_tooltip player_id="652746" first="Luke" last="Braman"] (Roanoke Benson) [caption id="attachment_1019743" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Luke-Braman-Fitz.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1019743" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Luke-Braman-Fitz-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> Photo: Chris Fitzgerald PrepHoops[/caption] Braman is a rock solid central Illinois post. Legit size and is coming off a solid summer. The big man told us the latest on his recruitment. “I just got an offer from Olivet. I visited Illinois Wesleyan, Loras, St.Norbert, and Oshkosh. I have talked to Indianapolis University, Saginaw Valley State University, VMI, University of Mary, and Nebraska Omaha.” He doesn’t have any leaders at this point. Is he planning on deciding in the early period? “If the right opportunity comes along I would decide early.”     [player_tooltip player_id="921014" first="Nathan" last="Thompson"] (Effingham) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Nathan-Thompson.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1033347" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Nathan-Thompson-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Thompson has steadily improved throughout his career. Good size wing that can play small ball four at the D3 level. He shoots it and crashes glass. Thompson said on his recruitment, “Had that great visit to Illinois College. They’ve been my top interest and I took a visit to Lakeland also Wabash College and Loras has talked to me.” What stands out about Illinois College? “I loved their coaches and their drive to win. I love their goals they have in mind. To be the first team in school history to win their conference.” Thompson says he does not plan on deciding before the season starts.   [player_tooltip player_id="652797" first="Joe" last="Melton"] (Norris City Omaha Enfield) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Joe-Melton.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1033289" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Joe-Melton-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Melton is a super sleeper post from southern Illinois. Skilled 6’7" five man that can stretch the floor with his shooting, run the court with fluidity, and brings some toughness inside. On his recruitment he said he has visited Illinois College and Illinois Wesleyan lately. He broke down those visits with PHI. "Illinois College had the same small school feeling that i have here at my high school. Illinois Wesleyan had a very high success rate for students that have the same interests as me."     [player_tooltip player_id="920962" first="Jordan" last="Rice"] (Rock Island) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/06/Jordan-Rice.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1005633" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/06/Jordan-Rice-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Rice is a dynamic 5’10” point guard that plays with speed and is a true leader on the floor. Late Thursday night Rice made his college commitment to in-state D2 program Illinois-Springfield!           [player_tooltip player_id="821857" first="Jake" last="Dimovski"] (Downers Grove South) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Jake-Dimovski-250.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1060640" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Jake-Dimovski-250-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>The point guard with a crafty game and plays with a ton of grit made his college commitment to Edgewood College this past week. Tough guard that can make a shot.