Highland Shootout Preview
In this article:
The Highland Shootout is one of my favorite days of the year! I went to it as a kid with my dad and now helping director Matt Powers select the teams has been an honor over the last decade! This year’s lineup is completely stacked with talent! Below we have a look at the games and prospects to watch!
When it comes to Illinois hoops you have the premier teams and premier players in the state on the floor! Want talent in the senior class? How about 5 of the top 10 seniors in the PHI rankings in Owen Freeman Owen Freeman 6'10" | C Moline | 2023 State #179 Nation IL (Moline – Iowa), Brock Harding Brock Harding 6'0" | PG Moline | 2023 State #222 Nation IL (Moline – Iowa), Darrion Baker Darrion Baker 6'8" | PF St Rita | 2023 State #227 Nation IL (Hillcrest – Akron), Miles Rubin Miles Rubin 6'7" | PF Homewood Flossmoor | 2023 State #243 Nation IL (Simeon – Loyola), and Macaleab Rich Macaleab Rich 6'5" | SF East St. Louis | 2023 State #261 Nation IL (East St. Louis – Kansas State).
Undefeated Simeon is coming off a Pontiac championship and it is legendary coach Robert Smith’s final season. He has five D1 2023 prospects led by the Rubin twins and they have been the most dominant team in Illinois this season to date. Earlier in the day the defending 3A champs who the Wolverines will have to go through in March Sacred Heart Griffin takes the floor!
In the Illinois junior class the top 3 PHI ranked 2024s all from St. Rita will be featured again at Highland! James Brown James Brown 6'9" | C Link Academy (from Chicago) | 2024 #66 Nation MO (North Carolina commit), Morez Johnson Morez Johnson 6'9" | PF Thornton | 2024 State #33 Nation IL (Illini commit), and Nojus Indrusaitis Nojus Indrusaitis 6'5" | SG Brewster Academy | 2024 State #79 Nation NLG (Iowa State commit) headline the 2024 prospects. Bloomington Central Catholic’s Cole Certa Cole Certa 6'4" | SG IMG Academy | 2024 State #129 Nation FL currently sets at #5 overall in the junior class with an arrow going up after a great start to the season including a 47 point outing over the holidays! The top sophomore in Illinois Melvin Bell Melvin Bell 6'4" | SG La Lumiere | 2025 #109 Nation IN from St. Rita made his return to the court after setting out the early part of the season during their holiday tournament and is ready to make an impact on the big stage!
As always the Highland Shootout features a strong presence from Missouri! This year is no different! The big three of traditional powers Chaminade, CBC, and Vashon all return. Five of the top 7 in the current Prep Hoops Missouri 2023 rankings will be on the floor in Kayden Fish Kayden Fish 6'7" | PF Staley | 2023 State #181 Nation MO (Staley – Iowa State), Kyan Evans Kyan Evans 6'2" | PG Staley | 2023 State MO (Staley – Colorado State), Kennard Davis Kennard Davis 6'5" | PG Vashon | 2023 MO (Vashon – Southern Illinois), Cameron Manyawu Cameron Manyawu 6'8" | PF Staley | 2023 State MO (Staley – Indiana State), and BJ Ward (Chaminade – SEMO).
The players from Missouri’s junior class features three of the top 10 ranked prospects in 2024 including #2 Jadis Jones Jadis Jones 6'5" | SF New Madrid Central | 2024 State #248 Nation MO (New Madrid Central). Also in the top 10 of the junior Missouri rankings are CBC duo Nassir Binion Nassir Binion 6'4" | SG Vashon | 2024 State MO and Anthony Gause. The Vashon prospects rule the 2025 rankings with 3 of the top 8 in Nicholas Randall Nicholas Randall 6'8" | PF Vashon | 2025 State #96 Nation MO , Trey Williams Trey Williams 6'0" | PG Loyola Academy | 2026 IL , and Dierre Hill.
Then the best team out of Pennsylvania and national powerhouse Imhotep will take on Simeon. Imhotep has top 3 national prospect Justin Edwards Justin Edwards 6'6" | PF Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #3 Nation PA who has signed with Kentucky. Projected early on as a top 10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Fellow top 5 senior in PA Rahmir Barno Rahmir Barno 5'10" | CG Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #223 Nation PA (Florida Gulf Coast) is in their backcourt. Class of 2024 Ahmad Nowell Ahmad Nowell 6'0" | PG Imhotep Charter | 2024 State #36 Nation PA is a top 50 prospect nationally ranked guard with schools from coast to coast recruiting him. Milak Myatt Milak Myatt 6'3" | SG Math, Civics, and Sciences | 2026 State PA and Zaahir Muhammad-Gray Zaahir Muhammad-Gray 6'5" | SF Imhotep Charter | 2026 State PA are two of the top 5 freshman prospects in Pennsylvania!
When
Saturday, December 7
Where
Highland High School
Schedule
8:00 AM Highland vs Waterloo (Girls)
9:30 AM Highland vs Quincy Notre Dame
Players to Watch
Cade Altadonna
Cade
Altadonna
6'0" | PG
Highland | 2023
State
IL
(Highland – 2023)
Jake Ottensmeier
Jake
Ottensmeier
6'1" | SG
Highland | 2024
State
IL
(Highland – 2024)
11:00 AM Belleville East vs Hillcrest
Players to Watch
Jordan Pickett
Jordan
Pickett
6'1" | SG
Belleville East | 2023
State
IL
(Belleville East – 2023 – SIU-Edwardsville)
Antwine Wilson (Belleville East – 2023)
Darrion Baker
Darrion
Baker
6'8" | PF
St Rita | 2023
State
#227
Nation
IL
(Hillcrest – 2023 – Akron)
Bryce Tillery
Bryce
Tillery
5'7" | PG
Hillcrest | 2023
State
IL
(Hillcrest – 2023)
Quentin Heady
Quentin
Heady
6'5" | SF
Hillcrest | 2023
State
IL
(Hillcrest – 2023)
Tolu Samuels
Tolu
Samuels
6'6" | PF
Hillcrest | 2023
State
IL
(Hillcrest – 2023)
Jaylen Ingram (Hillcrest – 2025)
12:30 PM Bloomington Central Catholic vs New Madrid Central (MO)
Players to Watch
Cole Certa
Cole
Certa
6'4" | SG
IMG Academy | 2024
State
#129
Nation
FL
(Bloomington Central Catholic – 2024)
Colin Hayes
Colin
Hayes
6'6" | PF
Bloomington Central Catholic | 2024
State
IL
(Bloomington Central Catholic – 2024)
Jadis Jones
Jadis
Jones
6'5" | SF
New Madrid Central | 2024
State
#248
Nation
MO
(New Madrid – 2024)
B.J. Williamson
B.J.
Williamson
6'0" | PG
New Madrid Central | 2024
State
MO
(New Madrid – 2024)
2:00 PM East St. Louis vs Kansas City Staley (MO)
Players to Watch
Macaleab Rich
Macaleab
Rich
6'5" | SF
East St. Louis | 2023
State
#261
Nation
IL
(East St. Louis – 2023 – Kansas State)
Antwan Robinson
Antwan
Robinson
6'5" | SF
Vashon | 2023
State
MO
(East St. Louis – 2023 – Cal State Fullerton)
Damarion Brown
Damarion
Brown
6'7" | C
East St. Louis | 2023
State
IL
(East St. Louis – 2023)
Cameron Boone
Cameron
Boone
6'8" | C
East St. Louis | 2023
State
IL
(East St. Louis – 2023)
Robert McCline
Robert
McCline
6'2" | SG
East St. Louis | 2024
State
IL
(East St. Louis – 2024)
Kayden Fish
Kayden
Fish
6'7" | PF
Staley | 2023
State
#181
Nation
MO
(Kansas City Staley – 2023 – Iowa State)
Kyan Evans
Kyan
Evans
6'2" | PG
Staley | 2023
State
MO
(Kansas City Staley – 2023 – Colorado State)
Cameron Manyawu
Cameron
Manyawu
6'8" | PF
Staley | 2023
State
MO
(Kansas City Stanley – 2023 – Indiana State)
Larry Parker Iii
Larry
Parker Iii
6'4" | SF
Staley | 2023
State
MO
(Kansas City Stanley – 2023)
3:30 PM Sacred Heart Griffin vs CBC (MO)
Players to Watch
Jake Hamilton
Jake
Hamilton
6'3" | SG
Sacred Heart Griffin | 2023
State
IL
(Sacred Heart Griffin – 2023 – Quincy)
Zack Hawkinson
Zack
Hawkinson
6'4" | PF
Sacred Heart Griffin | 2023
State
IL
(Sacred Heart Griffin – 2023)
Keshon Singleton
Keshon
Singleton
6'2" | PG
Sacred Heart Griffin | 2023
State
IL
(Sacred Heart Griffin – 2023 – Air Force Football)
Will Hamilton
Will
Hamilton
6'3" | SF
Sacred Heart Griffin | 2023
State
IL
(Sacred Heart Griffin – 2024)
Nassir Binion
Nassir
Binion
6'4" | SG
Vashon | 2024
State
MO
(CBC – 2024)
Anthony Gause (CBC – 2024)
Terron Garrett
Terron
Garrett
6'5" | SG
CBC | 2025
State
MO
(CBC – 2024)
5:15 PM St. Rita vs Chaminade (MO)
Players to Watch
Nashawn Holmes
Nashawn
Holmes
6'1" | SG
Corliss | 2022
State
IL
(St. Rita – 2023)
James Brown
James
Brown
6'9" | C
Link Academy (from Chicago) | 2024
#66
Nation
MO
(St. Rita – 2024 – North Carolina)
Morez Johnson
Morez
Johnson
6'9" | PF
Thornton | 2024
State
#33
Nation
IL
(St. Rita – 2024 – Illinois)
Nojus Indrusaitis
Nojus
Indrusaitis
6'5" | SG
Brewster Academy | 2024
State
#79
Nation
NLG
(St. Rita – 2024 – Iowa State)
Melvin Bell
Melvin
Bell
6'4" | SG
La Lumiere | 2025
#109
Nation
IN
(St. Rita – 2025)
B.J. Ward
B.J.
Ward
6'0" | PG
Chaminade | 2023
State
MO
(Chaminade – 2023 – SEMO)
Nilivan Daniels
Nilivan
Daniels
6'3" | SG
Chaminade | 2023
State
MO
(Chaminade – 2023)
Ben Winker
Ben
Winker
6'11" | PF
Chaminade | 2025
State
MO
(Chaminade – 2025)
Collin Perry
Collin
Perry
6'0" | SG
Chaminade | 2025
State
MO
(Chaminade – 2025)
7:00 PM Simeon vs Imhotep (PA)
Players to Watch
Miles Rubin
Miles
Rubin
6'7" | PF
Homewood Flossmoor | 2023
State
#243
Nation
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Loyola)
Wesley Rubin
Wesley
Rubin
6'7" | PF
Homewood Flossmoor | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Northern Iowa)
Sam Lewis
Sam
Lewis
6'5" | SF
Oak Park River Forest | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Toldeo)
Kaiden Space
Kaiden
Space
6'2" | SG
St.Rita | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Stony Brook)
Jalen Griffith
Jalen
Griffith
5'9" | PG
Simeon | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023)
Steve Turner
Steve
Turner
6'8" | C
Simeon | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023)
Michael Ratliff
Michael
Ratliff
6'2" | SG
Simeon | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023)
Justin Edwards
Justin
Edwards
6'6" | PF
Imhotep Charter | 2023
State
#3
Nation
PA
(Imhotep – 2023 – Kentucky)
Rahmir Barno
Rahmir
Barno
5'10" | CG
Imhotep Charter | 2023
State
#223
Nation
PA
(Imhotep – 2023 – Florida Gulf Coast)
Ahmad Nowell
Ahmad
Nowell
6'0" | PG
Imhotep Charter | 2024
State
#36
Nation
PA
(Imhotep – 2024)
Jeremiah White
Jeremiah
White
6'6" | PF
Imhotep Charter | 2024
State
PA
(Imhotep – 2024)
Milak Myatt
Milak
Myatt
6'3" | SG
Math, Civics, and Sciences | 2026
State
PA
(Imhotep – 2026)
Zaahir Muhammad-Gray
Zaahir
Muhammad-Gray
6'5" | SF
Imhotep Charter | 2026
State
PA
(Imhotep – 2026)
RJ Smith
RJ
Smith
5'8" | PG
Imhotep Charter | 2026
State
PA
(Imhotep – 2026)
8:30 PM Moline vs Vashon (MO)
Players to Watch
Owen Freeman
Owen
Freeman
6'10" | C
Moline | 2023
State
#179
Nation
IL
(Moline – 2023 – Iowa)
Brock Harding
Brock
Harding
6'0" | PG
Moline | 2023
State
#222
Nation
IL
(Moline – 2023 – Iowa)
Grant Welch
Grant
Welch
6'3" | PG
Moline | 2023
State
IL
(Moline – 2023)
Vinablo Adjahoungbeta
Vinablo
Adjahoungbeta
6'4" | SF
Moline | 2024
State
IL
(Moline – 2024)
Treyvon Taylor
Treyvon
Taylor
6'4" | PF
Moline | 2025
State
IL
(Moline – 2025)
Braden Freeman
Braden
Freeman
6'6" | SF
Moline | 2025
State
IL
(Moline – 2025)
Kennard Davis
Kennard
Davis
6'5" | PG
Vashon | 2023
MO
(Vashon – 2023 – Southern Illinois)
Jordan Logan
Jordan
Logan
6'7" | PF
Vashon | 2023
State
MO
(Vashon – 2023)
Cameron Stovall
Cameron
Stovall
6'5" | SF
Vashon | 2023
State
MO
(Vashon – 2023)
Jordyn Richard
Jordyn
Richard
6'5" | SF
Vashon | 2024
State
MO
(Vashon – 2024)
Nicholas Randall
Nicholas
Randall
6'8" | PF
Vashon | 2025
State
#96
Nation
MO
(Vashon – 2025)
Tre Williams
Tre
Williams
6'2" | SG
Vashon | 2025
State
#334
Nation
MO
(Vashon – 2025)
Dierre Hill (Vashon – 2025)