3A and 4A State Preview
In this article:
This weekend state champions will be crowned in Champaign. Friday 3A and 4A begin play in their semis. We preview it here! Don’t have a subscription? Try it out at a special discounted rate of 30% by using code “Scottburgess30”.…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis weekend state champions will be crowned in Champaign. Friday 3A and 4A begin play in their semis. We preview it here! Don’t have a subscription? Try it out at a special discounted rate of 30% by using code “Scottburgess30”.
3A
Friday, March 10 – Semis
10:00 AM Simeon vs St. Ignatius
11:45 AM Metamora vs East St. Louis
Saturday, March 11
5:30 PM Championship
Prospects to Watch
Miles Rubin
Miles
Rubin
6'7" | PF
Homewood Flossmoor | 2023
State
#243
Nation
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Loyola)
Sam Lewis
Sam
Lewis
6'5" | SF
Oak Park River Forest | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Toledo)
Wesley Rubin
Wesley
Rubin
6'7" | PF
Homewood Flossmoor | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Northern Iowa)
Jalen Griffith
Jalen
Griffith
5'9" | PG
Simeon | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Jacksonville)
Kaiden Space
Kaiden
Space
6'2" | SG
St.Rita | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023 – Stony Brook)
Michael Ratliff
Michael
Ratliff
6'2" | SG
Simeon | 2023
State
IL
(Simeon – 2023)
RJ McKinnie
RJ
McKinnie
6'2" | SG
Simeon | 2024
State
IL
(Simeon – 2024)
Richard Barron
Richard
Barron
6'5" | SF
St. Ignatius | 2023
State
IL
(St. Ignatius – 2023 – George Mason)
Owen Kyhl (St. Ignatius – 2023)
Justin Scott (St. Ignatius – 2024)
Phoenix Gill
Phoenix
Gill
6'3" | SG
St. Ignatius | 2025
State
#72
Nation
IL
(St. Ignatius – 2025)
Ethan Kizer
Ethan
Kizer
6'6" | SF
Metamora | 2023
State
IL
(Metamora – 2023 – South Alabama)
Tyson Swanson
Tyson
Swanson
6'2" | SG
Metamora | 2023
State
IL
(Metamora – 2023)
Drew Tucker (Metamora – 2023)
Luke Hopp
Luke
Hopp
6'8" | C
Metamora | 2024
State
IL
(Metamora – 2024)
Tyler Mason
Tyler
Mason
6'2" | SG
Metamora | 2024
State
IL
(Metamora – 2024)
Matthew Zobrist
Matthew
Zobrist
6'5" | SG
Metamora | 2025
State
IL
(Metamora – 2025)
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)
D’Necco Rucker
D’Necco
Rucker
6'5" | SF
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)
DeMarion Brown (East St. Louis – 2023)
Davis Bynum
Davis
Bynum
6'7" | PF
East St. Louis | 2024
State
IL
(East St. Louis – 2024)
Dainen Rucker (East St. Louis – 2024)
Which Are Top Prospects Fans Must See?
The 3A field might have more D1 talent than the 4A final four which is rare. For Simeon they have five D1 commits in Miles Rubin Miles Rubin 6'7" | PF Homewood Flossmoor | 2023 State #243 Nation IL (Loyola), Sam Lewis Sam Lewis 6'5" | SF Oak Park River Forest | 2023 State IL (Toledo), Wesley Rubin Wesley Rubin 6'7" | PF Homewood Flossmoor | 2023 State IL (Northern Iowa), Jalen Griffith Jalen Griffith 5'9" | PG Simeon | 2023 State IL (Jacksonville), and Kaiden Space Kaiden Space 6'2" | SG St.Rita | 2023 State IL (Stony Brook). St. Ignatius has a D1 commit of their own in power wing Richard Barron Richard Barron 6'5" | SF St. Ignatius | 2023 State IL (George Mason). We are excited to evaluate top 5 2025 Phoenix Gill Phoenix Gill 6'3" | SG St. Ignatius | 2025 State #72 Nation IL against quality competition in Champaign where his dad Kendall Gill played for the Flying Illini. South Alabama commit Ethan Kizer Ethan Kizer 6'6" | SF Metamora | 2023 State IL is a bouncy power forward that is fun to watch. Macaleab Rich Macaleab Rich 6'5" | SF East St. Louis | 2023 State #261 Nation IL is the highest ranked senior in the 3A field. Kansas State commit is a grown man and complete force when attacking downhill and getting on the glass. Flyers also have another D1 commit in Antwan Robinson Antwan Robinson 6'5" | SF Vashon | 2023 State MO who is going to Cal State Fullerton.
Who are the Top Unsigned Seniors?
Michael Ratliff Michael Ratliff 6'2" | SG Simeon | 2023 State IL from Simeon is a tough defensive guard that impacts on that end along with making smart plays on D. Going to help out a small college in a major way! Owen Kyhl from St. Ignatius is a tough as nails ideal small college guard. Metamora guards Drew Tucker and Tyson Swanson Tyson Swanson 6'2" | SG Metamora | 2023 State IL have both come up with huge scoring numbers as seniors and would be ideal D3 or NAIA prospects. Love the ESL trio of D’Necco Rucker D’Necco Rucker 6'5" | SF East St. Louis | 2023 State IL , Cameron Boone Cameron Boone 6'8" | C East St. Louis | 2023 State IL , and Demarion Brown who should all get looks as unsigned seniors.
What Under the Radar Prospects are We Looking Forward to Evaluating?
Simeon 2024 shooting guard
RJ McKinnie
RJ
McKinnie
6'2" | SG
Simeon | 2024
State
IL
plays sparingly, but seems to make positive things happen when he is in there. St. Ignatius 2024 post Justin Scott is the #1 defensive tackle in the country in football, but he is a huge key if Iggy wants to give Simeon a game competing with the Rubin twins inside. Like what Metamora pick and pop big
Luke Hopp
Luke
Hopp
6'8" | C
Metamora | 2024
State
IL
showed early in the season in the 2024 class. Fellow Metamora junior
Tyler Mason
Tyler
Mason
6'2" | SG
Metamora | 2024
State
IL
has averaged 15 points a game this season. Last year 2025 sharp shooter Mattew Zobrist put his name on the map. Really like what 2024 long and lanky combo forward
Davis Bynum
Davis
Bynum
6'7" | PF
East St. Louis | 2024
State
IL
has flashed as an upside prospect for East St. Louis.
4A
Friday, March 10 – Semis
2:30 PM Benet vs New Trier
4:15 PM Downers Grove North vs Moline
Saturday, March 11
7:15 PM Championship
Prospects to Watch
Nikola Abusara
Nikola
Abusara
6'5" | SF
Benet | 2023
State
IL
(Benet – 2023 – Dartmouth)
Brayden Fagbemi
Brayden
Fagbemi
5'10" | PG
Neuqua Valley | 2023
State
IL
(Benet – 2023 – Johns Hopkins)
Brady Kunka
Brady
Kunka
6'4" | SG
Benet Academy | 2023
State
IL
(Benet – 2023)
Jake Fiegen
Jake
Fiegen
6'3" | SG
New Trier | 2023
State
IL
(New Trier – 2023 – Cornell)
Tyler Van Gorp
Tyler
Van Gorp
6'10" | C
New Trier | 2023
State
IL
(New Trier – 2023 – Williams College)
Colby Smith
Colby
Smith
6'3" | PG
New Trier | 2025
State
IL
(New Trier – 2025)
Max Haack
Max
Haack
6'0" | PG
Downers Grove North | 2023
IL
(Downers Grove North – 2023)
Jack Stanton
Jack
Stanton
6'2" | SG
Downers Grove North | 2024
State
#222
Nation
IL
(Downers Grove North – 2024)
Jake Riemer
Jake
Riemer
6'7" | C
Downers Grove North | 2024
State
IL
(Downers Grove North – 2024)
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)
Which Are Top Prospects Fans Must See?
In the first semi there will be a pair of former Full Package teammates in Nikola Abursara who is headed to Dartmouth and the best shooter in the state Jake Fiegen Jake Fiegen 6'3" | SG New Trier | 2023 State IL of New Trier who is headed to Cornell. For Downers Grove North Jack Stanton Jack Stanton 6'2" | SG Downers Grove North | 2024 State #222 Nation IL has been on a tear and he is primed to move up into the top 30 in the next PHI 2024 rankings and is looking like a D1 prospect. Moline has a pair of future Iowa Hawkeyes in Owen Freeman Owen Freeman 6'10" | C Moline | 2023 State #179 Nation IL and Brock Harding Brock Harding 6'0" | PG Moline | 2023 State #222 Nation IL who are two of the premier seniors in the state.
Who are the Top Unsigned Seniors?
Benet’s guard Brady Kunka Brady Kunka 6'4" | SG Benet Academy | 2023 State IL is an absolutely stellar small college prospects. Moline’s Grant Welch Grant Welch 6'3" | PG Moline | 2023 State IL can flat out shoot the basketball from deep! Has a lot of intangibles.
What Under the Radar Prospects are We Looking Forward to Evaluating?
New Trier 2025 combo guard Colby Smith Colby Smith 6'3" | PG New Trier | 2025 State IL is a crafty scorer that has a quality feel for the game. Will be great to see how he plays on a big stage. Jake Riemer Jake Riemer 6'7" | C Downers Grove North | 2024 State IL is a five man in the 2024 class that has upside as a rebounder and low post scorer. Moline’s Vinablo Adjahoungbeta Vinablo Adjahoungbeta 6'4" | SF Moline | 2024 State IL is a rangy two way junior wing that is primed to breakout. They also have a pair of 2025s to track in Treyvon Taylor Treyvon Taylor 6'4" | PF Moline | 2025 State IL and Braden Freeman Braden Freeman 6'6" | SF Moline | 2025 State IL .