Riverside-Brookfield: Friday’s Underclassmen Standouts
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Today I was surprised at how many 2026 and 2027 players stood out in varsity competition on Day 1 of Riverside-Brookfield. Here are the players who were impressed. 2026 Marquis Clark Marquis Clark 6'2" | PG Whitney Young | 2026…
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Continue ReadingToday I was surprised at how many 2026 and 2027 players stood out in varsity competition on Day 1 of Riverside-Brookfield. Here are the players who were impressed.
2026
Marquis Clark Marquis Clark 6'2" | PG Whitney Young | 2026 State IL 6’2 PG (Whitney Young):
Marquis displayed why he is one of the most coveted prospects in the Midwest. The physically built point guard came out the gates in full out attack mode. Marquis’ feel for the game is just what sets him apart from the masses. In the game that I watched he knocked down threes and consistently drove past defenders for tough finishes and assists. He finished the game with a game-high 23 points. Picked up his 2nd Division 1 offer from Northern Illinois. There will be more where that came from in the future.
Rykan Woo Rykan Woo 6'1" | PG Whitney Young | 2026 State IL 5’11 PG (Whitney Young):
Woo is one of the most skilled players in the state. The efficiency of Rykan shows is just off the charts, as he quite possibly may have made every shot he took today. Woo who burst on the scene winning the MVP at Pangos this past fall, picked right back up where he left off. Against a very tough East St. Louis team Rykan scored 18 points, and was a complete game changer. Look forward to tracking him this season for a Whitney Young team that possesses the top 2026 class in Illinois.
Rashaun Porter Rashaun Porter 6'6" | PF DePaul Prep | 2026 State IL 6’7 F (DePaul Prep):
Complete package of size and skill. Rashaun is a physical player who can handle the ball, and make outstanding reads for a player his size. He actually has the skill set of a wing. The scary thing is that he might actually still be growing as he seems to grow every time we see him. Had an outstanding spring playing for the Illinois Wolves. Rashaun can do it all and looks to be primed to be a major factor on a talented DePaul Prep team.
Mickeis Johnson Mickeis Johnson 6'3" | SG Romeoville | 2026 State IL 6’3 G (Romeoville):
In possibly the the most exciting game of the day, Johnson calmly walked to the free throw line and made two free throws to beat Simeon in an overtime thriller. Mickeis is a physically built guard who score, facilitate and defend multiple positions. Combined with the fact that he is an elite athlete, makes him a mismatch nightmare for opposing teams. I have seen him grow as a shooter and facilitator, and if that continues to progress at this rate then we are looking at one of the most dangerous perimeter players in the state as time progresses.
Stephen Brown Stephen Brown 6'7" | PF Marist | 2026 State IL 6’7 F (Marist):
Stephen was an absolute MONSTER in the game that I watched against St. Patrick’s. He is arguably the most athletic player in his class. The thing that impressed me most is that usually young players with this level of athleticism only use it for dunking purposes. Brown is an exception, as he is a high volume rebounder and rim protector. From an offensive standpoint, I am impressed in the growth of his skill set. He showed that he can make shots out to 3 point range and he is an improved ball handler. Brown finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds in the game.
Adoni Vassilkas 6’0 G (Marist):
Adoni attempted to put Marist on his back in the game against Simeon. Adoni, who as a Freshman made is name as a lockdown defender showed that he has an offensive arsenal to go along with his defensive prowess. He scored from all three levels, leading his team in scoring with 19 points. If he can continue this type of offensive output, it puts his projectability in a whole different light. Impressive day against top competition today for Adoni.
Marshawn Cocroft 5’10 Pg (Aurora Christian):
I had evaluated Marshawn as a grade school player but had not seen him in some time. Today he was absolutely electric. He is one of the most deadly shooters in the class. He can flat out put the ball in the basket. His high school relies upon him to provide a lion share of the scoring and he did not disappoint. He scored 25 points and 29 points respectfully in two games. This type of production puts him in the discussion of the better players in 2026.
2027
Davion Thompson Davion Thompson 6'2" | SG Bolingbrook | 2027 IL 6’2 G (Bolingbrook):
There was a lot of hype surrounding this young man, and I am here to say that it is absolutely justified. It is rare when an incoming freshman is able to go toe to toe with one of the states best seniors, but that is exactly what happened today. In a game against Downers Grove North that featured there elite 2024 prospect Jack Stanton Jack Stanton 6'2" | SG Downers Grove North | 2024 State #222 Nation IL . Davion commenced to scoring 20 points and got in a variety of ways. I hate to make predictions so early in the process, but this is a future star of high school basketball.
Howard Williams Howard Williams 6'5" | SF Whitney Young | 2027 IL 6’6 G/F (Whitney Young):
There are many who believe that this could very well be the #1 2027 prospect in Illinois. Today, Howard showed flashes of what makes him such an intriguing prospect. At 6’6 he has a complete skill set. He can score the ball from all 3 levels, he can handle the ball comfortably, and he has a feel for making the right pass. What impressed me most today is his ability show up in big moments at a young age. With Whitney Young up 2 points, Howard converted on back to back 3 point shots to push the game out of reach.
Devin Cleveland 5’11 PG (Kenwood):
It wasn’t about the sheer numbers that Devin put up. It was more about the poise that he exhibited in a game against a tough Oswego East team. As an incoming Freshman, Devin was able to handle the ball under pressure and get the ball to the right spots and people on the floor on a consistent basis. That combined with already being known as a knock down shooter, it makes him one of the more heavily anticipated freshmen in the state of Illinois.