Chi-Town Showcase: Steve's Upperclassmen Standouts

Here are the Chi-Town Showcase Upperclassmen that played well on Saturday.  RJ Mckinnie  (Simeon)  2024 RJ is the epitome of Chicago Grit. He is a 94-ft warrior who doesn't shy away from competition. McKinnie did a lot in the game I watched. He scored well from the perimeter and was hard to stay in front of on drives to the paint. RJ mixed some layups and floaters in the lane but was good at finding teammates as he drew attention from defenders. As always he took the responsibility of guarding the best player on the opposite team even if they were 6'10 240. An ultimate competitor. Looking for a strong senior campaign from Mckinnie.  [player_tooltip player_id='1766465' first='Ikee' last='Brooks']  Hansberry 2025 Ikee left the Showcase similar to his brother gaining a lot of respect from players and pundits who are on the so-called higher levels of basketball. He's a speedy guard who took advantage of defenders that were on their heels. Brooks showed body control and touch on his layups. An underrated part of his game was his passing as he set up a few assists by blowing past one guy and making help-side defenders step up to him. Ikee is poised for a breakout season. [player_tooltip player_id='1352590' first='Gianni' last='Cobb']  Homewood Flossmoor 2024 Gianni is another player at the event who was committed to D1 school with having verballed to Colombia. Similar to the player before Cobb is a lighting quick player who excelled on fastbreaks. He controlled the tempo of the game when it got out of hand. Gianni is very creative with his high-arching finishes at the rim. I'm a fan of the leadership Cobb showed on Saturday. [player_tooltip player_id='1385301' first='JT' last='Pettigrew'] - Bolingbrook 2025 A player who has improved each time I watch him is Pettigrew.  The now 6'7 forward has become a much better finisher around the rim recently.  JT has a solid touch in the post but has shown how well he can shoot from 15 feet. He's an even-keel player who isn't afraid to mix it up for rebounds. As he continues to get better as a rim protector JT has the chance to be the most versatile big in the 2025 class. [player_tooltip player_id='2218172' first='Dwayne' last='Flowers'] - Prosser 2024 Dwayne came to the showcase to prove he belongs in the conversation of all city guards in Chicago. He played with his normal calm demeanor getting to his spot using his tight handle and craftiness.  Flowers is a mid-range monster and he got to his spot several times in the second game. Dwayne was a virtual unknown entering the event and most are aware of his talents now. [player_tooltip player_id='1157233' first='Jaheem' last='Webber'] - Normal Community 2024 As a traditional back-to-the-basket center, you don't see them have good showings in events like this but Jaheem was the exception. A Wright State commit he is a space eater who does everything coaches ask from post players. He shows a big target and keeps things as simple as possible.  Left and right shoulder drop step moves and moves guys out of his way. Webber uses a combination of size and strength to finish plays. Some of his two-handed dunks off vertical struck fear in some of the other big men when they guarded him. As a defender he snatches rebounds and has good timing on some of his block shots. [player_tooltip player_id='1373439' first='Shaheed' last='Solebo'] - Lane Tech 2024 I liked what Shaheed did at the Showcase as he played within himself and didn't seem to force shots or try to do anything unnecessary on the court. Solebo is a 6'4 wing with a college-ready frame that shoots the ball well. Can get to the rim while taking a bump or two. Shaheed is set for a huge senior campaign at Lane Tech. [player_tooltip player_id='1385296' first='Yaris' last='Irby']  - Niles North 2025 Irby is known as a strong scoring guard who can get to the basket off crafty plays. At the Showcase Yaris got to the rim off ball screens scoring in the lane with a tough runner and then finding guys on the wing for an assist. He's a hardworking PG who is undervalued because of his size.  He should put up strong numbers in his junior season. Je'Shawn Stevenson - Lindblom 2024 The Cleveland State commit is a highly skilled player who gets downhill and scores in multiple ways. He elevates over guys and has the strength to put most in the bucket. Je'shawn went on a mini-scoring run on his own in the second run game hitting pull-up threes off the dribble in rhythm. Stevenson is an explosive player who can guard more than one position on the court. He has a tall task this season but looks to be ready to lead his high school squad in a tough CPS conference. [player_tooltip player_id='1545131' first='Elijah' last='Lovemore'] -  Bloom 2025 Elijah has had better showings as a scorer but I won't hold that against him in this event. He's a 6'4 playmaking guard who tried to move the ball often in the runs. Lovemore has a skillset to be an impact player on the next level and he's a player who is more suited to play in structured settings. [player_tooltip player_id='1766472' first='Donte' last='Montgomery'] - Oak Lawn 2025 Montgomery is usually known for his scoring prowess but at the event, he did a lot on the defensive end. Donte is a 6'3 guard with long arms that he used well to get steals and blocks on smaller guards. He's a player who can score from all three levels of play and is a slick passer when he draws attention.  Montgomery was another player who came into this event looking to get the respect of some of the more known players in the city and needless to say he made a mark. [player_tooltip player_id='1468249' first='Santana' last='Flowers'] - Bloom 2024 Santana had maybe the best poster dunk of the day. A baseline drive with a one-hand finish over a player looking to block his attempt. Flowers looked the part of a 6'5 energy wing player who hit a shot from the corner in one of the runs. He also mixed it up with taller bigs fighting for rebounds on a couple of plays. A lot of his scoring was layups off missed shots around the basket. Santana is a player who will make momentum plays for his squad this season hustling for 50/50 balls, taking charges, and crowd-pleasing dunks. The type of player all coaches look for when recruiting.

Here are the Chi-Town Showcase Upperclassmen that played well on Saturday.

RJ Mckinnie (Simeon) 2024
RJ is the epitome of Chicago Grit. He is a 94-ft warrior who doesn't shy away from competition. McKinnie did a lot in the game I watched. He scored well from the perimeter and was hard to stay in front of on drives to the paint. RJ mixed some layups and floaters in the lane but was good at finding teammates as he drew attention from defenders. As always he took the responsibility of guarding the best player on the opposite team even if they were 6'10 240. An ultimate competitor. Looking for a strong senior campaign from Mckinnie.

Ikee Brooks Ikee Brooks 5'11" | PG Rich Township | 2025 State IL Hansberry 2025
Ikee left the Showcase similar to his brother gaining a lot of respect from players and pundits who are on the so-called higher levels of basketball. He's a speedy guard who took advantage of defenders that were on their heels. Brooks showed body control and touch on his layups. An underrated part of his game was his passing as he set up a few assists by blowing past one guy and making help-side defenders step up to him. Ikee is poised for a breakout season.

Gianni Cobb Gianni Cobb 6'0" | PG Homewood Flossmoor | 2024 State IL Homewood Flossmoor 2024
Gianni is another player at the event who was committed to D1 school with having verballed to Colombia. Similar to the player before Cobb is a lighting quick player who excelled on fastbreaks. He controlled the tempo of the game when it got out of hand. Gianni is very creative with his high-arching finishes at the rim. I'm a fan of the leadership Cobb showed on Saturday.

JT Pettigrew JT Pettigrew 6'8" | C Bolingbrook | 2025 State IL - Bolingbrook 2025
A player who has improved each time I watch him is Pettigrew. The now 6'7 forward has become a much better finisher around the rim recently. JT has a solid touch in the post but has shown how well he can shoot from 15 feet. He's an even-keel player who isn't afraid to mix it up for rebounds. As he continues to get better as a rim protector JT has the chance to be the most versatile big in the 2025 class.

Dwayne Flowers Dwayne Flowers 6'3" | SG Prosser | 2024 State IL - Prosser 2024
Dwayne came to the showcase to prove he belongs in the conversation of all city guards in Chicago. He played with his normal calm demeanor getting to his spot using his tight handle and craftiness. Flowers is a mid-range monster and he got to his spot several times in the second game. Dwayne was a virtual unknown entering the event and most are aware of his talents now.

Jaheem Webber Jaheem Webber 6'9" | C Normal Community | 2024 State #300 Nation IL - Normal Community 2024
As a traditional back-to-the-basket center, you don't see them have good showings in events like this but Jaheem was the exception. A Wright State commit he is a space eater who does everything coaches ask from post players. He shows a big target and keeps things as simple as possible. Left and right shoulder drop step moves and moves guys out of his way. Webber uses a combination of size and strength to finish plays. Some of his two-handed dunks off vertical struck fear in some of the other big men when they guarded him. As a defender he snatches rebounds and has good timing on some of his block shots.

Shaheed Solebo Shaheed Solebo 6'4" | SF Lane Tech | 2024 State IL - Lane Tech 2024
I liked what Shaheed did at the Showcase as he played within himself and didn't seem to force shots or try to do anything unnecessary on the court. Solebo is a 6'4 wing with a college-ready frame that shoots the ball well. Can get to the rim while taking a bump or two. Shaheed is set for a huge senior campaign at Lane Tech.

Yaris Irby Yaris Irby 5'10" | PG Niles North | 2025 State IL - Niles North 2025
Irby is known as a strong scoring guard who can get to the basket off crafty plays. At the Showcase Yaris got to the rim off ball screens scoring in the lane with a tough runner and then finding guys on the wing for an assist. He's a hardworking PG who is undervalued because of his size. He should put up strong numbers in his junior season.

Je'Shawn Stevenson - Lindblom 2024
The Cleveland State commit is a highly skilled player who gets downhill and scores in multiple ways. He elevates over guys and has the strength to put most in the bucket. Je'shawn went on a mini-scoring run on his own in the second run game hitting pull-up threes off the dribble in rhythm. Stevenson is an explosive player who can guard more than one position on the court. He has a tall task this season but looks to be ready to lead his high school squad in a tough CPS conference.

Elijah Lovemore Elijah Lovemore 6'2" | PG Bloom | 2025 State #344 Nation IL - Bloom 2025
Elijah has had better showings as a scorer but I won't hold that against him in this event. He's a 6'4 playmaking guard who tried to move the ball often in the runs. Lovemore has a skillset to be an impact player on the next level and he's a player who is more suited to play in structured settings.

Donte Montgomery Donte Montgomery 6'2" | SG Oak Lawn | 2025 State IL - Oak Lawn 2025
Montgomery is usually known for his scoring prowess but at the event, he did a lot on the defensive end. Donte is a 6'3 guard with long arms that he used well to get steals and blocks on smaller guards. He's a player who can score from all three levels of play and is a slick passer when he draws attention. Montgomery was another player who came into this event looking to get the respect of some of the more known players in the city and needless to say he made a mark.

Santana Flowers Santana Flowers 6'4" | SF Bloom | 2024 State IL - Bloom 2024
Santana had maybe the best poster dunk of the day. A baseline drive with a one-hand finish over a player looking to block his attempt. Flowers looked the part of a 6'5 energy wing player who hit a shot from the corner in one of the runs. He also mixed it up with taller bigs fighting for rebounds on a couple of plays. A lot of his scoring was layups off missed shots around the basket. Santana is a player who will make momentum plays for his squad this season hustling for 50/50 balls, taking charges, and crowd-pleasing dunks. The type of player all coaches look for when recruiting.