Central Illinois: Early Season Stock Risers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we head into Holiday Tournament time, here are a handful players who have made some noise to begin the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1598753"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThe 5'10 PG is filling up the stat sheet early on, averaging over 26 points per game. Persinger plays through contact well and uses good body control to finish around the rim. He also has range from the perimeter, knocking down 44 3's in his first 11 games this season. An undersized gamer who will continue to devour 1A competition, I would expect his recruitment to start growing soon. Worth a look at the Division 2 level.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2321391' first='Micah' last='Meiss']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"El Paso Gridley","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThe 6'3 Junior wing is a great complement to Division 1 recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1576619' first='Jonah' last='Funk'] at El Paso-Gridley. Meiss, who is the son of EPG head coach Nathaniel Meiss, definitely fits the bill of a coach's son- showing great instincts and decision making. He is a reliable catch and shoot guy and also excels picking his spots attacking the rim. A name to keep an eye on for scholarship level programs.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1552407"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eA new name on the radar, Blackford is putting up big scoring numbers early in his sophomore campaign. Another coach's son, the 6'4 Wing is averaging over 23 points and 7 rebounds per game for 1A Calvary Academy. Blackford is an elite shooter with developing athleticism. A prospect to watch in the 2026 class.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["2245713"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eHess is a wiry 6'4 Junior wing who brings versatility and scoring inside and out for Pekin- recently scoring 21 points vs powerhouse Metamora. He is also a plus rebounder at his position who is good at finding angles to crash the boards. Hess is worth monitoring as his lengthy frame and skillset project well to the next level.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2318222' first='Camron' last='Williams']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Peoria Heights","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThe unsigned 6'4 Senior wing has been scoring in bunches for Peoria Heights, averaging over 21 ppg- including a recent 38 point outing vs Williamsfield. Williams has good positional size and can fill it up from the perimeter. He recently received an offer from Black Hawk College and has additional Juco interest.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["2105414"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eA 6'3 sophomore wing from Decatur MacArthur with a strong frame he uses to score efficiently around the basket. Lee caught some eyes in a recent win vs Sacred Heart Griffin in which he posted 30 points including 10-15 FG and 10-15 from the FT line.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658384a4a6d18"} /-->