MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

So from URockets 1A/2A roster above, here are the colleges I could find...D3s in bold.

North Squad
Brady Sanders - Fieldcest (Illinois Wesleyan)
Jared McCunn - Eureka (Elmhurst)
John Fuqua - Walter Lutheran (Des Moines Area CC)
Khalil Small - Prov. St. Mel (?)
Jacoby Posley - Winnebago (?)
Jacob Johnston - Erie (Augustana)
Paxton Harmon - West Hancock (John Wood JC)
Brody Gronewald - Illini West (John Wood JC)
Jared Entwistle - Illini Central (Carl Sandburg JC)
Bodee Schlipf - El Paso - Gridley (Lake Land JC)
Caleb Mowry - Oregon (Elmhurst)
Riley Hall - N. Shore County Day (?)
Michael Hoekstra - Bishop Mac (Augustana)
Liam Farley - Chicago Latin (Bowdoin)
James Stoll - Northridge Prep (?)

South Squad
Tyler Smithpeters - Harrisburg (Southern Illinois)
Capel Henshaw - Harrisburg (Lewis U.)
Jeremy Weeke - Okawville (not playing in college)
Adam Etter - Mater Dei (?)
Aaron Siler - Robinson (Eastern Illinois, walk on)
Hunter Reine - Roxana (Southwestern Illinois JC)
Will Schneider - Riverton (Lincoln Land CC, baseball)
Mitchell Patterson - Riverton (Illinois College)
Michael Cameron - Pleasant Plains (Lincoln Land CC)
Alex Gustafson - Pleasant Plains (North Central)
Anthony Johnson - Oblong (Eastern Illinois)
Blake Cowden - Tri - Valley (North Central)
Derek Smith - Teutopolis (Lincoln Land CC)
Gabe Owens - Woodlawn (Washington U.)

[Titan Q]

Brackets for the Titan Shootout tomorrow - http://www.iwuhoops.com/2013brackets.pdf

[Titan Q]

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Per the Pantagraph, North Central is in on Khalil Small (6-2 G, Providence St. Mel), who had 26 points and 12 rebounds yesterday for the North in the 1A/2A game.

It's a college floor so it's a different experience. Since we played here before I was used to it," said Small, who is considering Ashford University, Northern Michigan and North Central College. "To get the MVP is really an honor. It tells me where I am."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

[USee]

So from URockets 1A/2A roster above, here are the colleges I could find...D3s in bold.

North Squad
Brady Sanders - Fieldcest (Illinois Wesleyan)
Jared McCunn - Eureka (Elmhurst)
John Fuqua - Walter Lutheran (Des Moines Area CC)
Khalil Small - Prov. St. Mel (?)
Jacoby Posley - Winnebago (?)
Jacob Johnston - Erie (Augustana)
Paxton Harmon - West Hancock (John Wood JC)
Brody Gronewald - Illini West (John Wood JC)
Jared Entwistle - Illini Central (Carl Sandburg JC)
Bodee Schlipf - El Paso - Gridley (Lake Land JC)
Caleb Mowry - Oregon (Elmhurst)
Riley Hall - N. Shore County Day (?)
Michael Hoekstra - Bishop Mac (Augustana)
Liam Farley - Chicago Latin (Bowdoin)
James Stoll - Northridge Prep (?)

South Squad
Tyler Smithpeters - Harrisburg (Southern Illinois)
Capel Henshaw - Harrisburg (Lewis U.)
Jeremy Weeke - Okawville (not playing in college)
Adam Etter - Mater Dei (?)
Aaron Siler - Robinson (Eastern Illinois, walk on)
Hunter Reine - Roxana (Southwestern Illinois JC)
Will Schneider - Riverton (Lincoln Land CC, baseball)
Mitchell Patterson - Riverton (Illinois College)
Michael Cameron - Pleasant Plains (Lincoln Land CC)
Alex Gustafson - Pleasant Plains (North Central)
Anthony Johnson - Oblong (Eastern Illinois)
Blake Cowden - Tri - Valley (North Central)
Derek Smith - Teutopolis (Lincoln Land CC)
Gabe Owens - Woodlawn (Washington U.)

Riley Hall from NS Country Day is going to Claremont McKenna

[Titan Q]

I saw a tweet yesterday that Wheaton is moving to the Stretch Internet video streaming platform.  That means Wheaton games will be available on mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, etc) starting in 2013-14.  (The old WETN platform didn't support mobile.)

Not terribly exciting news, but it's the off-season...it's about all we have.

[Titan Q]

Riley Hall from NS Country Day is going to Claremont McKenna

Your posting versatility continues to impress.

[Gregory Sager]

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Per the Pantagraph, North Central is in on Khalil Small (6-2 G, Providence St. Mel), who had 26 points and 12 rebounds yesterday for the North in the 1A/2A game.

It's a college floor so it's a different experience. Since we played here before I was used to it," said Small, who is considering Ashford University, Northern Michigan and North Central College. "To get the MVP is really an honor. It tells me where I am."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Given that Todd Kelly used to be the head coach at Providence-St. Mel, it strikes me that NCC should have an "in" there.

I saw a tweet yesterday that Wheaton is moving to the Stretch Internet video streaming platform.  That means Wheaton games will be available on mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, etc) starting in 2013-14.  (The old WETN platform didn't support mobile.)

Nice. Now let's see what they can do about the other kind of platform: The physical kind. The school needs to build a camera platform that would boost the height of the camera and keep Wheaton video feeds from being a sea of upraised arms and the backs of heads.

[Gregory Sager]

The NPU coaching staff has disclosed the name of another freshman recruit: Justin Mack, a 6'6, 250 center out of Walther Lutheran.

[magicman]

I saw a tweet yesterday that Wheaton is moving to the Stretch Internet video streaming platform.  That means Wheaton games will be available on mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, etc) starting in 2013-14.  (The old WETN platform didn't support mobile.)

Nice. Now let's see what they can do about the other kind of platform: The physical kind. The school needs to build a camera platform that would boost the height of the camera and keep Wheaton video feeds from being a sea of upraised arms and the backs of heads.

That would be nice. It's been an annoying problem when watching a video feed from Wheaton, as you've pointed out. I won't hold my breath though waiting for it to happen.

[USee]

Riley Hall from NS Country Day is going to Claremont McKenna

Your posting versatility continues to impress.

I happened to have some insider knowledge, othewise I would have had no clue.

[AndOne]

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Per the Pantagraph, North Central is in on Khalil Small (6-2 G, Providence St. Mel), who had 26 points and 12 rebounds yesterday for the North in the 1A/2A game.

It's a college floor so it's a different experience. Since we played here before I was used to it," said Small, who is considering Ashford University, Northern Michigan and North Central College. "To get the MVP is really an honor. It tells me where I am."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Given that Todd Kelly used to be the head coach at Providence-St. Mel, it strikes me that NCC should have an "in" there.

While Coach Kelly's prior association with the recruit's HS is no doubt a positive, Northern Michigan has the advantage of being domiciled on the frozen northern shore of Michigan's Upper Peninsula where they can enjoy the "balmy" breezes off frigid Lake Superior as they waft gently across the campus, particularly during January and February, and Ashford enjoys membership and competition in the renowned Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) The what?      

[RFMichigan]

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Per the Pantagraph, North Central is in on Khalil Small (6-2 G, Providence St. Mel), who had 26 points and 12 rebounds yesterday for the North in the 1A/2A game.

It's a college floor so it's a different experience. Since we played here before I was used to it," said Small, who is considering Ashford University, Northern Michigan and North Central College. "To get the MVP is really an honor. It tells me where I am."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/small-a-big-boost-for-north-in-a--a/article_812de66c-e12e-11e2-be5e-001a4bcf887a.html

Given that Todd Kelly used to be the head coach at Providence-St. Mel, it strikes me that NCC should have an "in" there.

While Coach Kelly's prior association with the recruit's HS is no doubt a positive, Northern Michigan has the advantage of being domiciled on the frozen northern shore of Michigan's Upper Peninsula where they can enjoy the "balmy" breezes off frigid Lake Superior as they waft gently across the campus, particularly during January and February, and Ashford enjoys membership and competition in the renowned Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) The what?      

I wonder if it meant Ashland but got lost in the translation or something.

[AndOne]

Possible RF, but Ashland traditionally recruits mainly in the OH, KY, TN region. and I sense its highly unlikely the newspaper got the player's quote wrong with regard to the possible Ashford/Ashland question. Ashford, as I'm sure you know is NAIA while Ashland, like No. MI, is NCAA D2, which beyond being able to give athletic money, holds a certain attractiveness for some recruits who feel that they are just too good for D3.

We've all seen D3 recruits head to low D1 schools, D2 schools, or even NAIA schools only to spend a majority of their time there watching college basketball rather than playing college basketball. The dream of playing at a higher level than D3 is often strong enough to lure a player despite the factS that the D3 school is often much superior academically, enjoys equal or better publicity and attendance (especially where many D2 schools and probably most NAIA schools are concerned), and affords a much better chance of seeing much more meaningful playing time!

Of course, if a recruit is in luv  with a certain school, thats where he should go. And from a financial standpoint,  scholarship awarding schools often provide a family's only viable means of being able to send a young man/woman to college. 

[Gregory Sager]

I'm pretty sure that the newspaper correctly quoted Small with regard to the school recruiting him being Ashford rather than Ashland. Three of the eight players currently on the Ashford roster are Chicagolanders, and of course a fourth, Cameron Burnett, transferred from Ashford to North Park at semester break last season. Ashland, on the other hand, has zero Chicagolanders on a roster that consists almost entirely of Ohioans.

[Titan Q]

Ron Rose and the Titans have landed 6-1 G Jordan Nelson, a Division I transfer from Evansville.  Nelson will be a junior at IWU in 2013-14.

As a senior at Lincoln H.S. in 2010-11, Nelson averaged 21.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.  He was a prolific 3-point shooter, making 111 as a senior, and 346 in his HS career (at a 40% rate).   Nelson's 346 ranks 6th all-time in IHSA history.  Nelson was a named 3A/4A 2nd Team all-state by the IBCA, 3A 2nd Team by AP, and 3A/4A 1st Team by Illinois Basketball Services.  He was named "Player of the Year" by the Bloomington Pantagraph, Springfield State Journal Register, and Lincoln Courier.  Nelson was also a standout golfer, finishing second in the IHSA state tournament his junior year, and baseball player.

Nelson was used as a reserve guard this past season at Evansville.  He played in 27 games, averaged 8 minutes per game, connecting on 13 of 38 3-point attempts.  Nelson played a key role in Evansville's win at Final Four team Wichita State on February 27, playing 17 minutes, including being on the floor down the stretch.  His best game was in a March 2 win against Indiana State, when he had 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists ( 16 minutes, 4-5 FG).

Nelson is known first for his ability to shoot the basketball.  He was regarded by many as the best shooter in the state in 2010-11, with 3-point range extending well beyond the arc.  In February 2011, high school evaluator Joe Henricksen said, "The reason Nelson is a Division I player is that he offers up a bonafide Division I ability: shooting the basketball. His shot is pure, and it's a jump shot from 15 feet, 20 feet and 25 feet, with the mechanics and textbook release that is the calling card for every great shooter."  To put Nelson's 2010-11 single season total of 111 3-pointers and career total of 346 into a little perspective, IWU's single season and career 3-point FG record holder is Jordan Zimmer with 107 and 264 respectively.

Nelson, a combo guard, is also a good penetrator who can score off dribble-drive with either hand around the basket.  He is a good ball-handler in the open court and, while he probably couldn't play PG in the Missouri Valley, he should be very effective in that role, if needed, at the Division III level.

Ron Rose recruited Nelson aggressively when he was a senior at Lincoln, but it never seemed very realistic for IWU to land him at the time.  He had several Division II scholarship offers early, and a lot of Division I interest up to the mid-major level.  After his senior season ended, in addition to the D2 offers, Nelson had some low D1 offers and interest from several mid-majors.   Evansville from the Missouri Valley offered in April and he signed there.

Nelson has picked Illinois Wesleyan over D1 scholarship offers to Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, SIU-Edwardsville, and Houston Baptist, and a host of Division II offers.  He should be a good player at IWU and a big part of the backcourt rotation the next two years.



"Nelson granted this release from University of Evansville basketball team" (Evansville Courrier & Press, 6/18/13)


"Nelson plays key role in UE's win at Wichita State" (Evansville Courier & Press, 2/27/13)


Evansville player page, 2012-13 season


"Jordan Nelson growing up for Aces" (Evansville Courier & Press, 9/14/11)


"Lincoln's Nelson signs with Evansville" (Lincoln Courier, 4/26/11)


"Lincoln's Nelson named boys player of the year" (Bloomington Pantagraph, 4/3/11)


2010-11 Illinois Basketball Services 3A/4A all-state team (3/21/11)


2010-11 AP 3A all-state team (Bloomington Pantagraph, 3/16/11)


"There are times to just forget the 'eye-test'" (City/Suburban Hoops Report, 2/23/11)


Video - Lincoln vs Springfield-Lanphier, Feb 2011, 4th Q (#1 in white)


"Lincoln's Nelson a straight shooter"