MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[augie77]

Augustana
* Jake Asquini, 6-2 SG (St. Charles East H.S.)
* Jordan Bradshaw, 5-10 PG (Hinsdale Central H.S.)
* AJ Dollmeyer, 6-8/240 C (Sauk Valley CC, Polo H.S. '14)
* Nolan Ebel, 6-0 PG (Regis Jesuit H.S., Aurora, CO)
* James Fox, 6-2 PG/SG (Edgerton H.S., Wisconsin)
* Joe Kellen, 6-1 PG/SG (Rockford Lutheran H.S.)
* Jake Nowak, 6-3 G/F (Plainfield North H.S.)
* Sean O'Neil, 6-6 PF (South Eugene H.S., Oregon)
* Chrishawn Orange, 6-2 PG (Jacobs H.S.)
* Pierson Wofford, 6-4 G/F (Springfield Lutheran H.S.)

Carthage
* Matt Acevedo, 6-3 SG (Maine West H.S.)
* Mike Canady, 5-10 PG (Jacobs H.S.)
* Chris Dolce, 6-2 SG (Conant H.S.)
* Jordon Kedrowski, 6-2 PG/SG (Downers Grove North H.S.)

Elmhurst
* Adam Braxton, 6-3 G/F (Leyden Township H.S.)
* Aaron Twist, 6-11 C (West Frankfort H.S.)

Illinois Wesleyan
* Danny Baker, 6-5 SF/PF (Vianney H.S., Missouri)
* Colin Bonnett, 6-3 SG (Benet Academy, Lisle)
* Nick Coleman, 6-2 PG (St. Patrick H.S., Chicago)
* Mark Falotico, 6-1 PG (St. Viator H.S., Chicago)
* Jason Gregoire, 6-4 SG (Cary-Grove H.S.)
* Chasen Peez, 6-7 F/C (Batavia H.S.)
* Ben Sestak, 6-5 SF (Sacred Heart-Griffin H.S., Springfield)

Millikin
* Matt Kruse, 6-9 PF (NCAA D2 McKendree/Monticello H.S. '13)
* Nathaniel Lackey, 6-8 F/C (Fairfield Community H.S.)
* Nathan Lovekamp, 6-3 SG (Cerro Gordo H.S.)
* Tyler Pygon, 5-11 PG (Providence Catholic H.S.)
* Jack Simpson, 5-11 PG/SG (Kickapoo H.S., Springfield, Mo)
* Thomas Williams, 6-2 SG (Byron Nelson H.S., Trophy Club, TX '14...formerly Kaneland H.S.)

North Central
* Jagger Anderson, 6-0 PG (Lincoln College, Springfield Southeast H.S.)
* Jack Bronec, 6-8 C (St. Charles East H.S.)
* Aiden Chang, 6-2 PG/SG (Aquin H.S., Freeport)
* Tanner Gardon, 6-7 SF/PF (Larkin H.S.)
* Logan Ivy, 6-6 F/C (Plainfield Central H.S.)
* Josh Jandron, 5-10 PG/SG (Woodstock North H.S.)
* Connor Raridon, 6-5 G/F (Neuqua Valley H.S.)
* Tommy Koth, 6-3 SF (West Aurora H.S.)

North Park
* Matt Perhats, 6-1 PG (Prairie Ridge H.S. '14, Crystal Lake)
* Vance Rockford, 6-1 SG (Lane Tech)

Wheaton
* Tyrel Derrick, 6-0 PG (Lakeland H.S., Rathdrum, ID)
* Kobe Eichelberger, 6-4 SG (Trinity Prep, Maitland, FL)
* Trevor Gunter, 6-6 PF (Grace Community School, Flint, TX)
* Reagan Jones, 6-6 PF (Lake Braddock H.S., Burke, VA)
* Trae Masten, 6-7 SF (South Side H.S., Fort Wayne, IN)
* Troy Morrison, 5-11 PG (Phillips Exeter Academy, NH/Greater Atlanta Christian School '14, GA)
* Luke Peters, 6-3 G/F (Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Stow, OH)
* Michael Winowiecki, 6-3 SG (Indiana Wesleyan/Saugatuck H.S. '14, MI)

Although lacking the diversity of Wheaton's class, Augustana has recruits from four states, the most I can ever recall.

[Greek Tragedy]

UW-Superior has players from 4 different states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana and Michigan...and 6 different foreign countries: Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Brazil, Switzerland and Australia.

[Gregory Sager]

Wheaton with 8 recruits...from 8 different states.

Is it possible that Tyrel Derrick will become the first CCIW men's basketball player from the state of Idaho?

He'll most likely be the first to have graduated from an Idaho high school, but I know for a fact that he won't be the first CCIW men's basketball player to have lived for at least part of his childhood and/or adolescence in the Gem State.

UW-Superior has players from 4 different states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana and Michigan...and 6 different foreign countries: Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Brazil, Switzerland and Australia.

North Park only had four states repped on last year's roster, which is a bit low for the Park; the Vikings often have players from five or six states. There were also two Swedes on last year's team, although Swedes are becoming less and less of a novelty in the NPU men's basketball program.

If you think the lack of competition from d2 and NAIA is an advantage for the WIAC, shouldn't the mass population of the Northeast even that out? Even you said the greater Chicago area population is so many times bigger than the whole state of Wisconsin.

The much higher population of the northeast definitely works to the advantage of the northeastern public leagues over the WIAC, although of course the density of competing D3 schools, both public and private, is higher in New England and New York as well. But I think that the lack of small-scholarship-school competition confers advantages to the WIAC that go beyond simple demographics. Name recognition and awareness of tradition among the general public are much higher in Wisconsin for the WIAC schools than the public leagues in the northeast enjoy in their environs. The one league in the northeastern corridor that I would say might be an exception to that is the NJAC. The NJAC also has a big demographic advantage in that the state of New Jersey is small but very densely populated (the Garden State has the highest population density of the fifty states) and only has five D3 private schools (Drew, FDU-Florham, Stevens, Centenary (NJ), and St. Elizabeth, with the latter only fielding women's sports teams) with which to compete for in-state students. However, as I said, the NJAC has really fallen off over the past decade and a half in men's basketball. I'm not entirely sure why. Perhaps Pat Coleman has some insight into that.

The relative lack of competition from D2 and NAIA in Wisconsin is just one factor among several, though.

[sac]

If you think the lack of competition from d2 and NAIA is an advantage for the WIAC, shouldn't the mass population of the Northeast even that out? Even you said the greater Chicago area population is so many times bigger than the whole state of Wisconsin.

The Northeast has a much higher concentration colleges and universities.


I've spent 25 years watching D2's and NAIA's swoop in at the last minute and offer kids who would be sensational D3 players in Michigan.  We have 9 D2 programs and about a dozen NAIA's it makes a huge difference in quality of players that end up in the MIAA.

[badgerwarhawk]

The lack of D2 and NAIA programs in Wisconsin definitely works in our favor but the tide is slowing turning.  The Minnesota D2's are starting to make significant inroads and recruiting more heavily in Wisconsin than in years past.  Though perhaps that is more of a factor in football than basketball none the less they've become considerably more active recruiting athletes.  However we do see a fair share of transfers from these schools back into our league once they find out D2 scholarships aren't all that they are cracked up to be. 

[Greek Tragedy]

If you think the lack of competition from d2 and NAIA is an advantage for the WIAC, shouldn't the mass population of the Northeast even that out? Even you said the greater Chicago area population is so many times bigger than the whole state of Wisconsin.

The Northeast has a much higher concentration colleges and universities.


I've spent 25 years watching D2's and NAIA's swoop in at the last minute and offer kids who would be sensational D3 players in Michigan.  We have 9 D2 programs and about a dozen NAIA's it makes a huge difference in quality of players that end up in the MIAA.

I imagine that's tough to have twice as many D2 and NAIA scholarship schools than D3 schools. It'd be one thing if they were recruiting on a level playing field, but tough when they can just offer a scholarship.  As BW said, Minnesota's D2 schools, and a few Michigan schools like Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan are really starting to hawk Wisconsin players.

[Titan Q]

From Joe Henricksen...

http://highschoolcubenews.com/2015/05/22/henricksen-class-2015-headed/

I believe all of the CCIW names are on the list I've been compiling/updating.

[augiefan]

5 IWU recruits in the top 100 in Illinois. Very daunting for the rest of us. When it comes to recruiting top tier talent, nobody else in the conference ever quite matches the Titans.

[badgerwarhawk]

5 IWU recruits in the top 100 in Illinois. Very daunting for the rest of us. When it comes to recruiting top tier talent, nobody else in the conference ever quite matches the Titans.

Ya, but they're all guards.  How many guards they got now anyway? 

[AndOne]

5 IWU recruits in the top 100 in Illinois. Very daunting for the rest of us. When it comes to recruiting top tier talent, nobody else in the conference ever quite matches the Titans.

Ya, but they're all guards.  How many guards they got now anyway? 

Who says the kids listed are the top 100 players in Illinois? First, examine the wording. Joe Henricksen says "100 of the top. That implies not all of the actual top 100 are listed. Also, other journalists may other ideas about who the top 100 players in the state are. Does a Chicago based journalist, or one based anywhere else, know ALL the 100 best players in the state for certain?Doubtful.

As far as IWU goes, if you're not a good high school player, you're not going to become a member of the basketball team at IWU. But just because Joe Henricksen, or anyone else, says you're one of the absolute top 100 HS players in the state doesn't make it so.

To answer your question, the 4 IWU recruits listed as guards plus the 12 eligible to return from last year's roster, bring the total to 16 guards. With Wesleyan having what is evidently the largest roster in the conference, some posters have previously opined that IWU "hoards" players. I feel you "hoard" something you intend to use. As there is no way so many players can possibly ever be used, I don't personally feel IWU actually "hoards" players.
Is 16 guards an unnecessarily high number? Who knows? What is known is that such a large number practically guarantees many of the 16 will never actually play for IWU.

As far as recruiting "top tier talent," IWU has won the CCIW championship twice on the last 10 years, so they aren't exactly alone in that regard. 

[Greek Tragedy]

BW's post is obviously a continuation of the "hoarding players (guards)" running joke.

When I thinking of hoarding anything, I usually have no intention of using all of what I have. It's actually more of a preventive measure...preventing my opponents from using them. Or in fantasy sports terms, looking to trade my over abundance of "fill in your position" players for other positions.

Neither strategy really helps IWU. :-)

[Titan Q]

5 IWU recruits in the top 100 in Illinois. Very daunting for the rest of us. When it comes to recruiting top tier talent, nobody else in the conference ever quite matches the Titans.

Based on the names posted here, I think it's real hard to say which CCIW staff has recruited the Illinois class of 2015 the best between Augustana, IWU, and North Central.

(recruits posted from the state of Illinois, class of 2015)

Augustana
* Jake Asquini, 6-2 SG (St. Charles East H.S.)
* Jordan Bradshaw, 5-10 PG (Hinsdale Central H.S.)
* Joe Kellen, 6-1 PG/SG (Rockford Lutheran H.S.)
* Jake Nowak, 6-3 G/F (Plainfield North H.S.)
* Chrishawn Orange, 6-2 PG (Jacobs H.S.)
* Pierson Wofford, 6-4 G/F (Springfield Lutheran H.S.)

Illinois Wesleyan
* Colin Bonnett, 6-3 SG (Benet Academy, Lisle)
* Nick Coleman, 6-2 PG (St. Patrick H.S., Chicago)
* Mark Falotico, 6-1 PG (St. Viator H.S., Chicago)
* Jason Gregoire, 6-4 SG (Cary-Grove H.S.)
* Chasen Peez, 6-7 F/C (Batavia H.S.)
* Ben Sestak, 6-5 SF (Sacred Heart-Griffin H.S., Springfield)

North Central
* Jack Bronec, 6-8 C (St. Charles East H.S.)
* Aiden Chang, 6-2 PG/SG (Aquin H.S., Freeport)
* Tanner Gardon, 6-7 SF/PF (Larkin H.S.)
* Logan Ivy, 6-6 F/C (Plainfield Central H.S.)
* Josh Jandron, 5-10 PG/SG (Woodstock North H.S.)
* Connor Raridon, 6-5 G/F (Neuqua Valley H.S.)
* Tommy Koth, 6-3 SF (West Aurora H.S.)


If Connor Raridon is better than his brother Derek (CCIW M.O.P and all-American) -  which I have heard- than it's probably NCC. 

On paper it seems clear that all three staffs recruited the Illinois class of 2015 really well.  There are some outstanding CCIW prospects in each class here.

[Greek Tragedy]

Any of the Illinois folks have an insight on Stevens Point recruit Robby Nardini? I see Vernon Hills went undefeated in their conference,  posted a nice 26-5 record. But is their conference any good? What was the level of the team's competition?  Has anyone seen him play? Thanks.

[Titan Q]

Any of the Illinois folks have an insight on Stevens Point recruit Robby Nardini? I see Vernon Hills went undefeated in their conference,  posted a nice 26-5 record. But is their conference any good? What was the level of the team's competition?  Has anyone seen him play? Thanks.

Looks like a stud PG/SG recruit. 19.7 ppg, 102 3-pointers made.

http://football.dailyherald.com/article/20150129/sports/150128528/

http://basketball.dailyherald.com/article/20150305/sports/150309309/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/sports/ct-lns-boys-basketball-all-area-fab-five-st-0331-20150330-story.html

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2289390/robby-nardini

[Titan Q]

I'm not sure there is a more fertile Division III recruiting territory anywhere than the Chicago metropolitan area (city and suburbs).  A strong Division III program could get players just out of this area every year and be a consistent Top 10 program and make Salem runs.

Besides there being a ton of talent, I think Division III has a very strong brand in the Chicago area.