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Welcome to the Rick Spencer Basketball Report. Today I will be talking about some of the top players and teams during the regular season. This isn't based off their national rankings; this is based off their performance this year. Every player I mention below, I have seen play this year. There are some players that have played well this year that I have not seen play.
1. My top candidates for Mr. Basketball - No Particular order
Lathan Sommerville, Peoria Richwoods - 6'9 Rutgers Signee
Morez Johnson Jr, Harvey Thornton - 6'9 Illinois Signee
Cooper Koch, Metamora - 6'8 Iowa Signee
Carlos Harris III, Chicago Curie - 6'2 UIC Signee
Angelo Ciaravino, Mt Carmel - 6'5 Northwestern Signee
2. My top Seniors in the state - No Particular order
Lathan Sommerville, Peoria Richwoods - 6'9 Rutgers Signee
Morez Johnson Jr, Harvey Thornton - 6'9 Illinois Signee
Cooper Koch, Metamora - 6'8 Iowa Signee
Carlos Harris III, Chicago Curie - 6'2 UIC Signee
Angelo Ciaravino, Mt Carmel - 6'5 Northwestern Signee
Je'Shawn Stevenson Jr, Lindblom - 6'4 Cleveland State Signee
Gianni Cobb, Homewood Flossmoor - 6'0 Columbia Signee
Tyler Mason, Metamora - 6'1 Winona State Signee
Chris Riddle, Kenwood - 6'5 DePaul Signee
Jack Stanton, Downers Grove - 6'2 Princeton Signee
3. My top Juniors in the state- No Particular order
Lawrence "EJ" Horton, Chicago Phillips - 6'3: Scoring Machine
Bryce Heard, Homewood Flossmor - 6'5: Mr. Do Everything
Aleks Alston, Kenwood - 6'9: Potential is unlimited.
Antonio Munoz, Whitney Young - 6'7: Really like his energy and game.
Dietrich Richardson, Peoria Manual - 6'6: Potential as a PG could make him special.
Matthew Zobrist, Metamora - 6'2: He has been one of my favorite players since his freshman year.
Phoenix Gill, St. Ignatius - 6'2: Phoenix is playing well and leading his team.
Bradley Longcor, Quincy - 6'3: Both games I saw this year, Bradley played and shot the ball well.
Lashawn Stowers, Peoria High - 6'4: Lashawn has been everything for Peoria High this year.
Mike Jones and Tristian Ford, I have not seen them play this year, but both of these young men futures are bright.
4. My top Sophomores in state: No Particular order
Gaberial Sularski, Benet: 6'6 SG: Can stroke it and plays smart.
Lincoln Williams, Kankakee: 6'6 SG: Does a little bit of everything, saw him play 3 times this year.
Marquis Clark, Whitney Young: 6'2 PG: smooth with the ball in his hands and has nice mid-range game.
Stephen Brown, Marist: 6'7 F: Can score on all three levels, fun player to watch.
Rajan Roberts, Kenwood: 6'1 PG: Crafty with the ball and shot is improving.
Latrell Kelley and BJ Powell, I didn't get a chance to see a play during the season, both of these young men are talented.
5. My top Freshman in the state: No Particular order
Davion Thompson, Bolingbrook: 6'2 CG- Davion just knows how to score, he is a bucket getter in every way.
Jaxson Davis, Warren: 6'1 PG- MVP of Proviso West Holiday Tournament, first freshman to win it, that says it all.
Devin Cleveland, Kenwood: 6'1 SG- Devin can flat outshoot the ball. Good passer as well
Howard Williams, Whitney Young: 6'6 F- Good scorer around the basket and shot is coming along, good rebounder.
JJ Howard, Carbondale: 5'9 PG- Good floor general and he can shoot the ball. JJ is a leader and plays the game the right way.
6. My Favorite players to watch boys/girls:
A. Lathan Sommerville, Peoria Richwoods: 6'9 Rutgers Signee, can score at all three levels, excellent rebounder, scorer and passer. Lathan's ball handling is good, and he has had double figure games in assists this year. Lathan is fun to watch.
B. Morez Johnson, Harvey Thornton: 6'9 Illinois Signee, I love watching Morez play. He is a great rebounder and has improved on his 3 pt shooting and scoring. He could average 7 to 8 more points a game easily, but he plays within his teams’ system. Morez is a good passer and great teammate.
C. Aaliyah Guyton, Peoria High Girls: 5'7 PG Iowa Signee, Aaliyah is a stone-cold killer when it comes to scoring. She can score at all three levels; she has great handle and is an excellent passer. I love watching her play.
D. EJ Horton, Chicago Phillips: 6'3 CG, has any junior played better this year? EJ can score at all three levels, and he makes it look easy. EJ can get to the basket at will to finish or set up a teammate. EJ is explosive on both sides of the ball and he can take over a game at anytime. EJ is by far one of my favorite players to watch.
E. Angelina "Angie" Smith, Bolingbrook Girls: 5'7 PG, DePaul Signee, Angie is a true leader, and she can get to the bucket at will. She just understands how to play the game. She is a winner and understands when and how to take over a game. Angie's game is fun to watch.
F. Je'Shawn Stevenson, Lindblom: 6'4 G, Cleveland State Signee, Je'Shawn is a walking bucket, and he is a leader. Je'Shawn has had an excellent year, and he scores in a variety of ways. Je'Shawn is an underrated passer, and he does a good job of keeping his teammates involved.
G. Davion Thompson, Bolingbrook: 6'2 CG, Davion reminds me of a smaller Lawrence Moten (Former NBA and Syracuse star). Davion just knows how to play, and he doesn't rush or force things. Davion just knows how to score; he has a strong understanding of taking advantage of angles and mismatches. Davion is fun to watch.
H. Jared Jackson, Peoria Richwoods: 6'3 unsigned CG. Jared guards the best player ever game and he will dunk on you at any given moment. Jared is the ultimate team player, and he has played big in big moments and games. College coaches, keep an eye on this young man.
I. Cooper Koch, Metamora: 6'8 Iowa Signee, Cooper is one of the top shooters in the state. Watching him move without the ball, cutting to the rim is pure beauty. Cooper is an underrated passer and post player. Cooper can score on all three levels, and he has been clutch all year. I've been watching Cooper since the 8th grade, and he has only gotten better.
J. Kloe Froebe, Lincoln: 5'8 G, Colorado State Signee, Kloe has scored over 3,000 pts for her career, I was blessed to be in O'Fallon when she scored her 3,000 pt. Kloe can score any way she wants. She scores at all three levels, and she is the ultimate team player. Kloe is a pure bucket, and she is fun to watch.
K. Rico Jackson, Peoria High: 5'10, Unsigned PG, Rico is quick and explosive, his dribble penetration is as good as I've seen in a long time. He can beat his defender at anything. He plays with passion and heart. He is a good shooter and defender. Rico approach to the game is all toughness and he is fun to watch.
7. My Favorite Teams to Watch boys/girls
A. Benet Academy - I really enjoy watching Coach Heidkamp's teams play. They run the offensive with great ball movement and motion. They talk on defense, and they fight to the end. The kids play with freedom but yet structure.
B. Bolingbrook Girls- Coach Smith does a really good job with his team. They play hard, disciplined, and smart. Coach Smith team is deep, and they just may have the best starting 5 in the state, this includes both boys and girls. They four starting seniors have all signed and top 10 sophomore in the country Trinity Jones.
C. Harvey Thornton - Coach Streets has his team playing well and he played every top team in the state. Thornton's schedule has prepared them for their state run. Their pressure defense and good ball movement on offensive is nice to watch, this all starts with Morez Johnson unselfish play.
D. Chicago Curie - Coach Oliver gets the best of his teams. Their defense and ball movement are fun to watch. He allows his kids to play with freedom and they still play under control. It also helps that Carlos Harris III seems to always make the right play at the right time.
E. Peoria Richwoods - Coach Smith has a really good team that is on a roll. The play through Lathan Sommerville and the 4 good guards are clicking right now. This team plays with freedom, and they play hard. They maybe one of the best defensive teams in the state.
F. Alton Girls - Coach Howard has this young team playing fast, hard and smart. I enjoy how after every timeout her team will score or get a great shot. Alton is a fun team to watch.
G. Metamora - Coach Grieves has his team rocking and rolling. They have won 24 out of their last 25 games. The ball movement is special, and it seems like they always get a good shot. The two-man action between Koch and Mason is tough to stop.
8. Future players to watch:
I watched two middle school games this year and I saw some players we all should keep an eye on. Chicago Prairie Hills vs Peoria Christ Lutheran -This game came down to the wire and these young men did not disappoint. Darrius Hawkins Jr from Prairie Hills is a player, reminds me of a young Stephon Marbury. He made big shots and plays all game, this young man is poised, confident and skilled. Peoria Christ Lutheran had two players that caught my attention, PG Nigel Moore who made the game winning shot and SF Anfrenee Moore. Nigel is a smooth lead guard; he is in attack mode at all times. Nigel has a good handle, jumper and dribble penetration. He wasn't afraid of the moment, and he accepted the challenge playing against Darrius. Anfrenee can score inside and out. He is a good rebounder and defender; he can score with the best of them.
The second game I saw was Peoria Rolling Acres vs Peoria Von Steuben - The game was close early on but then Rolling Acres pulled away and won big. Rolling Acres has three players we should keep an eye on, PG Orlando Edwards Jr - Smooth lefty that can really shoot the ball, he has good handle and court vision. He runs the show and shows poise and leadership. Forward Rico Jackson - Rico has been dunking for years and he can score around the basket. Rico runs the floor well and he can handle the rock. CG Amarion Smith - this young man offensive package is impressive. Amarion can score at will and his game is advanced for a kid his age. His handle is top of the line, he is fearless and confident. Amarion was clearly the best player on the court. These three young men should all see varsity playing time during their freshman season. For Von Steuben, SG Jacob Duffin is athletic and plays in attack mode on both ends of the court, he shot the 3 ball well and scored easy at the basket. Then there was 7th grader Kingston Weatherspoon. Kingston is a lefty that can shoot the lights out and he runs the team like a veteran. Kingston made some passes that a kid his age shouldn't be able to make. His court vision is special.
In the next week we will be interviewing the following:
Coach Grieves from Metamora
Coach Smith from Peoria Richwoods
Coach Smith from Bolingbrook Girls
Several of the top players in the state
