best high school basketball players in illinois best high school basketball players in illinois

Thank you for submitting a news tip to BVM Sports! He was that talented of a player and that dynamic of a high school basketball figure. We may all come from different walks of life but we have one common passion - learning through travel. As a junior in the city title game, Okafor went for 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks, including the game-saving block of Billy Garretts shot in Youngs 60-56 overtime win over Morgan Park. Check out: 10 Famous Basketball Players who played for Duke. He was chosen for the 20102011 Big Ten seasons third team AlAllBigen as a senior. Below are the 128 all-staters from Class 1A, Class 2A, Class 3A and Class 4A. HONORABLE MENTION (23): Denver Anderson, Mt. Professional basketball player Eddie Johnson photo by United States Forest Service Wikimedia commons. We grouped our selections in four 16-team divisions: the top champions from the city, from the suburbs, from downstate defined as anywhere in Illinois other than the city and suburbs and the 16 best girls state champions. Prep girls basketball action remains in full . He began 30 of the 32 games he played as a freshman, finishing third in the Big Ten Conference in assists with 4.53 per contest. The final spot in the state championship game for the IHSA 3A Tournament is set between second-ranked Lincoln (35-0) and fourth-seeded Deerfield (29-5) today. This came after a junior season in which he put up 24.8 points and 12.6 rebounds. He was the only Illini to start every game of the 34 during his senior year, and he finished second on the team in scoring with an average of 12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 33 minutes. High School Basketball; Current Affairs; Off-Topic Board; . The Portland Trail Blazers acquired him in the NBA draft as a third-round pick. You will now be able to customize your experience on our website. Off-the-court issues plagued Richmond, including a short period of time in prison. Since the beginning of the game, players from Illinois have had a significant influence, and they have flourished even after leaving Illinois. Heaven Chea Washington. Tisdale is an Illinois native who spent 20072011 as a student at the University of Illinois. Oak Forests Robbie Avila (21) maintains possession of the ball during the game against DePaul Prep at the Riverside Brookfield Summer Shootout. Since being the No. Altenberger ranks in Illinois' all-time top 25 in scoring (1,271 career points) and holds the Illini record with a three-point shooting percentage of .472 over his four seasons. Its a little more challenging for a potential player to be fully recognized and appreciated. 1. Clearly, Illinois knows how to produce exceptional girls basketball players and the programs that have landed recruits from the state are keenly aware of this fact. McDonald's All-American. SIGN IN. In 196566, he averaged 27.8 points per game and established the record for most points in a season (668). Unfortunately, an academic scandal disrupted Curies season as Alexanders Condors lost in the regional after dominating the regular season. But with his continued improvement and the upside that still remains, Benson has climbed into the top 10 as we head into July. 10 min read. It's a pretty simple concept you have the No. February 24, Scott Burgess Williams and his colleagues made it to the Elite 8 in 2001 while still attending Illinois. Thank you for submitting a news tip to BVM Sports! 2023 BVM Sports. With 177 blocks, Thomas blocked more shots than any Illini player ever. As a result, Bensons recruitment has exploded. Dawson transferred to Illinois after his sophomore year and was chosen to the 1974 All-Big Ten team as well as an academic All-American. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. In their 12 triumphs throughout the season, he scored 14.8 points on average. As a junior and senior he led the Spartans to a combined record of 57-7 and two sectional championships, the first two in program history. Vote for the girls high school Player of the Week in southwestern IL from Feb. 20-24. Ty Rodgers Thornton Township (Harvey . Life on a third straight one-year contract with the mega-talented Astros isnt bad at all. That evolution is chronicled in Glory Days, as 50 of the state's best high school basketball players from the past five decades sit down to chat with longtime prep basketball scribe Taylor Bell. Vernon was the City/Suburban Hoops Reports No. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ . An isolation scorer who can score in multiple ways off the dribble from three, mid-range and in drives to the basket. March 2, Scott Burgess 0.8767. 3 in their respective draft classes. Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team; No Results for 2004 Basketball . He had a few signature moments, including a Pontiac Holiday Tournament semifinal performance for the ages. High School: Link Academy (Branson, Missouri). What this all says is that picking an Illinois All-Decade Team wasnt easy, though the criteria is quite simple. In 2004, Gill was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team.. Dissette averaged 22.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and shot 56 percent from the floor in his junior season and was at his best in the Class A state title game with 22 points and 13 rebounds in a 73-62 win over West Fargo on his way to being named Class A Tournament MVP. Dave Downey (NCAA 1963 program) photo by NCAA Wikimedia commons. Jamaal McKnight Jr Maryland. From 1941 to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1947, Philip attended the University of Illinois. On February 6, he scored his 1,000th point against Indiana, and he finished his career with 1,178 points to place 26th all-time among Illini scorers. Hes spent time with the Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and will play this season with the Atlanta Hawks. He was chosen as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference selection by the coaches and the media following the 200910 regular season. Recently on Feb. 21, Davenport North squared off . West Des Moines Dowling Catholic trucked Davenport North on the road to a 52-38 victory on Feb. 27 in Iowa girls high school basketball action. 0. Supporting cast: Bobby Jones (64), Steve Thomas (64), M.C. Montverde Academy (Florida) has won Geico Nationals in back-to-back years and remains No. He averaged 20.7 points per game and finished his career second in school history with a.609 field goal percentage. The Illini finished with an 18-6 record during Thorens senior year, placing third in the Big Ten with a 10-4 record. As a senior in 19921993, Kaufmann averaged 17.3 points per game. 2 has narrowed. Davis was the consensus college National Player of the Year while leading Kentucky to a national championship as a freshman. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 U19 World Championship as he led Team USA to a gold medal. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. He was selected as a McDonalds All-American and won the states Mr. Basketball award. In the 19941995 and 19961997 seasons, Garris also held the team record for assists. Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team. The basketball team Phillip captained was undoubtedly the best in the country and served as its unofficial captain. Other teams such the mid-1990s Thornton juggernaut that was blocked by Peoria Manuals dynasty; the 1977 Westinghouse team that featured Mark Aguirre and Eddie Johnson but didnt make it out of the city playoffs; Edwardsvilles mid-1950s teams with future Globetrotters Mannie Jackson and Govoner Vaughn; and the 1954 DuSable team that put Chicago basketball on the map certainly belong in any discussion of the states best all-time teams, but this list is for champions only. Williams was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Chicago Regional in the NCAA Tournament and was a nominee for the Wooden Award. He gained notoriety for his abilities and the Fighting Illinis triumphs in the two seasons (19411943 and 19461947), which were interrupted by the world war. The Illinois High School Association was . With his 2,682 career points, Brunson is among the top 20 all-time scorers in state history. Cupps was named Mr. Ohio Basketball and Ohio MaxPreps Player of the Year as a junior and is committed to playing for Indiana. As a bonus, Okafor was huge in Youngs biggest games: 35 points and 13 rebounds in a sectional final win over St. Rita; 33 points and 14 rebounds in a state semifinal win over Stevenson; 22 points and 23 rebounds against Providence (Fla.) in the City of Palms Classic; and he averaged 31 points and 12.5 rebounds in the loaded Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon. With 2,129 points scored throughout his career and an average of 18.0 points per game, Thomas completed his playing days as the Fighting Illinis all-time top scorer. Best Version Media, LLC. Here is a look at the 10 best Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA) boys basketball players in the Class of 2023. He ranks sixth in Big Ten history with his career 3-pointers and career steals. As a senior he averaged 31.2 points and had seven games of 40-plus points. From 1966 to 1969, he was a student at the University of Illinois. Harper played at Illinois for three seasons, with his finest year coming in 19821983 where he led the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game. He is likely most known among Fighting Illini supporters for his game-winning shot against Michigan State University. On Feb. 26, ESPN's basketball version of "College Gameday" will be in Iowa City for No. 1. It is universally recognizable that Illinois produces top-notch athletes, including some of the best basketball players in the nation. A ranking of the 2022 Best NFL Football Players in Illinois. 1 and No. Luther Head of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) photo byKeith Allison Wikimedia commons. Hes playing with more aggressiveness, confidence and showcasing some pop and quick second leap off the floor. In 2004, he was selected for the All-Century Team at the University of Illinois. He ranks fifth in Big Ten history in his career assists. Douglas had a stellar career with Illinois, where he was a statistical leader in numerous categories. Last season he played in 49 games for the Wizards, averaging 15 minutes and 5.5 points. Happy travels! IL High School Basketball Scores Today 23 Games Tomorrow 3 Games Marian Catholic26-7 Lemont27-6 Today 7:00pm Geneva24-9 Wheaton-Warrenville South27-5 Today 7:00pm C Calvary26-7 Madison17-12 Today 7:00pm Saint Ignatius College Prep21-11 Westinghouse19-10 Today 7:00pm Sacred Heart-Griffin29-3 Normal West19-14 Today 7:00pm High School: Pewaukee High School (Pewaukee, Wisconsin). Post-high school career:In three seasons at Villanova, Brunson won a pair of national championships. Kerr scored 1,299 points in his three varsity seasons, averaging 18.6 points per game overall. Also won state in 1960 behind George Wilson (back row, fouth from left) and suffered playoff defeats by one and two points in 1959 and 1961. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and has played four seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and is currently with the New Orleans Pelicans. Choose your favorite sports and teams to follow to be able to see all of the content you want to enjoy first. In 2004, he was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team. He was chosen to be a part of the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fames 2019 class. He averaged 9.3 points as a rookie last season. Weatherspoon, who was a member of the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1974, played in the NBA for a total of seven seasons with the San Diego Clippers, the Chicago Bulls, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Washington Bullets. 2026; 2025; 2024; 2023; 2022 . Adan Diggs Arizona. A ranking of the 2004 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois . We also wanted to know or did we? Tavari Johnson of Lyons Township, who was an unknown in the class just 18 months ago, has also joined Benson as a newcomer to the top 10. Altenberger was. Top 10 Chicago high school basketball players of all time The Chicagoland area is second to none when it comes to high school basketball. Brunson also scored 57 points in a big double overtime win over Lake Forest and 48 points in a matchup with Chaminade and Jayson Tatum in the Cancer Research Classic in West Virginia. Downey received the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor in 1963 for his achievements in both academics and athletics. Although Kerrs senior season was the greatest of his three varsity seasons, the team would go on to have the least successful run during the same period. The top prospect in the class possesses the versatility and physical profile that opens eyes with his size, length and athleticism. Huff continues to show an array of skill and production at his size that is so enticing with how the game is played today. Welcome to Stadium Talk's picks for the best boys basketball players in every state headed into the 2022-2023 season. A 4-man with versatility and a terrific body, dimensions and growing skill to work with. Thus, a bust at the next level really isnt relevant (Jereme Richmond), nor is a late bloomer with a modest high school career who went on to become a star at the next level (Frank Kaminsky). He wrapped up his career with eye-popping numbers, including 2,508 points and 1,004 rebounds in his four-year career. In his debut game, he scored 22 points. That was a fairly lofty status for a relative unknown player from the southern part of the state. CENTRALIA Centralia couldn't get any closer than seven points in the second half and fell to East St. Louis, 53-39, in the first semifinal of the IHSA Class 3A Centralia boys basketball . My goodness. Star: George Wilson (86 points in last four state games). Bryce Curry Ohio. In 1957, Bon Salle received All-American recognition as a senior and was chosen by the NBAs Syracuse Nationals in the 1957 draft. Recommended Lists: Badminton Players Baseball Players 5 Shaquille O' Neal (Basketball player) 135 32 Birthdate: March 6, 1972 Sun Sign: Pisces Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States Shaquille O'Neal is an American former basketball player who currently works as a sports analyst. Even while playing inferior competition, Perspectives finished 6-19 as Davis put up 32 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocked shots. MP Stats for iPad Stat keeping for basketball teams. Wessels continued to play centre as a junior in the 195960 campaign for a group that placed third in the conference with a 167 overall record. There is no other way to explain it. Robinson was revered for breaking the color barrier, but dont forget about those who followed. Here's a look at our top Chicago high school basketball stars to ever grace the hardwood. He now ranks 12th all-time in Illinois scoring after concluding his collegiate career as the most prolific scorer in school history. Guyton, is one of the most sought-after guards in the Class of 2024, with a dozen or more Division I offers. Georgia Altenberger played for Illinois from 1982 to 1987. . The career Liddell put together is pretty remarkable. He was gifted on the offensive side of the game which was an important aspect that allowed Illinois to soar to its highest levels. Steve Bardo photo by TonyTheTiger Wikimedia commons. In 2009, he graduated from Illinois with a bachelors degree in recreation management. Richmonds career, albeit a bit mercurial, was outstanding. Hes also a better athlete than hes often given credit for being while also creating more off the dribble that will help him make another offensive leap. Alexander averaged 25 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks as a senior and was named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year. DePaul womens basketball star Aneesah Morrow, a second-team All-American as only a freshman last season, was a standout at Simeon in Chicago before making her way to the collegiate level. High School: Cathedral High School (Indianapolis). 2022 Illinois High School Boys Basketball Player Rankings | Prep Hoops Illinois 2022 Rankings WL indicates Watch List Access all of Prep Hoops Subscribe for access to all premium articles and rankings. His 17.3 points per game rank as Illinois eighth-best career average. His leadership helped the Illini win the Big Ten mens basketball tournament, and in 200203, he was awarded the games best player. Both Yorkville Christians Jaden Schutt and Glenbard Wests Braden Huff are nipping at his heels with both of their individual recruitments heating up. First all-black team to win state. With the 2022-23 basketball season fast approaching, here are the top 10 seniors for the upcoming season. High School: Jefferson Senior High School (Minneapolis). The best Illinois high school basketball players of the decade Ranking the top 10 players in Illinois from the 2009-2010 season through the 2018-2019 season and a few others that just missed. Facebook; Twitter; instagram; FB Rec. It's rare to find a player this young who has already crafted his reputation based on his defense and rebounding. In three seasons at Illinois, Scholz averaged 20.5 points(second) and 9.7 boards per game, fifth-best in school history. Austin Parks, St. Mary's Memorial, junior, 6'9" Averaged 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore and earned second-team all-league honors. Cook assisted in guiding the Illini to a top seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. A very short NBA career consisted of a total of 10 points in eight games for the Portland Trail Blazers. With 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds, Augustine was the first player in school history and just the 12th player in Big Ten history. 2023 www.rrstar.com. Buzelis averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals for Brewster in 2021-22 and played for the World Team at the Nike Hoop Summit following his season. A slight-framed point guard and decisive decision-maker who controls offensive tempo naturally, Johnson has finally made a name for himself among college coaches this past month. Players received five points for a first-team vote and three points for a second-team vote. Bettendorf Pleasant Valley charged West Des Moines Valley and collected a 43-28 victory at West Des Moines Valley High on Feb. 27 in Iowa girls high school basketball action . By Joe Henricksen Apr 25, 2022, 6:58am PST Top 100 +. Post-high school career:Liddell is currently a freshman at Ohio State. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? Still, at the pinnacle of their game, Illinois doesnt show any signs of slowing down anytime soon in producing exceptional athletes and its a matter of time before another star athlete comes out of Illinois. The high school basketball season is set to tip off, and once again, the state of Illinois features some of the top talent in the country. Coach: Spin Salario As the spring played out and summer arrived, downstate big man NJ Benson of Mt. IHSA girls basketball state finals:Predicting the champions | WATCH: TV schedule, * Tied for the final spot on a five-player team; ** Unanimous. Throughout his three seasons as a player, Burwell averaged 12.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore, 18.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a junior, and 15.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a senior. This week we're looking at the midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Unfortunately, he was not drafted into the NBA and never got a chance to show his skills at the grandest stage. Parkers biggest attribute is that he won. His career average of 8.3 rebounds per night matched him for eighth place on the schools all-time list. Cadeau is one of the more unique prospects you'll see on this list he plays for Sweden's national team (his mom is Swedish) and helped lead them to the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B gold medal over the summer, earning tournament MVP honors after he averaged 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Thoren was voted team MVP, first-team All-Big Ten, and first-team All-American following the season. Co-captain of the 2005 team that finished with a record of 37 victories and competed for the national championship, Brown was unstoppable, scoring 1,812 points, dishing out 674 assists, and maintaining 231 steals. Jordan Fisher Canada. And forget about the ranking as Parker was the No. In the fall of 1957, Wessels enrolled at the University of Illinois and started playing basketball for the freshmen squad. Where Castillo really turned heads for the first time was in international play as he helped lead the Team USA U16 National Team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas World Championships in 2021. a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruits.More Info About . 3 ranked prospect in the country in the Class of 2013. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. Crestwood (North York ONT CAN) 5. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. The squad finished the year with a coachs rank of 16, winning the Kentucky Invitational Tournament during the season. The son of a former Lithuanian National Team player, Buzelis started his career at Hinsdale Central (Ill.) High and is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after spending what would be his freshman year of college with the NBA's G-League Ignite. Post-high school career:As a unanimous first-team All-American at Duke as a freshman, Okafor led the Blue Devils to the 2015 national championship. After taking over for Bryan Leonard in the third game of the 198283 season, Winters started at power forward for the following four years. In 1983, Harper was chosen to the First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-American teams, while in 1981 and 1982, he received Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition. 11/08/2022 Joliet West Tigers Kenwood Academy Broncos Rolling Meadows Mustangs East St. Louis Flyers Moline Maroons Whitney Young Dolphins Neal F. Simeon Career Academy Wolverines Lake Forest Scouts Basketball The drastically different team is built around its All-Star cornerstone, and new players will match her intensity, The best Illinois high school basketball players of the decade, High school football notebook: Malik Elzy quickly catches on, Aidan Gray picks Northwestern, Illini start hot, City/Suburban Hoops Report Three-Pointer: Observations from the first live period weekend, High school football notebook: Brooks Bahr picks Michigan, Frank Covey heads to Northwestern, Ken Leonard prepares to retire, The Astros Dusty Baker 73 years young is still at it, and hes one Hall of a manager. Sports Illustrated recently released its college basketball All-Decade Team and included Davis on the first team, while Kaminsky, Okafor and Brunson all made the second team. Dotzler's stats have made a significant leap each year, and as a junior, he averaged 15.7 points, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals. He was also a monster when it mattered most, putting up big numbers in Belleville Wests biggest games. Battles hustle and amazing slam dunks made him a fan favourite. Sterling Brown County (5-10, Sr., PG) 31; Grace Bishop, Albion Edwards County (5-8, Fr., F) 20; Gracie Heckert, Cowden Herrick/Beecher City (5-10, Sr., G) 20; Sophia Hoffmann, Carlyle (5-6, Soph., G) 18; Whitney Sullivan, Orangeville (6-3, Jr., G/F) 18; Delaney Panozzo, Grant Park (6-3, Sr., PG) 14; Brook Pieper, Abingdon Avon (6-1, Sr., C) 12; Shelby Veltrop, Morrison (6-3, Sr., F/C) 12; Abby Compton, Goreville (6-0, Jr., F) 11; Alexa Jamison, Catlin Salt Fork (5-6, Soph., G) 11; Ella Boyer, Tuscola (5-5, Sr., G) 9; Ava Heinz, Brimfield (6-1, Soph., F/C) 9; Taryn Wickman, Havana (5-9, Sr., G/F) 9; Addi Fair, Gardner-South Wilmington (5-6, Jr., G) 8; Audrey Sabol, Nokomis (6-0, Sr., F) 8; Alexis Wade, Mt. Stay connected with BVM Sports: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram, {"rules": {"password": "required", "password_confirm": {"equalTo": "#registerPassword"}}}. 13. Best High School Boys Basketball Player in Every State 2022: West, Best High School Girls Basketball Player in Every State 2022: West. Huff can be utilized in a wide range of roles. Simeons Jabari Parker shoots a jumper over Youngs Paul White. He's also the only sophomore from the midwestern states to make our list. From 1993 through 1997, Garris played point guard for the University of Illinois collegiate basketball team. He contributed to the Illinois teams 37 victories in 2005 and helped it advance to the national championship game by making a lot of three-pointers. Bruce Douglas started at the University of Illinois for four years. From 1998 to 2002, the 63 guard played basketball for the University of Illinois. Playoff results: W 70-64 vs. Rock Falls (state final), W 74-62 vs. West Aurora (state semifinal), W 72-59 vs. Herrin (state quarterfinal), W 63-43 vs. Elgin (supersectional), W 68-59 (OT) vs. Dunbar (city final). WNBA standouts Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith once took the hardwood at the high school level in the state. He still maintains the Illini career steals (324) and assists (765) records. Kendall Gill, Stephen Bardo, Kenny Battle, Lowell Hamilton, and Marcus Liberty were all teammates of Andersons who went on to play in the NBA, with only Hamilton missing out on playing in the NBA. Davis played basketball for Illinois in college after graduating from high school. He finished his career as Rock Islands all-time leading scorer (2,159) and rebounder (773). The Dallas Mavericks selected Brunson with the 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Gill was nominated to the first-team All-American (UPI) and led the Big Ten in scoring as a senior. Let us look at 30 of the best high school players of all time. DePaul's very own Aneesah Morrow played for Carmel and has been incredible so far. Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; . Robert Archibald photo by Elemaki Wikimedia commons. Why do we love Biliew so much? Their contributions to the sport of basketball are unmatched, as are their successes, abilities, and on-court manoeuvres. The athleticism has improved. Maybe more than anyone on this list, Ulis lifted an entire basketball program to state relevancy. For 20 years, his 40-point outburst as a sophomore would stand as the school record. He led the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances as a point guard. He owns the Illinois team records for career points (179) and career field goals (64) in the NCAA Tournament. 2022 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois (0) 2022 . Throughout his three varsity seasons at Illinois, he amassed 1449 points while averaging 20.1 points and 10.3 rebounds each game. 50 Best Illinois Basketball Players of All Time. With these statistics, he tied for eighth place in school history for steals. When he graduated, he ranked third in school history for games played with 138 and was second all-time at Illinois in terms of rebounding (909), scoring (1,279 points) at number 22, and games played 138 which put him at third. From 1987 through 1989, Battle competed in collegiate sports at the University of Illinois. He was selected for the University of Illinois All-Century Team in 2004. Lincoln High's 7-foot-1 center, JT Rock (another great name) still has two years to develop before he gets to the next level. Kaufmann scored 9.8 points per game in 29 games as a sophomore in 19891990. 12. There was a stretch during the first half of the decade where the state was churning out generational talent, many who left their mark on the sport forever. He scored 6.5 points on average in their 12 defeats. Bradfords most notable claim to fame was his 88-game streak, which set an NCAA record for the most consecutive games with a three-point field goal, before it was surpassed on February 13, 2001. Some of the greatest basketball players in history still call it home. In the early 1960s, Illinois had a physical presence in the middle thanks to Bill Burwell. During his senior year state title run, the first in Rock Island history, Randle averaged 21.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He averaged 17 points per game while playing for Illinois.