Off the Court Extras

6′0″ SIU-Edwardsville signee Kevin Stineman scored 27 points in a surprise victory over Zion-Benton.

6′9″ Eric McCullough of Normal U-High received an offer from Niagara University after they visited a team practice this past week.

After a 29 point performance against Bloomington, Decatur Eisenhower guard Lewis Jackson was hospitalized and diagnosed with pleurisy. Jackson is no longer hospitalized and doing well.

6′8″ Jordan Prosser of Eureka had a 15-point, 11-rebound performance in a win against 6′6″ Codey Funk and El Paso-Gridley.

Off the Court Extras

Miami-OH has offered 6′9″ Glenbrook South junior Jack Cooley.

Pinckneyville senior Kyle Cassity is one of the more overlooked guards in the 2008 class. The 6′5″ senior already has offers from Arkansas State and UMKC.

Former Aurora West star Reggie Shipp has started every game at St. Ambrose as a true freshman. Throughout eleven games he has averaged 10.4 points and 3.4 rebounds. In addition, Lafayette Gray, who started at St. Joseph last season alongside Demetri McCamey, has started in ten games and averaged 5 points and 3.6 assists.

Lookout for Durrell Robinson of Danville Area Community College. He’s an ace recruiter who is on the rise as a coach in the college basketball world.

6′7″ Billy Rush has led South Suburban C.C. to a 9-0 record. The former Thornridge star has been offered scholarships by Kent State, South Florida, UC-Santa Barbara, Valparaiso, and Wisconsin.

Illinois Offers Diamond Taylor!

According to Illinois Wolves head coach Mike Mullins, St. Joseph’s rising junior Diamond Taylor has received a scholarship offer from University of Illinois.

“Diamond was offered by Illinois,” stated Mullins.  “He is visiting Wisconsin Saturday and Illinois next weekend.”

This offer is very big as it shows what direction Bruce Weber is going with his class of 2009 recruitment.  Taylor is the fourth in-state guard out of this deep 2009 class to be offered a scholarship as Chris Colvin, D.J. Richardson, and Brandon Paul are the other three.  It is Diamond’s second Big Ten offer as Wisconsin offered him early on this year.

Bradley, Marquette, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, and Southern Illinois have all offered scholarships in addition to Wisconsin and Illinois.  Other schools that have been coming in to evaluate Taylor include Arizona State, Florida, Indiana, Miami-FL, Virginia, and Wake Forest.

Remember, you heard it here first at MidStateHoops.com!  Stay tuned for more exclusive updates!

Nik Garcia Visits Iowa, Tyler Storm Visits and NIU

-I just spoke with Nik Garcia.  He just wrapped up his visit with Iowa.  He told me that the staff is likely to give him an offer in the fall.  They did not give him an offer on the visit because the staff wants to get a better look at their team before they offer him. 

-Tyler Storm recently visited Northern Illinois.  The visit was unoffical.  Storm has an official visit with Western Illinois scheduled for some time in September.  Lehigh, Northeastern, Illinois State, Evansville, and Wisconsin-Green Bay are all still showing interest in Storm but have yet to offer him. 

   

DJ Visits Illinois, SIU Offers a Pair

-DJ Richardson visited the University of Illinois yesterday.  MSH has reason to believe that DePaul is in very good standing with Richardson as is Ohio State. 

-MSH believes that Anthony Johnson will be visiting Illinois on the same weekend as Chris Colvin.  We think that Both will be offered scholarships.  We do not believe that either will commit at that time but we feel there is a good chance both may commit eventually.

 -SIU offered scholarships to both Jordan Prosser and Nik Garcia.  Garcia is visiting Iowa today.   

-Ahmad Starks of Whitney Young and Brandon Spearman of Hales Franciscan both visited Valparaiso Yesterday where both were offered scholarhsips.