Illinois Transfer Portal: Recruiting Updates
Right now the biggest thing in college basketball is the transfer portal! So at Prep Hoops Illinois we are catching up with some of the top transfers that played their prep ball in Illinois to see where there recruitments currently…
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Continue ReadingRight now the biggest thing in college basketball is the transfer portal! So at Prep Hoops Illinois we are catching up with some of the top transfers that played their prep ball in Illinois to see where there recruitments currently stand.
Jimmy Sotos (Bucknell)
One of the most coveted transfers that popped up this past week was former Conant lead guard Jimmy Sotos. He was a highly ranked high school prospect with his basketball IQ, perimeter marksmanship, and playmaking ability. This past year as a junior at Bucknell he averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and shot 37% from three point range. Sotos tells PHI he has been in communication with Butler, Gonzaga, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Xavier.
Update: Sotos committed to Ohio State on Monday morning.
Drew Peterson (Rice)
Peterson was one of the top prospects in his class out of high school where he played at Libertyville. Long and rangy wing averaged 11.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists this past season at Rice. He shot 41% from the field and 32% from three in 32 minutes a game. Peterson tells PHI the schools that are involved right now in his recruitment are USC, Butler, Georgetown, and Richmond. Still early in the process, but those are the programs that have been in contact!
Zion Young (Western Illinois)
Young is a former Simeon Wolverines that averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and shot 41% from three point territory in 28 minutes a game this past season as a junior. He told us that he has been in communication with a ton of schools and hasn’t cut things down yet. The schools he has heard from include Loyola, DePaul, Northwestern, Oakland, San Diego, Northern Illinois, Omaha, UIC, Southern Illinois, SIU-Edwardsville, Portland, Kent State, USC, Colorado State, Miami (OH), Southern Utah, Central Michigan, and Eastern Michigan.
Anthony D’Avanzo (Lewis)
This skilled power forward from Lewis was a prospect we were pretty on in his high school days at Niles Notre Dame and with Chicago Lockdown. He produced in a major way this past year as a junior averaging 15.8 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field and 40% from three in 33 minutes a game at the D2 level. That has resulted in quite a few colleges showing interest in his services. He says the schools involved are Toledo, Southern Illinois, DePaul, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Wyoming, UW-Milwaukee, Drake, Missouri State, and William & Mary. He is probably going to cut it down to five or so in the next week.
Zion Griffin (Iowa State)
Griffin was the #3 overall prospect in the PHI 2018 high school class. Great combination of power, strength, and elite athleticism. He committed to Iowa State out of high school and after his sophomore year decided to transfer. On Friday night he told PHI he has narrowed his list of suitors to Grand Canyon, Ball State, Wyoming, UIC, Buffalo, and Toledo.
Devin Gage (DePaul)
Gage was the #7 player in the 2016 graduating class in the state of Illinois. Strong combo guard that can play both on and off the ball. As a junior at DePaul he averaged 4.5 points, 1.7 assists, and shot 46.3% from the field. We spoke with his former high school assistant coach at Curie and director of Team Rose Jerrel Oliver who said some of the main players in this recruitment currently are Pacific, Utah State, San Diego, and Rhode Island.
Sean Houpt (Bradley)
Houpt was a standout at Danville on some of the best teams that school has seen. Sharp shooting lefty with toughness. The sophomore walk on has decided to leave Bradley and pursue playing elsewhere. He tells PHI that he has D2 offers from Minnesota State, Southwest Baptist, and Kentucky Wesleyan. Hillsdale is in the mix as well. A few low-major D1s have been in a little contact as well.
Destin Barnes (Jacksonville)
This former 6’6″ shooting guard from Jacksonville had a strong junior season where he averaged 12.1 points and 3.4 rebounds. Shot 39% from the field and 32% from three. PHI spoke with Barnes who says he has been in contact with DePaul, Southern Illinois, Old Dominion, College of Charleston, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal State Fullerton.