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Illinois basketball recruits: We're signing Wednesday
Posted by: Paul Klee
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:41 AM
You would have to go back a ways to find a more scrutinized and analyzed and hyped and overhyped Illinois basketball recruiting class than the 2009 recruiting class.
And I still don't know if you can find one. That could be true for several reasons: A) This class figures to be rated by recruiting services somewhere among the top 20 classes in the country B) Bruce Weber hasn't recruited a top-20 class to Illinois C) Recruiting information and misinformation has never been more widespread.
If you go by the ratings, some Illinois fans have waited about five years for a class like this.
Sprinkle in a touch of E.J. Gordon, and the anticipation reaches a boil.
That's the good news for you folks.
Here's the better news.
"I'm going to send the letter (of intent) in the morning on Wednesday," Brandon Paul said last night.
"I'm planning on signing on Wednesday," D.J. Richardson said last night.
"I'm going to send it in the morning (on Wedneday)," Joseph Bertrand said last night.
"I've been waiting for this day for long time," Tyler Griffey said last night. "I'm going to send it in on Wednesday morning."
IlliniHQ will have you covered on signing day. Go here for HQ's signing day plans, so you can make your plans, since the four Illinois recruits have made their plans.
pklee@news-gazette.com
Comments
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Posted by TBROWN on November 11, 2008 at 11:25 AM
I am really looking forward to the class of 2009 and 2010 putting the Illini back on the map, which could produce the best back to back classes in Illini history.....how exciting, but my concerns about the how the now will effect the future. Let me explain. The classes of 2009 and 2010 were in 8th grade and freshman in high school when they saw that great team of 2005 make there run to the Final Four, when those kids are still trying to decide where to go. My concern is that those 8th graders and freshman in high school today are NOT WATCHING an Illini team that has no ESPN exposure, no top 25, and probably no NCAA tournament in back to back years. Are the classes of 2012 and 2013 going to flop like the last two? I understand that these things often times run in cycles, but having a losing record in basketball is really unacceptable. Last year was really discouraging, but I do believe there were some bad apples in the bunch, and I hope this years team jells better. I am just worried that in another 3-4 years we will back where we are now. Just food for thought.....GO ILLINI
Posted by TBROWN on November 11, 2008 at 11:32 AM
A few bad seasons can be easily forgotten by a high school prospect when the more recent history is big time recruits signing, and nationally ranked kids interested. By the time the 2011 and 2012 kids are ready to sign, the Illini will have these four guys as returning sophomors and lots of press about the new stud freshman hitting campus. Nobody will be talking about Chester Frazier or Calvin Brock. Last season and this season will be long gone. All that we'll have (hopefully) is excitement about a great freshman season for this class and high hopes.
Other schools may have more consistent history to point to while vying for those same prospects, but things change so much for so many programs, it's really only the super high-level programs than can really use that history as a stepping stone. So don't worry about this year's team's effect on 2011 or 2012 recruiting.
Posted by ptevonian on November 11, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Sorry, meant to say "stud freshMEN hitting campus", because Jereme Richmond and Crandall Head both deserve that name.
Posted by ptevonian on November 11, 2008 at 1:01 PM
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