The 6-3 guard was ranked among the top 75 prospects in the country and won a gold medal with USA Basketballs U17 team. Bottom Line: If Gabe Cupps looks familiar or his name sounds familiar, that tracks he's the kid who went viral after he got into a 3-point shooting contest against the father of one of his AAU teammates when he was 14 years old that father being NBA superstar LeBron James. Conner did more than held his own against one of the greatest players in college basketball history Bill Walton, who was practically invincible, as he was frustrated by his quickness and jumping abilities en route to scoring 17 points on 8 of 14 field goal attempts. While not the most athletic, Avila has solid footwork, can handle the ball, uses both hands and can extend a defense with shooting range out to the three-point line. 5-11 / 165. WNBA standouts Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith once took the hardwood at the high school level in the state. Downey received the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor in 1963 for his achievements in both academics and athletics. 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. Greg Jackson was a powerhouse during his time in Illinois. Supporting cast: Bobby Jones (64), Steve Thomas (64), M.C. The Top Ranked Basketball Players of All-Time from Illinois High Schools . His best performance while wearing an Illinois uniform was on December 30, 1972, when the Illini faced off against the top-ranked Bruins of UCLA in the Sugar Bowl Classic in New Orleans. SIGN IN. These are the best high school boys basketball players in every state headed into the 2022-2023 season for the midwestern states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. 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. Here are the best boys basketball players in the state of Ohio: 1. He played for the Fighting Illini for four seasons, starting three of them. My goodness. 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. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. He was that talented of a player and that dynamic of a high school basketball figure. High School: Pewaukee High School (Pewaukee, Wisconsin). Augustine scored 1,383 points and grabbed 1,023 rebounds throughout his college career. Fred Van Vleet, who starred at Rockford Auburn, made the third team. Douglas had a stellar career with Illinois, where he was a statistical leader in numerous categories. . . Ames might only be 6-foot-2, but he's a nightmare on both ends of the floor, as he can fill it up on one end and is a defensive menace on the other. On his way to making 209 three-pointers for his career, he set a school record in 2005 by making 116 of them (sixth in school history). Garris led the club in scoring and free-throw percentage for the following three seasons. David Oyona-Ibandzo. He produced in a big way and was the ultimate competitor. With the Illini, he averaged more than seven rebounds per game, and his 156 career blocks were excellent to place him fourth in the all-time at the university. MaxPreps Follow your favorite high school teams and players. 6'5". Bottom Line: Elliot Cadeau will be in a new state and at a new school for his junior season with Link Academy the five-star recruit and No. From 1986 until 1990, he was an Illinois student. 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; Contact Us; Advertisers . There were three players who went on to become college basketballs National Player of the Year: Davis, Jalen Brunson and Frank Kaminsky. From 2007 until 2011, he was a student at Illinois. Ahmad Lathan. Adan Diggs Arizona. From 1993 through 1997, Garris played point guard for the University of Illinois collegiate basketball team. Castillo averaged 24.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists as a junior for Bartlesville, as his team went 9-9. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. Feb 27, 2023. In 2004, Harper received a spot on the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team. He averaged 20.7 points per game and finished his career second in school history with a.609 field goal percentage. , 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. 2022 highschool Pos Rankings State Rankings. Boxscore Men's Basketball vs Indiana January 19, 2023 7:30 pm CT. Jan 24. mbball. 2 Indiana. Douglas had a stellar career with Illinois, where he was a statistical leader in numerous categories. In their 12 triumphs throughout the season, he scored 14.8 points on average. Chicago basketball was an afterthought until coach "Spin" Salarios squad came on the scene. Cook graduated from Illinois as the third-highest scorer in school history with 1,748 total points, averaging 13.2 points per game. From 1955 through 1958, Don Ohl attended Illinois. The best big-man attribute is hes an excellent passer. 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). Unfortunately, an academic scandal disrupted Curies season as Alexanders Condors lost in the regional after dominating the regular season. Thompson (41), Tyrone Johnson (17). Luther Head of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) photo byKeith Allison Wikimedia commons. Before playing for the University of Illinois, George Bon Salle was a star at the Loyola Academy in Chicago, Illinois. Career highlights: 3x NBA all-star, 2x NBA champion Aguirre was voted both the AP and Naismith Player of the Year his final season at DePaul (1979-80) and was the first overall selection in the 1980 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Scottish basketball player Robert Archibald played power forward and centre for the University of Illinois from 1998 to 2002. From 2002 through 2005, he represented the Illinois Fighting Illini in collegiate basketball. Douglas was selected for the Illinois All-Century Team in October 2004. Nick Weatherspoon. He was not picked and never played in the league. He was named to the third team of the 200809 Big Ten Conference by both the coaches and the media as a sophomore after leading the team in scoring average during that season. Gill was nominated to the first-team All-American (UPI) and led the Big Ten in scoring as a senior. 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. Anthony Mauro New Jersey. Each voter picked a five-player first team and five-player second team in each class. After graduating from high school, Winters was accepted to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he played varsity basketball from 1982 to 1986. Parker, who scored 1,870 points in his career, became the first two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball winner in state history. [1] [2] Throughout the state, 281 individuals were nominated and were chosen by geographic region and tournament era. Here are the 50 best Illinois basketball players of all time. High school basketball: Ranking the top prospects in the Class of 2022 - Chicago Sun-Times High School Basketball Sports High School Sports Ranking the top prospects in the Class of 2022 Here is a final look back at the Class of 2022 and where they rank as college prospects. Weatherspoon was chosen in 2004 for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team., Dee Brown at the Washington Wizards v/s Orlando Magic game photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. A ranking of the 2001 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois. HONORABLE MENTION (19): Lauren Slagle, Geneva (6-1, Sr., F) 17; Ava Gugliuzza, Lincoln-Way West (5-7, Sr., G) 15; Cassidy Arni, Geneva (6-0, Sr., G/F) 9; Natasha Barnes, Chicago Kenwood (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Mariann Blass, Elmhurst York (5-9, Sr., SG) 6; Danielle Brooks, Chicago Kenwood (5-7, Fr., G) 6; Ally Cesarini, LaGrange Lyons (5-7, Sr., G) 6; Olivia Corson, Normal (5-10, Jr., G/F) 6; Meegan Fahy, Maine South (5-5, Jr., G) 6; Maddy Fay, Palatine Fremd (6-2, Sr., F) 6; Alyssa Hughes, St. Charles North (5-7, Sr., PG) 6; Destiny Jackson, Chicago Whitney Young (5-6, Soph., G) 6; Lindsey Knuth, Rockford Guilford (6-0, Sr., F) 6; Jessie Ozzauto, Huntley (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Baylie Parks, Lake Zurich (6-0, Sr., G) 6; Sidney Rogers, Glenbrook South (5-4, Sr., SG) 6; Lexi Sepulveda, Plainfield East (5-9, Jr., G) 6; Hayven Smith, Lincoln-Way East (6-6, Jr., C) 6; Elise Ward, Chicago Marist (5-11, Sr., F) 6.LIST OF VOTERS (26): Derek Bayne, WREX-TV Rockford; Josh Brown, Robinson Daily News; Jack Bullock, A Baseline View (Southern Illinois); Kaleb Carter, IllinoisBasketball.com; Jeremy Chawgo, Breese Journal; Kevin Chlum, LaSalleNews Tribune; Michael Clark, Northwest Times (Ind. 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; Contact Us; Advertisers . Montverde Academy (Florida) has won Geico Nationals in back-to-back years and remains No. To finish off a career in which he scored 1,415 points, which ranks as the 15th-best total for an Illini player all-time, he helped lead a conference title run in 1998. Also, Read 60 Best College Basketball Players of all tTime. Top247 247Sports Composite. 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. From 1987 through 1989, Battle competed in collegiate sports at the University of Illinois. There certainly wasnt a player who was as electric or more entertaining during the past decade than the dynamic Boatright. It's rare to find a player this young who has already crafted his reputation based on his defense and rebounding. Recently on Feb. 21, Davenport North squared off . Bradford played for the Fighting Illini and amassed a career total of 1,735 points, 275 assists, and 108 steals while shooting.389 from the field. Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team. By the time he was a senior, the 6-9, 245-pound Alexander was a consensus top five prospect in the country and a McDonalds All-American. There were three different players Anthony Davis, Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor who at one time were considered the top-ranked prospect in the country during their high school career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association in 2019. Elijah Fisher. 2023 BVM Sports. 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. Subscribe Already a subscriber? Jordan Fisher Canada. Okafor will go down as one of the most dominating big men in state history. There were six players from the state who went on to become first-team college basketball All-Americans: Davis, Parker, Okafor, Kaminsky, Brunson and Tyler Ulis. In his time at Illinois, Jerry Hester averaged 4.6 boards per game. March 01, 2023 5:30 AM. Demetri McCamey signals a play photo by Joshua Beckman Wikimedia commons. Post-high school career:In three seasons at Villanova, Brunson won a pair of national championships. Zion (6-0, Jr., G/F) 24; Evyn Carrier, Sycamore (6-4, Sr., C) 24; Mya Wardle, Peoria Notre Dame (5-7, Jr., PG) 24; Shannon Blacher, Lombard Montini (5-11, Sr., G) 23; Norah Gum, Waterloo (6-0, Sr., F) 15; Kiarra Kilgore, Galesburg (5-9, Jr., G) 14; Jerzy Bittle, Marion (5-9, Sr., G) 12; Kaylen Reed, Rochester (5-6, Sr., PG) 9; Olivia Austin, LaGrange Nazareth (6-1, Jr., F) 8; LaKeeyah Barnes, Chicago Morgan Park (5-4, Jr., G) 8; Lexi Carlsen, Sycamore (5-8, Jr., G) 8; Lily Esparza, Rockford Boylan (6-2, Jr., C) 8; Justice Malone, Mount Vernon (5-8, Sr., G/F) 8; Grace Wilke, Highland (5-8, Sr., G) 8; Danielle Beach, Geneseo (5-10, Sr., PG/SG) 6; Jazmyne Bynum, Chicago Hyde Park (5-5, Jr., G) 6; Page Erickson, Burlington Central (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Rachel Kaus, Lake Forest (6-0, Sr., F) 6; Nikki Kerstein, Deerfield (5-7, Soph., PG/SG) 6;Victoria Matulevicius, Lombard Montini (5-8, Jr., G) 6; Kayla Rice, Rock Island (5-6, Sr., G) 6; Savannah Orgeron, Mahomet-Seymour (5-10, Sr., G/F) 6; Annie Wirth, Geneseo (6-0, Sr., F) 6. Illinois High School Association. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? Here is a look at the 10 best Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA) boys basketball players in the Class of 2023. The understated Randle has one heck of a career rsum, including a Class 3A state championship as a senior and sharing the states Mr. Basketball Award that same year with another all-decade performer, Ryan Boatright. Downeys career scoring average of 18.9 is fourth in school history, while his career rebounding average of 11.0 ranks third, with 790 career rebounds ranking seventh. (The first girls state tournament was in 1977; the boys tournament started in 1908 at the Oak Park YMCA.) Hes spent time with the Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and will play this season with the Atlanta Hawks. Davis put up monster numbers during his senior year, though Perspectives didnt play the type of schedule that showcased his talents to the masses. WNBA standouts Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith once took the hardwood at the high school level in the state. 1 player in the country. James Griffin was able to dominate while playing for the University of Illinois thanks to his physical attributes. They anchored one of the Big Tens top teams during their time there, and the Illini eventually earned a number one seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Elite 8. Looking back, the individual high-level talent that highlighted the past 10 years can stack up against any decade in Illinois high school basketball history. Over his undergraduate career, he averaged 4.7 assists per game and led Illinois in that category in 19811982. So here they are: The best of the best from each part of the state. FB Recruiting Home; News Feed; Team Rankings; Commitments; Decommitments; Scheduled Commits; Bottom Line: Bartlesville's David Castillo was just one of three sophomores to make The Tulsa World's 2022 All-State team and might be one of the best guards in the country for the Class of 2024. Curies Cliff Alexander screams with teammates after defeating Simeon. Now there are some fresh faces joining those three top 10 fixtures. A list of "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament" was assembled on December 14, 2005. . The Illinois AP all-state girls basketball team was released on Wednesday, with just one Rockford-area player on the first- or second-team list: Byron star senior forward Ava Kultgen. Here's a look at our top Chicago high school basketball stars to ever grace the hardwood. 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. Dissette will stay in his home state for his college basketball career he committed to play for North Dakota State following his junior year. Now's your chance to vote for . He averaged 9.3 points as a rookie last season. The Illinois High School Association was . Garris concluded his career with 1948 points and a 16.8-point per-game scoring average. He emerged as the all-time top scorer in Illinois basketball history in March 1969. Coach: Spin Salario 10 min read. And being a good shooter these days is about the quickest path for a young player to get on the floor in college. Though Davis was a McDonalds All-American, he didnt win Sun-Times Player of the Year and finished fourth in Mr. Basketball voting. You will now be able to customize your experience on our website. 6'10". The Illini won the Big Ten championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament in 1983-84. Best Version Media, LLC. And while, yes, individual talent obviously matters, a winning pedigree and accomplishments do come into play. Last season he played in 49 games for the Wizards, averaging 15 minutes and 5.5 points. DePaul's very own Aneesah Morrow played for Carmel and has been incredible so far. In the 19941995 and 19961997 seasons, Garris also held the team record for assists. Its a little more challenging for a potential player to be fully recognized and appreciated. Rayvon Griffith, Taft Taft forward Rayvon Griffith celebrates after the Senators won the Division III regional championship,. Post-high school career:Richmond, who spent four years committed to Illinois while in high school, spent just one season playing for the Fighting Illini. As a senior in 19921993, Kaufmann averaged 17.3 points per game. Cook assisted in guiding the Illini to a top seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Okafor was the consensus No. 1. 2 has narrowed. In the fall of 1957, Wessels enrolled at the University of Illinois and started playing basketball for the freshmen squad. All rights reserved. (It's worth noting that Bartlesville is coached by former Kansas State guard Clent Stewart.) (Chicago Tribune). 2023 www.rrstar.com. how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. Nick Anderson Now he just needs to improve his jumper to maximize his offensive potential. Post-high school career:As a sophomore at Kentucky, Ulis was the SEC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. Even while playing inferior competition, Perspectives finished 6-19 as Davis put up 32 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Williams and his colleagues made it to the Elite 8 in 2001 while still attending Illinois. As the spring and summer plays out for a group of rising seniors in the state, the production of the player becomes a little more imperative. Top 100. Vote for the boys high school Player of the Week in southwestern IL from Feb. 20-24. He was selected as a McDonalds All-American and won the states Mr. Basketball award. With 853 rebounds at Illinois (since surpassed and now in third place), Winters concluded his collegiate career as the schools all-time rebounding leader and third-best scorer. Players received five points for a first-team vote and three points for a second-team vote. The top prospect in the class possesses the versatility and physical profile that opens eyes with his size, length and athleticism. He scored 2,335 points for teams that went 94-9, including undefeated regular seasons in 1975 and. 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. He led the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances as a point guard. Home : Updates : Sports : Upcoming/Recent Events : Polls . He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 U19 World Championship as he led Team USA to a gold medal. For 37 years, until the 2005-06 season, Weatherspoon's 1,431 points at Canton McKinley High School stood as the Bulldog scoring record. Johnson studied history from 1977 to 1981 at the University of Illinois. Cooper Zachary Indiana. He now ranks 12th all-time in Illinois scoring after concluding his collegiate career as the most prolific scorer in school history. 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 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 . Some of the notable players to come out of Indiana are Victor Oladipo, Tyler & Cody Zeller, Mason & Miles Plumlee to name a few. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. 0. As a sophomore, Burwell made an immediate impact and served as the middle anchor for Illinois 1963 Big Ten winning squad. Every year he played, Gills Illini received NCAA bids. But with his continued improvement and the upside that still remains, Benson has climbed into the top 10 as we head into July. Second, the prep career of Davis is an odd one. Guyton, is one of the most sought-after guards in the Class of 2024, with a dozen or more Division I offers. how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. Kaufmann scored 9.8 points per game in 29 games as a sophomore in 19891990. Since the beginning of the game, players from Illinois have had a significant influence, and they have flourished even after leaving Illinois. Battles hustle and amazing slam dunks made him a fan favourite. Marian Catholics Tyler Ulis during the class 4A supersectional against Edwardsville. Phone: (309) 663-6377 Fax: (309) 663-7479 : 2715 McGraw Drive Bloomington, IL 61704-6011 Map & directions : Office Hours What this all says is that picking an Illinois All-Decade Team wasnt easy, though the criteria is quite simple. Johnson consistently makes winning plays with the ball in his hands, both as a scorer and as a table-setter. The light came on during his junior campaign, the production increased and the arrow continues to point straight up. From 2001 until 2005, he was a collegiate athlete at the University of Illinois. 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. Unfortunately, he was not drafted into the NBA and never got a chance to show his skills at the grandest stage. Every year he played, Gills Illini received NCAA bids. Post-high school career:He played just one season at Kansas, playing just 17 minutes a game and averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds while also being suspended due to eligibility issues. Both Yorkville Christians Jaden Schutt and Glenbard Wests Braden Huff are nipping at his heels with both of their individual recruitments heating up. There was certainly a case for Richmond to be on the first team. During his playing career, Dawson averaged 32.5 points per game as a senior. Kerr scored 1,299 points in his three varsity seasons, averaging 18.6 points per game overall. Crestwood (North York ONT CAN) 5. [3] While still vitally important, at this later stage of their high school careers, its not simply about projection. Momcilovic, 6-foot-8, averaged 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 2021-22 and picked the Cyclones over offers from Minnesota, UCLA, Creighton and Virginia, among others. Bottom Line: Don't get it twisted Waukee Senior High power forward Omaha Biliew could be a game-changer for Iowa State if he ever ends up on campus, and he's the highest-rated recruit the Cyclones have landed in the modern era. Oak Forest's Robbie Avila (21) maintains possession of the ball during the game against DePaul Prep at the . Williams led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA championship game in 2005 as a junior starting point guard, but they fell to the University of North Carolina. Gill was nominated to the first-team All-American (UPI) and led the Big Ten in scoring as a senior. These qualities have allowed them to dominate their rivals and earn many honours along the way to success. AinsworthSports.com . Teams; CBS Sports; CBS SPORTS HQ; . 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. 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. That's the good stuff. Also, with a career field goal percentage of 57.2 per cent (456-797), he is fifth in school history. He managed 237 three-pointers which was a school record at the University at the time of his graduation. Williams received First-Team All-Big Ten honours in 2004 and 2005 when he was a junior. He graduated from Illinois as the schools seventh-highest scorer ever. Also worth noting and in the same vein Cadeau's sponsorship deal with Swedish company Vitamin Drink made him the first U.S. high school player to sign an international Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) contract. His time with the Illini includes playing both power forward and centre, setting numerous team records, making it to the national championship game, and winning numerous honours. The same season, he was named to the first team of the Big Ten and the All-American teams. Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Lowell Hamilton, Kenny Battle, and Marcus Liberty were among the other starters on that team in addition to Bardo. 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.