Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your each day dose of faculty basketball information from Illini beat author and AP Prime 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll provide up insights each morning on Brad Underwood’s group:
Illinois freshman Ty Rodgers bought his USA Basketball expertise underway Monday with the beginning of the FIBA U18 Americas Championship in Tijuana, Mexico. Future Illini Morez Johnson Jr. may have an analogous alternative. The Class of 2024 energy ahead — and Illinois commit — was one among 35 gamers chosen for the nationwide group coaching camp forward of the FIBA U17 World Cup scheduled for July 2-10 in Málaga, Spain.
First, although, comes the coaching camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., the place the 35 invited gamers shall be lower right down to a 12-man roster between June 18-25.
Johnson is coming off a powerful sophomore season at St. Rita. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound ahead averaged 15 factors, 12 rebounds and two blocks in 2021-22 and earned Information-Gazette First Workforce All-State honors within the course of. Johnson is a consensus four-star recruit and ranks as excessive as No. 40 within the 2024 class per 247Sports.
Two different gamers with C-U ties additionally acquired coaching camp invitations. Former Urbana Center College begin turned Compass Prep (Ariz.) level guard and Arizona commit Kylan Boswell was additionally one of many 35. So was Class of 2025 Perry (Ariz.) ahead Koa Peat, who’s the youngest son of former Champaign Central standout Todd Peat Sr.
A number of of the invited gamers are additionally on Illinois’ recruiting board, together with Peat. The complete listing:
Class of 2023
Wesley Yates III, 6-4, Beaumont United (Texas)
Class of 2024
James Brown, 6-9, St. Rita
David Castillo, 6-1, Bartlesville (Okla.)
Boogie Fland, 6-3, Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.)
Tre Johnson, 6-5, Lake Highlands (Texas)
Karter Knox, 6-5, Tampa Catholic (Fla.)
Liam McNeeley, 6-7, Montverde Academy (Fla.)
Jamari Phillips, 6-4, Modesto Christian (Calif.)
Bryson Tucker, 6-7, Mount St. Joseph’s (Md.)
Class of 2025
Koa Peat, 6-7, Perry (Ariz.)
