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On Sundays, we've given columnist Loren Tate free rein to discuss what's on his mind. John Groce's recruiting options have his attention today. But he's also thinking about money and Mike Thomas.
To clear up an issue that wasn't, it was in the best interest of Michael Orris and the UI for him to void his Illini commitment and look elsewhere.
It was the near-unanimous opinion of basketball coaches in the south suburban region and from Chicago's independent evaluators that the Crete-Monee guard lacked the skills to be a difference-maker in the Big Ten. The News-Gazette did not rank him among the state's top 30 players.
Maybe he can prove everyone wrong. But, the fact is, this was the worst year for talent in this state. The UI has long leaned heavily on in-state products and, as reported earlier, none of 30-plus seniors chosen by 12 Big Ten schools competed in an Illinois high school this year. This has never, ever happened before.
Here's how bad it is. Texas, a football state, shows eight seniors in Rivals' Top 55 and 13 of the Top 110. Illinois has no one in the Top 100. Simeon's Steve Taylor, who'll attend Marquette, was the third- or fourth-best player on Simeon's state champions, and Rivals lists him 109 in the class.
The good news is the talent pool will quickly improve. Though not as good as Texas. The Longhorn state has the Nos. 2, 3 and 5 juniors and a total of 11 in Rivals' Top 100.
In Illinois, after No. 1 Jabari Parker of Simeon, the junior list must be viewed carefully ... and new UI coach John Groce is advised to execute a secondary plan to search neighboring states.
Pardon my skepticism. Here's the list of top Illinois juniors by Rivals.
No. 22: Kendrick Nunn, a quick, athletic lefty. You'd have to stretch him to reach 6-foot-1, and he's not a point guard. Should fit in the Groce system as a 2-guard.
No. 45: Thomas Hamilton is called a...