Griffin sizzles during summer session
||| CITY/ SUBURBAN HOOPS REPORT
The dust has settled from the allimportant July evaluation period when college coaches watch and dissect prospects, extend offers and start lining up visits for the fall. Here’s a recap of happenings from a busy month.
July’s biggest winner
There is no question that Hinsdale South’s Zion Griffin made the most noise. Within a couple of weeks, the athletic 6- 6 forward went from a mid- major prospect to one with high- major offers and growing interest.
After a breakout junior season, Griffin went to work in the spring, improving his perimeter jumper and building confidence along the way. Griffin’s athleticism, body and motor, along with amuch- improved three- point shot, have ramped up interest.
There are a host of mid- major programs still in play but Kansas, Illinois, Iowa State and Pitt have all extended offers while others, including Michigan, Oregon, Virginia Tech, Maryland and Purdue are showing heavy interest.
July’s other bigwinners
Talen Horton- Tucker, Simeon. While he’s a known commodity locally, the versatile 6- 4 senior opened eyes nationally. There should no longer be any doubt he’s among the top 100 players in the country, and there are some heavy hitters involved among an endless list of high- major pursuers.
Maurice Commander, Curie. The 5- 10 point guard, who has transferred from Marist to Curie for his senior year, was dynamic this summer shooting, scoring and distributing. As a result he’s added a dozen Division- I offers.
Xavier Pinson, Simeon. The senior made news with his move from St. Patrick to Simeon in July and then dazzled college coaches with his passing and point- guard feel. Pinson has become a coveted mid- major prospect.
Tamell Pearson, Morgan Park. The tough, hard- working 6- 9 big man added 11 offers, including Illinois and Washington State following a sterling performance at the prestigious Nike Peach Jam.
Dosunmu trims list
Morgan Park’s 6- 5 point guard Ayo Dosunmu, the state’ s top prospect in the senior class, recently trimmed his list to 11 schools: Illinois, Creighton, Xavier, Kansas, Memphis, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, U Conn, USC, N. C. State and Wake Forest. Illinois and Xavier are rumored to be the favorites.
Movers and shakers
Young’s Xavier Castaneda, who won a state championship as a junior, had a rock- solid July on the club circuit and has visits lined up with South Florida, Wichita State and Kent State.
◆ Southern Illinois picked up a recent commitment from Linco lnWay East’s 6- 6 Sam Shafer.
◆ Messiah Jones of Simeon didn’t have any offers before July. Now he has offers from Evansville, UW- Milwaukee, Northern Illinois, Drake and Chicago State.
◆ The city’s most talented incoming eighth- grader, 6- 2 lefty guard Amari Bailey of Skinner West Elementary, committed to DePaul over the weekend.
◆ Former Joliet Township and Joliet West head coach Luke Yaklich was hired last week as an assistant at Michigan. Yaklich spent the last four years as an assistant coach at Illinois State.