Basketblog

Weber on the Shootout

Posted by: Paul Klee

Friday, December 12, 2008 5:53 PM

The annual WDWS/News-Gazette Shootout at the Hall isn't the sole factor in Illinois' recruiting successes, of course, but it is one factor. When you add the Shootout with the UI team camp and the UI satellite camp (both in June), these events have an influence on in-state recruiting for the Illini.

Bruce Weber often talks about the importance of "getting kids on campus," and how it used to be more difficult. For one day in December, he has a whole throng of kids on campus, and on Saturday, he will have five signed or committed prospects on campus for the Shootout at the Hall.

"The more we can get kids on campus at a younger age, the better it's going to help us," Weber said of the Shootout. "When I got here, one of the most frustrating things for me, and I relayed this to the committee, I couldn't get kids to visit. We should have them here, literally, as eighth-graders, seventh-graders, all through the early years. You see the excitement, the pageantry, of college basketball. You feel that it gives you an advantage over the long haul."

- When you think about it, the Shootout is almost a better recruiting tool than the state tournament would be. A state tournament may or may not include UI recruiting interests; at the Shootout, they can almost hand-pick the attendees, in conjunction with the Champaign County Sports Commission.

"You look at stuff and you've got to think out of the box a little bit," Weber said. "I was just in (the) meetings, but we went after the state tournament again. Peoria, to their credit, kept it. So now, what else can we do? We need to get the top teams, the top kids here. People here love high school basketball. You don't have the state tournament, (but) it's almost the state tournament in December."

- N-G staff writer Jeff Huth broke down the Shootout here on HQ. He answers a lot of the questions you might have (What is the NCAA's rule on contact between the Illinois coaches and the prospects in attendance at this kind of an event?). And we'll have six staff writers covering the Shootout and Illinois recruiting on Saturday. Here's some of what happened at last year's Shootout.

- The Illini had the day off today and are scheduled to hold an early practice Saturday, so the coaches (and at least some of the players) can attend the games featuring UI recruits.

My guess is, some of the players will be asked to stick around for the Curie (Wayne Blackshear) and Rock Island (Chasson Randle) games as well. Both prospects are matched against UI recruits - Curie plays Warren (Brandon Paul); Rock Island plays Waukegan (Jereme Richmond) - so it makes sense.

- Got in touch with Brian Randle via email today. The former Illini is playing with this franchise in Israel and playing well. Randle matched up against Roger Powell's Jerusalem team on Sunday and will be able to return to C-U and Peoria for the holidays.

"I am truly blessed to be in the situation that I'm in," Randle wrote via email.

- Alex Legion isn't the only notable transfer expected to be eligible on Dec. 20. A Southern Indiana official informs us that Legion's would-be running mate, Jamar Smith, is expected to be eligible when the Screaming Eagles host Maryville on Dec. 20.

Here's a stat: Southern Indiana is 240-20 at home since the 1992-93 season. USI is currently ranked No. 25 in the NABC/Division II top 25 poll.

pklee@news-gazette.com

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