Proviso West receiver rated nation's No. 2 player by Rivals.com

Each Monday, we'll introduce a team participating in the IlliniHQ Shootout at the Hall presented by State Farm Insurance, our annual boys' basketball extravaganza which this year takes place Dec. 12 at the Assembly Hall. Today: Glenbrook North High School, home of Dave Weber, brother of Illinois coach Bruce Weber

Illinois officials had said they were expecting a capacity or near-capacity crowd, and the announced attendance of 7,632 has to be considered a disappointment. Much of the crowd actually found the exits after the best part of the show – No. 10 Illinois' win against No. 6 Minnesota in a spirited volleyball match – and chose not to stay for the basketball portion of the program.

"I feel confident we can get to the NCAA tournament," Illinois coach Jolette Law said last week. "My freshmen don't have a lot of pressure, but they do have some pressure. If they come in and do their part and help, I think we can definitely make it to the NCAA tournament."

Illinois recruit Meyers Leonard is enthusiastically pursuing 2011 prospect Bradley Beal. Meyers says he text messages weekly with the St. Louis-area star.

"I've been texting him and everything, trying to get him to come here," Leonard said. "And we've got big Tommy Hamilton here tonight. I'm going to work on him. And everybody, I'm trying to get them down here."

-Leonard's odds on Bradley Beal choosing Illinois: "He's an unbelievable player. We've got to have him. He had 53 in one game this year and won a gold medal. He's an absolutely incredible player. I've heard it's between us (Illinois) and Kansas. So that's a 50-50 shot. He talks to me all the time about coming here."

CHAMPAIGN - The start of Nnanna Egwu's basketball career can be traced back to a specific afternoon.
"June 6, 2007," Illinois Wolves coach Mike Mullins said.
That was when, Egwu said, he played organized basketball for the first time. An assistant coach at the school, Ken Gryzwa, suggested to Egwu that, at 6-foot-6 or so, the sport might be in his future.

Nnanna Egwu, a 6-foot-9 junior at Chicago St. Ignatius, has given a verbal commitment to Illinois, according to his coach

Bowman Academy went 19-4 last season and returns several Division I prospects, including 6-1 guard Tyrae Robinson, 6-4 forward Chris Bond and 6-5 forward DeJuan Marrero. The latter is an Illini recruiting target after averaging about 17 points and 13 rebounds as a freshman.