Illini Madness notebook

Jeff Jordan is back with the Illini. For more, click here.

For photos from Friday night's event, click here.

Listen to Friday night's basketball festivities here.

See what coach Bruce Weber had to say about the during Tuesday's media day here.

* * *

Concerns with Joseph Bertrand usually center around the freshman guard's slight build. He's listed at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds. And though Bertrand needs to add strength – most freshmen do – coaches were more interested in gauging his toughness.

"I think that's a question with any freshman," coach Bruce Weber said.

So far, so good. After undergoing knee surgery Sept. 11, Bertrand was going through drills within a month. In one of his first fullcourt runs, he elevated over Brandon Paul for a tip-dunk.

"I'm not supposed to be (dunking)," Bertrand said with a smile. "Al (Martindale) said not yet."

And he didn't necessarily have a history of pushing limits. A minor ankle injury kept him off the court on the club circuit. The fact Bertrand was eager to return after knee surgery was an encouraging sign.

"The thing we're impressed by is that he's come back a lot quicker and he's shown some toughness and determination," Weber said. "A couple times we've asked him to get out of conditioning, because Al doesn't want something else to happen. But he said, 'I've got to finish it.' "

Why was Bertrand so eager to return?

"I think deep down, he wants to not redshirt, and he knows he's already behind," Weber said. "He's trying to show that determination that he has a chance to be successful."

* * *

The newest addition to the Illinois roster, Jeff Jordan, took in the event from the team's bench. He participated in practices Friday and Saturday, though Weber said it's too early to discuss where the junior guard fits in the playing rotation.

"He's got a long way to go," Weber said. "We'll go one day at a time, one week at a time, and just see where he's at. ... We don't have any expectations; we just want to see how he can catch up after five or six months (away)."

* * *

Various preseason polls show most experts have a similar view of Illinois: The Illini likely will enter the season near the bottom of the Top 25 or unranked.

Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn put Illinois at No. 27. Athlon left Illinois unranked. Blue Ribbon Yearbook put Illinois at No. 25. Lindy's magazine put Illinois at No. 25. ESPN.com's Andy Katz left Illinois unranked. Foxsports.com's Jeff Goodman, who observed Saturday's practice at Ubben, put Illinois at No. 18.

The preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll comes out Oct. 29. At least one player has a different outlook.

"I would say (Illinois should be) No. 1," senior Dominique Keller said. "I know how hard these guys work. I don't think there will be a team that's ready for us by the time we get through these practices."

* * *

Illinois held its first official practice Friday afternoon, a two-hour practice, prior to Illini Madness. That ended about six weeks of fall workouts, where coaches got a better look at where the team stands.

"It's been the two C's: chemistry and coachable. I'm excited. It makes our job easy," associate head coach Wayne McClain said. "We've got good leadership. We've got a good blend – youth and the other kids. I just kind of like how they respect each other. And obviously our younger kids are pushing our older kids, too. You cannot act like that doesn't exist. And I think that makes our older kids more accountable."

McClain said he was "honored" by Weber's decision to name him the associate head coach. The eighth-year assistant said running his own program – as a head coach – is still among his aspirations.

"That's my goal. I think any assistant in the country – 99 percent of us – that's our goal," McClain said. "If you're older, they say you've got a lot of experience, if they want you. If they don't want you they say you're too old. It's just about if somebody feels comfortable with it."

* * *

The Orlando Sentinel reported former Illini Nick Anderson took part in an international literary campaign last week. The former Magic guard read the book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to about 45 children in the Orlando area.

* * *

Illinois commitments in attendance Friday night included Tracy Abrams, Meyers Leonard, Crandall Head and Jereme Richmond. Uncommitted prospects included Gary (Ind.) Bowman Academy's DeJuan Marrero (2012), Champaign Central's Jay Simpson (2012), Peoria Central's Bobo Drummond (2012), Chicago De La Salle's Tommy Hamilton Jr. (2013), Evanston's Lorenzo Dillard (2013) and a handful of eighth-, ninth- and 10th-graders.

Head, Leonard and Richmond stuck around and observed Saturday's practice at Ubben. Head, who's on crutches after knee surgery in September, already has his dunk-contest favorite at the 2010 Illini Madness.

"I'm winning it next year," he said.

* * *

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.

Weber said the event was about the current players and spotlighting the program for potential recruits.

"It's just excitement and promoting the program. The players love it – they (came) as recruits – and now they're a part of it," Weber said. "Your goal is to get to the Final Four and do things like that. That's the ultimate. But this is something they grow up watching and kind of dream of being a part of."

Students had a reasonable turnout, and the UI ticket office said student season ticket sales have neared 2,500. That would be an increase of about 1,000 from last season.

The event was dubbed "Spike the Record at Illini Madness," as Illinois attempted to break the NCAA attendance record for a volleyball match.

But it wouldn't have set a record even if more than 13,780 (the standing record) people showed up. Diane Nordstrom, a University of Wisconsin official who tracks volleyball attendance marks, said in an e-mail the NCAA does not consider combined events for NCAA attendance records.

* * *

Lately, being a prospect committed to Illinois has been hazardous to your health.

First, Head underwent knee surgery.

"It's getting better," he said Saturday. Head is uncertain if he'll return to the Rich South lineup this season and said, "We're not going to rush it."

Leonard suffered a knee injury in a recent pickup game. Then Abrams suffered an ankle injury in a pickup game.

Leonard said he has a strain and bone contusion in a knee. He was off crutches Saturday and expects to return for the start of his senior season at Robinson.

"When I came down here last week on my official visit, they said it would probably be about two or three more weeks (before he can play)," Leonard said. "I should be all right. They don't think I need any surgery."

Abrams is still on crutches after spraining an ankle during a pickup game a week ago at Illinois. Leonard gave his future teammate a helping hand at Illini Madness.

"I'll be back three weeks from now," Abrams said. "Just got to keep rehabbing it."

* * *

Abrams and Leonard have become two of the program's more ambitious recruiters.

Abrams, a reserved fellow, actually knew of Nnana Egwu's decision to commit to Illinois before Egwu informed the Illinois coaches. Both are 2011 recruits.

"I do what I can do. I put in a little work," Abrams said with a laugh. "(With Egwu) I think that's a good situation, having another big man to help us."

Leonard, with his big personality, has been doing work on St. Louis-area star Bradley Beal, arguably the Illini's No. 1 target in 2011.

"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 offered his odds on Beal committing to 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," Leonard said. "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."

* * *

The two best players in the 15-minute scrimmage were Demetri McCamey and D.J. Richardson, who played a game of "Whatever you can do, I can do better." The veteran hit a three; the freshman responded with one of his own.

"We weren't planning that. It just kind of happened," McCamey said Saturday.

McCamey also had a left-handed dunk that showed how his athleticism has improved this offseason.

"Demetri and D.J. put on a show for us," Leonard said.

Really, McCamey just did what he's been doing in offseason pickup games and fall workouts. He's more focused than at any point in his Illinois career. Illinois Wolves director Mike Mullins, who has known McCamey for years, said it's the most determined he's ever seen the 20-year-old. That's a positive sign for an Illinois team that needs McCamey to be exceptional if the Illini are going to be exceptional.

"I think he's going to have a great season," said DeAndre McCamey, his older brother's sharpest critic.

* * *

Hamilton, a freshman at Chicago De La Salle, turned 15 in September. He's 6-8 with the potential to become a 7-foot center. Hamilton, who has a scholarship offer from Illinois, spent much of the evening with Abrams, Leonard and coaches McClain and Jerrance Howard.

"It's fun. It was very exciting," Hamilton said. "I wasn't expecting it to be like this. I liked it a lot."

His expectations for his varsity season?

"I expect to learn a lot, since I'm a freshman playing up," he said. "And I want a ring, too."

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