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CHAMPAIGN – Sleep didn't come easy Friday night.

I had just witnessed something special, something that caused my brain to spin even when my eyes were closed, something that confirmed what I thought I already knew.

Over the years I've come across local greatness. I sat spellbound while the late John Cribbet delivered a luncheon address. I've seen Sonny Norman with his hands on a country guitar. I've faced Corky Waters' changeup, and I was mesmerized by Gerald Hutchcraft's catcher's mitt. I've seen Bonnie Blair don her skates, and a young Alison Krauss massage a fiddle at Nature's Table. I've seen Chief Illiniwek dance. And, oh, yes, I couldn't get enough of George Will's political commentary at the old Friday Forum.

Even though all the aforementioned have left our premises, they are deeply entrenched. And now I have a new best-ever memory. I've seen a high schooler named Rayvonte Rice in the open court or blasting along the baseline with a basketball in his hands.

Rice was at it again Friday night at Combes Gym.

Having produced 45 points in Centennial's previous 91-78 defeat of Central, he was a marked man. The Maroons used a box-and-one with coach Scott Davis screaming "Double team! Double, double!" every time Rice touched the ball. He was severely limited, producing 18 points (seven under his 25-point average) as the Chargers prevailed 57-54.

A perfect fit

Most young preps overrate themselves. But in this case, Centennial's 6-foot-3 blockbuster has undersold himself in signing with Drake University over a Big Ten school like, say ... Illinois. Maybe it made sense for Unity's Brian Cardinal to attend Purdue (Lou Henson had Ryan Blackwell for his spot), and maybe Central's Verdell Jones III was too slight and turnover-prone at the time. But here we are again, about to lose our latest jewel to a school in, ugh, Iowa. Congratulations go to Drake coach Mark Phelps. While others were wondering what position Rice might play – he's been called a "tweener" – Phelps landed the real deal. Rice plays his own position. It's called "winner."

He was the clutch part of Centennial's state champs a year ago, sparking an incredible win streak that reached 37 before Peoria Richwoods snapped it recently. The Chargers' Big 12 run is still alive at 23.

Don't ask me how he does it. I don't know how Charles Barkley kept from getting his shot blocked among the tall trees in the NBA. It's a mystery. Magicians always fascinate me, and I don't know their secrets.

It's been done before

Could Rice do the same thing in the Big Ten? Is he Sergio McClain with touch? I can't be positive but, if it was me, if I had that talent, I'd find out. I recognize that he is signed, but I also know that "decommitting" is routine these days.

Recruiting guru Randy Taylor said nine football players recently decommitted from Tim Brewster at Minnesota. Teenagers change their mind. Alex Legion signed with Michigan and changed to Kentucky when coach Tommy Amaker was fired. Indiana had Devin Ebanks signed and sealed, but he asked out and went to West Virginia. Texas star Damion James and Villanova's Scottie Reynolds were set for Oklahoma but were allowed to switch without penalty. Citing extenuating family circumstances, Iowa stars Tyler Smith and Jake Kelly joined the teams at Tennessee and Indiana State, respectively, without sitting out.

If the NCAA will grant Kelly and Smith eligibility waivers "to be closer to home," it is obvious how the NCAA would handle Rice if he cited the preference to stay close to his mother and strongest supporter, Rhonda Rice. There's no bigger cinch than a good lawyer with "family" justification.

UI coach Bruce Weber is obliged to stay clear of this matter. Any contact on his part might be considered tampering. And maybe Weber doesn't think Rice is a fit. But this much we know. If Weber is short of ball handlers, Rice is Andy Kaufmann without the traveling calls. If Weber wants toughness, Rice comes straight from the football field. If Weber places importance on competing, Rice is your guy. Like the halfback he could have been –- I originally thought football was his best sport – he can go wherever he wants on the court because of his possessive dribble, which is something Illini freshmen haven't learned yet.

Proving his point

Back in December, Rice squared off against the top UI recruit of the Weber era, Waukegan's Jereme Richmond. It was a 71-54 blowout. Rice ruled the game and racked 32. And Rice is rounding out his senior year without the multiple on- and off-court problems that Richmond has encountered (he was suspended for fighting last weekend). Regardless of national rankings, Rice deserves the ranking as the state's best player in his senior class.

Again, and you can call me irrational, I wouldn't need assurance from Weber. He'd have to beat me off with a club. If you show your stuff, the way Zach Becker has shown Ron Zook, the coach will put you in the game. The world is full of against-the-grain battlers, often called walk-ons, who earned their stripes, dating back a million years to a time when Bill Garrett became the Big Ten's first black basketball star by forcing himself on reluctant Indiana coach Branch McCracken. Hoosier historians claim further that Bob Knight was unimpressed by what he saw of Calbert Cheaney at Evansville Harrison but was influenced to relent, and Cheaney became the Big Ten's all-time scoring leader.

If you are good enough and want something bad enough, maybe you can't stop the earth from spinning, but you can slow it down ... just enough. You tell me, would you prefer crowds in the 4,000 to 6,000 range in a Missouri Valley outpost or a packed house of 16,000 and full TV coverage in your home- town?

Rice in the Assembly Hall would, for me, be comparable to Tony Clements unraveling a funny story, or Lou and Mary Henson working the crowded streets on a summer night from Ko-Fusion to the Cowboy Monkey and around to the Esquire. You don't know how they do it, but you know special when you see it.

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.