Which 4 year State Title Run Was Better? Simeon's or Peoria Manual's?

Simeon Wolverines just finished up winning their 4th Straight Class 4A State Title and people are asking was it as impressive as Peoria Manual's run(1994-1997)? I might be in the minority and say yes it COULD BE!!!!! Here's my reasoning: yes 4 class system in Illinois is watered down at this time. Yes 2 class system was better and Peoria Manual's run was impressive. But Simeon to me had to go through a harder schedule in the regular season's and the road to the State Finals was tougher. First of all Simeon played multiple National Games against out of state teams over a 4 year period. Peoria Manual beat Oak Hill Academy in 1996 in Arkansas I believe. Yes there was a 300 mile restriction in place then also for Illinois teams to travel. I maintain getting through the Chicago Public League and the Sectionals Simeon had to go through. They to me were tougher than the Mid State 6 that Peoria Manual played in. Also Sergio McClain,Marcus Griffin, and Frankie Williams were not as good as Jabari Parker. Simeon had a supporting cast of Kendrick Nunn,Steve Taylor and Brandon Spearman over those 4 years. Also Simeon had to play prep school factories like Findlay Prep, Montverde Academy and such. By the way Simeon also beat Oak Hill Academy by a pretty good margin this season. One thing I will give Peoria Manual, their competition at the State Finals was a lot tougher, Thornton for 3 years, Whitney Young in 1997 for sure. But Simeon had to get by tough Whitney Young and Curie teams three years in a row in Sectional play. My opinion is Simeon's total run regular season, regional,sectional play were tougher, and Manual's State Finals was tougher. SLIGHT EDGE TO SIMEON'S  4 YEAR RUN!!!!!!! I DON'T SEE IT EVER BEING DUPLICATED AGAIN!!!!!!! THIS IS MY RANT FOR TODAY, GOD BLESS EVERYONE AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!!!!!

Illinois Class 4A and Class 3A State Finals Picks

WELL IT'S PEORIA AND THE STATE FINALS, COULD IT BE A PUBLIC LEAGUE PARTY OR WILL DOWNSTATE TEAMS TAKE BOTH TITLES?????? HERE WE GO: CLASS 4A: Simeon(Chicago) vs Proviso East(Maywood)- Rematch of last years State Title Game, Proviso East is looking for revenge for a 2 point loss, and Simeon is looking for history and a 4 peat. For me it comes down to this Proviso East team does not match up as well as they did last year. Jabari Parker will finally dominate at the State Finals and Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate will provide steady guard play against Proviso's pressure. Sterling Brown and Paris Lee will not be enough, Simeon moves on to the title game. PREDICTION: SIMEON BY 10. Stevenson(Lincolnshire) vs Edwardsville- This will be size vs speed and execution, Edwardsville starts 4 6'5" guys and they are a steady and well rounded team. Stevenson has super sophomore point guard Jaylen Brunson who controls games, he will have to control this game for his young sophomore laden  team to advance. Garrett Covington a Western Illinois signee is one of the best kept secrets in the state of Illinois, a 6'5" guard who can hit the 3 and slash to the basket. This team from near St Louis will move on to the title game. PREDICTION: EDWARDSVILLE BY 8, TITLE GAME: Simeon(Chicago) vs Edwardsville- Edwardsville has the size and talent to stay with Simeon, but Jabari Parker, Kendrick Nunn will not be denied being this close to title Number 4 to close their stellar careers in dominating style. PREDICTION: SIMEON WINS BY 14 WINS A 4TH STRAIGHT STATE TITLE!!!!!!!!!!!                              CLASS 3A: Morgan Park(Chicago) vs Bartonville Limestone- Morgan Park has been dominant in the State Playoffs winning every game by at least 20 points, Billy Garrett Jr,Kyle Davis, and Markee Williams are a great backcourt and will control this game. Limestone's shooting guard Hank Matthews the coach's son will try to keep his team in the game but Morgan Park advances in blowout fashion. PREDICTION: MORGAN PARK BY 22. Cahokia vs Orr(Chicago)- Cahokia has motivation as they might lose their athletic programs after this season, they have point guard Keenan Minor, 6'7 big man Vincent Jackson and top junior 6'7" Darius Austin while Orr is also here for the 1st time counters with juniors Marlon Jones 6'8" and Tyquon Greer 6'7"but Orr's guards will decide this one Jamal McDowell and Simeon transfer Brandon Clemmons will control this game, Orr moves on. PREDICTION: ORR BY 8, TITLE GAME Morgan Park(Chicago) vs Orr(Chicago)- These two   Chicago Public League powerhouses have not met yet this season, Orr's Jones and Greer will have to dominate inside to put Orr over the top in this one, but I say Morgan Park has enough inside firepower to counter act that with Xzavier Taylor 6'9" and Josh Cunningham 6'7" to go along with Garrett Jr, Davis, and Williams, Morgan Park wins it's first State Title in 35 years to make it a Public League party in Peoria. PREDICTION: MORGAN PARK BY 12.   THERE YOU HAVE IT: CHICAGO PUBLIC LEAGUE HAS DOMINATED THE STATE ALL YEAR AND IT WILL SHOW THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!! THIS IS MY RANT FOR TODAY, GOD BLESS AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!!!! SO LONG FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!

Illinois Class 4A And Class 3A Supersectional Capsules And Predictions!!!!!!!

Now it's SUPERSECTIONAL TIME, one game away from the State Finals in Peoria, season is winding down and it's sad in a way but here it goes: CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY: New Trier(Winnetka) vs Simeon(Chicago)- Some media members are trying to con us into believing New Trier has a chance to beat 3 time defending champ Simeon. News flash media NEW TRIER HAS NO CHANCE, too big, too strong, too intelligent, too well coached. Simeon's senior laden team led by McDonald's All-American Jabari Parker and Kendrick Nunn will overpower New Trier. Princeton signee Steven Cook has had a great playoff run but Simeon defensive stopper Kendall Pollard will shut him down. PREDICTION: SIMEON BY 25. HINSDALE CENTRAL: West Aurora(Aurora) vs  Proviso East(Maywood)- Rematch of last years Supersectional which was won by Proviso East, Proviso East will win again on the strength of the speed and quickness of SMU signee Sterling Brown, Illinois State signee Paris Lee and Brandon Jenkins. PREDICTION: PROVISO EAST BY 10. DEKALB(NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY): Boylan Catholic(Rockford) vs Stevenson(Lincolnshire)- Rockford Boylan's 6'6" senior big man Ben Grygiel could give Stevenson's sophomore laden team problems but I think super sophomore point guard Jaylen Brunson will trump that and take this young team down to Peoria earlier than scheduled. PREDICTION: STEVENSON BY 7. NORMAL(ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY): Marian Catholic(Chicago Heights) vs Edwardsville- This is a tough one to call Marian Catholic has beaten bigger teams all season and Edwardsville has 4 starters at 6'5", but i think Marian Catholic's quickness and Tyler Ulis's ability to control the game from the point guard position will prevail. PREDICTION: MARIAN CATHOLIC BY 6.                                      CLASS 3A  This might be the better Final Four down in Peoria as you could have 2 powerhouse teams. DEKALB(NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY): St Francis(Wheaton) vs Bartonville Limestone- Limestone upset Washington in regionals and has a very goos sophomore point guard of their own. PREDICTION: BARTONVILLE LIMESTONE BY 10. JOLIET CENTRAL: Morgan Park(Chicago) vs Hillcrest(Country Club Hills)- This will be Morgan Park's toughest test yet because Hillcrest is a tough hard-nosed team who has been to this level before. I think too much talent at the guard positions in DePaul signee Billy Garrett Jr,Markee Williams, and Dayton signee Kyle Davis will be too much. The 3A Favorite moves on to Peoria. PREDICTION: MORGAN PARK BY 14. SPRINGFIELD: Cahokia vs Chatham(Glenwood)- Peyton Allen is a fabulous player who has come back from illness to get back to one of the best players on the state. But he alone is not enough for the talented Cahokia team led by Keenan Minor and super junior Darius Austin. PREDICTION: CAHOKIA BY 10. HOFFMAN ESTATES: North Chicago vs Orr(Chicago)- Best super sectional matchup in either 4A or 3A, a lot of talent on the floor and some edge here. These teams were supposed to play on MLK Day at the Young MLK shootout, but Orr backed out saying they wanted to wait until Supersectional. Well here it is and North Chicago's coach Gerald King Coleman said Orr was scared of North Chicago. Well between North Chicago's Javarious Amos-Mays, Kurt Hall, and Jayquon McCoy, and Orr's Marlon Jones, Louis Adams Jr, Tyquone Greer this will be entertaining and fast paced. Key to me will be Orr's point guard Jamal McDowell and North Chicago's point guard Emmanuel January and which one can stay in control of his team? North Chicago is looking for it's 3rd straight trip to Peoria and Orr is looking for it's 1st. This to me will be the difference, North Chicago moves on. PREDICTION: NORTH CHICAGO BY 5. THERE YOU HAVE IT, GREAT DAY TOMORROW AND EXCITING END TO THE HIGH SCHOOL SEASON IN THE CHICAGO AREA. THIS IS MY RANT FOR TODAY, GOD BLESS AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simeon vs Whitney Young Round 2 Class 4A Sectional Final!!!!!!!

I Know people are going to say I am being presumptuous for saying this, but this is the true State Title Game in Class 4A. It's too bad it's happening in a Sectional Final, this could be an all-time Classic Game. I think part of it has been taken away with Whitney Young playing back to back days. Two teams that are ranked in the Top 10 Nationally. Here we go: Simeon(Chicago) vs Whitney Young(Chicago)- BACKCOURT: Jaylen Tate and Kendrick Nunn(Simeon) vs Austere Madison and Myles Reynolds(Young)-Tate has been solid most of the year at point guard and he will team with Nunn who's a high flyer and 3 point shooter, at Illnois but unfinished  business here. Madison has grown on me, he doesn't shoot a lot but can make shots, he does his job gets it to the scorers, Reynolds is a knockdown 3 point shooter. Both teams are very good defensively in the backcourt. ADVANTAGE- SIMEON. FRONTCOURT: Kendall Pollard,Jabari Parker,Russell Woods(Simeon) vs LJ Peak, Paul White, Jahlil Okafor(Young)- Lots of star power here, you have a McDonalds All-American(Parker), defensive stopper in Pollard, and a glass cleaner in Woods. But Young has three Top 50 National juniors on their frontline and Okafor will be a McDonalds All-American next season. To me a no brainer on advantage here. ADVANTAGE-WHITNEY YOUNG. BENCH: Donte Ingram,DJ Williams(Simeon), Joseph Toye(Young)- Simeon's bench is not as good as at the start of the season, Robert Smith has shortened his bench but Young has practically nothing coming off it's bench. ADVANTAGE- SIMEON. COACHING: Robert Smith(Simeon) vs Tyrone Slaughter(Whitney Young)- Both have won State Titles, Smith has a State Record 5 State Titles on his resume, Slaughter I will say is much improved as a coach, let's his players play with more freedom than usual, but..........ADVANTAGE: SIMEON                                  CONCLUSION................ I DON'T THINK THIS WILL BE THE CLASSIC THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE SNOW CHANGING THE SCHEDULE, AND YOUNG HAVING TO PLAY BACK TO BACK DAYS WITH NO BENCH TO SPEAK OF. ALSO SIMEON IS ON A MISSION FOR HISTORY TO WIN 4 STRAIGHT STATE TITLES. MY PREDICTION IS........................ SIMEON BY 8 AND MOVES ON TO MAKE IT 4 STRAIGHT TITLES!!!!!!! PS KEY WILL BE IF PAUL WHITE SHOWS UP, HE HAS NEVER SHOWN UP VS SIMEON, CAN HE DO IT THIS TIME??????????

Illinois Class 4A Sectional Final Capsules And Predictions!!!!!!!!!

There were some barnburner games tonight but now we are into the Sectional Finals and these are the captions and predictions: BOLINGBROOK: West Aurora(Aurora) vs Benet Academy(Lisle)- Benet won a 2OT Game tonight, I think this will effect them playing back to back days, big man Sean O'Mara will tire in the 4th quarter and West Aurora moves on to Supersectional. DEKALB: Boylan(Rockford) vs Jefferson(Rockford)- I am taking Boylan in this one. HARVEY(THORNTON): Marian Catholic(Chicago Heights) vs Bloom(Chicago Heights)- The battle of Chicago Heights round 2, Marian Catholic and Tyler Ulis won the last meeting, I am taking Bloom though in an upset, Johnny Griffin will lead Bloom onto a chance to make it to the Final Four in consecutive years for retiring Coach Jasper Williams. GLENBROOK NORTH(NORTHBROOK): Niles North(Skokie) vs New Trier(Winnetka)- This is Niles North's 3rd consecutive Sectional Final appearance and while 5'7" superstar Malachi Nix is a great player, I will pick New Trier to move on, no matchup for Steve Cook, just as Notre Dame had trouble matching up with the Princeton signee. PEKIN: Edwardsville vs Rock Island- I picked against Rock Island in the last game, will not do it again, Rock Island moves on. SCHAUMBURG: Proviso East(Maywood) vs River Forest(Oak Park)- Proviso East and Sterling Brown, Paris Lee, and Brandon Jenkins are too fast and too much pressure for Erick Locke and company, Proviso East moves on to their 2nd straight Supersectional. SUMMITT(ARGO)- Simeon(Chicago) vs Whitney Young(Chicago)- I will have a special breakdown of this game in a separate rant. The DeFacto State Championship Game.WAUKEGAN: Stevenson(Lincolnshire) vs St Viator(Arlington Heights)- This sophomore laden team led by the great sophomore Jalen Brunson will control this game and move on to the Supersectional over a very good St Viator club. THERE YOU HAVE IT!!!!!!!! SHOULD BE AN INTERESTING FRIDAY NIGHT, BIG QUESTION!!!! WILL THE TEAMS THAT PLAYED ON THURSDAY NIGHT BE TOO TIRED TO WIN ON CONSECUTIVE DAYS???? THIS IS MY RANT FOR TODAY, GOD BLESS AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!!!!!!!

Timothy's Rants: Illinois Class 4A Sectional Semi Final Capsules an...

Timothy's Rants: Illinois Class 4A Sectional Semi Final Capsules an...: These are my Sectional Semi Final Breakdown and Predictions: BOLINGBROOK: Oswego vs West Aurora(Aurora)- This one I give the advantage to Os...

Illinois Class 4A Sectional Semi Final Capsules and Predictions

These are my Sectional Semi Final Breakdown and Predictions: BOLINGBROOK: Oswego vs West Aurora(Aurora)- This one I give the advantage to Oswego who is the top seed; their backcourt of Miles Simelton who is a Division 1 prospect, and Elliott McGaughy will control the game and send Blackhawks home. Benet Academy(Lisle) vs Neuqua Valley(Naperville)- Benet big man Sean O'Mara and Pat McInereney will be the difference and take out Neuqua Valley who's weak schedule will finally catch up with them. DEKALB: Larkin(Elgin) vs Jefferson(Rockford)- Larkin is ranked in Top 25 in Chicago area and for good reason, Larkin takes this one. Boylan Catholic(Rockford) vs Central(Crystal Lake)- I am taking Boylan in this one, and it should be a close one. THORNTON(HARVEY): Marian Catholic(Chicago Heights) vs West(Joliet)-I went to see Tyler Ulis on Friday and he has to be the most exciting guard I have seen since Mr Basketball Ryan Boatright at East Aurora who's now at Connecticut, his running mate Terrone Parham will help on the glass. They should take out Joliet West and high flying Morris Dunnigan. Bloom(Chicago Heights) vs Stagg(Palos Hills)- Stagg is a Cinderella but the glass slipper will not fit in this game, I am taking Bloom who is trying to get back to the Final Four for outgoing coach Jasper Williams. Battle of Chicago Heights 2 will happen on Friday Night. GLENBROOK NORTH(NORTHBROOK)- Maine South(Park Ridge) vs Niles North(Skokie)- They played a 2OT Game for the Central Suburban Championship two weeks ago. This one will be close also, I think Maine South will hammer Niles North and 5'7" Malachi Nix once again on the boards and prevail. Notre Dame(Niles) vs New Trier(Winnetka)- Notre Dame to me has been the best team in this Sectional all year, but I have a feeling that New Trier will pull the upset here, Steve Cook will outplay Matt Mooney. Sorry Ninos.  PEKIN: O'Fallon vs Edwardsville- O'Fallon pulled the upset of Belleville East in Regional, but I am taking Edwardsville in this one. Community West(Normal) vs Rock Island- I am taking Normal Community West in this one. SCHAUMBURG: Proviso East(Maywood) vs Glenbard East(Lombard)-Sterling Brown, Paris Lee and Proviso East is looking for return trip back to Final Four and they will steamroll through a good Glenbard East team. York(Elmhurst) vs River Forest(Oak Park)- Individual matchup of David Cohn and Erick Locke is intriguing but i am picking the upset here, Oak Park is too long and athletic for York. SUMMIT(ARGO)- Simeon(Chicago) vs DuSable(Chicago)- We get to the best Sectional in the state but one team DuSable has pulled off two gigantic upsets to get here over Catholic League teams Brother Rice and St Rita at the buzzer. They will not pull off a third gigantic upset as Simeon three time defending 4A State Champs will win in a blowout as Jabari Parker, Kendrick Nunn and company are focused on making history. Whitney Young(Chicago) vs Curie(Chicago)- This will be one of the best big man match ups in the history of Illinois High School Basketball as Young's Jahlil Okafor Area Player of The Year and #1 player in Class of 2014 nationally against Cliff Alexander of Curie #4 ranked player in Class of 2014 nationally. To me forward LJ Peak is a matchup nightmare and will give Whitney Young the edge here. Young moves on to the gigantic matchup #2 with Simeon. WAUKEGAN: Stevenson(Lincolnshire) vs Mundelein: This should be a high scoring game Stevenson led by Jalen Brunson an exciting top notch player(would love to see him go against Tyler Ulis) and Mundelein and Sean O'Brien. This game I think will be decided by the other sophomore Conner Cashaw and Stevenson will prevail by double digits as Robert Knar still not quite healthy coming off knee injury for Mundelein. Zion Benton(Zion) vs St Viator(Arlington Heights)- Milik Yarbrough the best player in Lake County vs Ore Arogundade both are great junior forwards and the matchup should be exciting to watch, I will pick Zion Benton in a close one here. THERE YOU HAVE IT, SHOULD BE AN EXCITING NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, I WILL COME BACK AND MAKE MY SECTIONAL FINALS PREDICTIONS LATER IN THE WEEK!!!!!! GOD BLESS AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!!!!!