Breakdown of Kentucky Wildcats 2013-2014 Roster!!!!!!!!!

I feel this is another National Championship Roster, will they do it? It remains to be seen but it will be interesting to watch: PROJECTED STARTERS-----POINT GUARD ANDREW HARRISON(6'5" FRESHMAN)- The best incoming freshman point guard who I think will develop into the best point guard in college basketball. He is the key to the whole season and the team chemistry, he is tough minded,has a will to win,great passer and very talented. He does not have to score for this team but has to be a leader and get others the ball. Total package offensively but remains to be seen how he will do defensively. SHOOTING GUARD AARON HARRISON(6'6" FRESHMAN)- The other half of the Harrison twins, can shoot the lights out to the parking lot, also can run the point in a pinch, plays well off his brother. Will have to have better shot selection to maximize his potential. Same as his brother tough minded,will to win and very talented. Also like his brother hammers other guards to desperation and draws a lot of fouls. SMALL FORWARD/SWINGMAN ALEX POYTHRESS(6'7" SOPHOMORE)- Wonderful talent will have no choice but to improve his intensity this year or he won't play. Can rebound well, good three point shooter and can slash to the basket. Has to make better decisions on the court but will have good guards setting him up for easy baskets. Will have to play better defense and stay out of foul trouble if he wants to play. POWER FORWARD JULIUS RANDLE(6'9" FRESHMAN)- A hard-nosed finisher, can slash to the basket or pound you in the post. Good dribbling skills for a big man and a good passer out of the post. A mismatch nightmare because of his versatility, also can rebound at a high rate. Will have to cut down on his turnovers and play inside 15 feet more. CENTER- WILLIE CAULEY-STEIN(7'0" SOPHOMORE)- Will not have to do as much as last year, rebound, block shots, will have to improve his back to the basket game. Will be able to play more aggressive and there is great depth behind him unlike this past year. Can run the floor for easy baskets and dunks, will have to vastly improve his free throw shooting. BENCH JAMES YOUNG (6'7" FRESHMAN)- As talented as the other freshman are, he has the biggest upside to me as a possible future NBA All-Star. Surprised? He's a great three point shooter, also can slash to the basket and dunk on you. He's one of those quiet scorers who can put a bunch of points on you before you know it. Will spread the defense out with his shooting, also I think he has the potential to be a great one on one defender and rebounds at a high rate for his size. DAKARI JOHNSON (6'11" FRESHMAN)- Will back up Cauley-Stein, he is a true center that can play with his back to the basket. Also can block shots if needed and use his big body to move guys off the block. Rebounds at a high rate and can also play aggressive with this deep team. MARCUS LEE(6'9" FRESHMAN)- He will have to fight for minutes as he has to hit the weight room and very hard. He can block shots, a good passer out of the post and his offensive game is rapidly improving. His value is as a shot blocker and rebounder for this team. JAROD POLSON( 6'2"SENIOR)- He played very well as a backup and will be needed in that role again this season. He gets to the hole pretty well and can shoot the three pointer, he's limited on the defensive end even though he makes a great effort. He will bring energy and passion to this team, and can give a few good minutes off the bench at point guard. JON HOOD (6'7" SENIOR)- Played very well in the minutes he was given last season, does a little bit of everything, hit the three, rebound, pass, a serviceable player who will have to fight for minutes this season. He can provide senior leadership on the bench. DEREK WILLIS (6'9" FRESHMAN)-Very skilled big man with guard skills, can shoot the 3 pointer, good passer, can rebound and handle the ball, has to get stronger and hit the weights hard this summer. Might not play much this year but will be a very good one in the future. DOMINIQUE HAWKINS(6'1" FRESHMAN)- A late addition who might just end up as the backup at point guard, very athletic can get to the basket. A decent three point shooter, he will have to improve in that area. Plays with a lot of intensity on the defensive end and will bother the opposing point guard. I see him getting some time on this team. I think he will surprise a lot of people with his play next season. . THERE YOU HAVE IT THIS TEAM WILL BE DEEP AT EVERY POSITION, HAS SHOOTING, PASSING,REBOUNDING, ABILITY TO BE A GREAT DEFENSIVE TEAM. I AM LOOKING AT A NATIONAL TITLE FOR THIS TEAM BBN!!!!!!!! WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO: THIS IS MY RANT FOR TODAY, GOD BLESS AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!!!!  

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...