With tournaments, events and shoe league play virtually every weekend in April and May, the club-basketball scene is in full swing.
With two weekends in the books, here are some quick thoughts after taking in the RecruitLook Hoops event and the first weekend of Under Armour Association play.
1. Christopher Kirkpatrick was outstanding last weekend. The New Trier guard, who led a solid Elevate team to a 4-0 record in the opening weekend of Under Armour Association play, averaged 21 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists and shot 42% from three-point range.
Kirkpatrick plays with supreme confidence and is a legitimate go-to star in the class. His recruiting undoubtedly will heat up soon.
2. The player ascending the most in the early part of the spring is Fremd’s Jordan Williams. Fresh off a breakout junior season in which he helped the Vikings to 27 victories and a berth in the sectional-
title game, the 6-5 wing will raise his stock this spring and summer while playing with Elevate.
Williams can blend into any situation to help his team win. He does everything you ask: rebound, defend, distribute the ball and score. He recently has shown a penchant for generating more offense, including a much-improved jumper.
3. Stephen Brown of Marist always has looked the part, but splitting time as a legit football and basketball prospect is never easy. If Brown consistently can be what he was in the opening weekend for Young and Reckless, though, the 6-7 rising junior can recharge his basketball fortunes.
4. Speaking of Marist, keep an eye on rising sophomore Kendall Meyers, who flashed impressive glimpses of skilled, versatile talent while playing with Young and Reckless.
5. With his physical attributes and high ceiling, Kankakee’s Lincoln Williams remains the top prospect in the Class of 2026. But there might be a lot of jockeying for position among the top half-dozen or so players in the class, including Brown, Kirkpatrick, Simeon’s Andre Tyler, Oswego East’s Mason Lockett, Young’s Marquis Clark and Benet’s Colin Stack.
6. If you’re picking teams and simply want to go out and win a game, DePaul Prep’s Rashaun Porter might be your No. 1 choice. He plays on the summer circuit with the Illinois Wolves. What a winner.
The 6-7 junior is also in the process of solidifying himself as a mid-major prospect.
7. Joliet West’s Ethan Hillsman showed some flashes last season as a junior after moving in from Tennessee. Look for him to have a breakout spring and summer for the Illinois Wolves. His size, athleticism and versatility stand out.
8. An ability to make shots from long range at a high percentage is at a premium and is a big part of the formula for basketball success. There aren’t many who do it better than Glenbard East’s Michael Nee.
The 6-1 junior is a high-level shooter who picks his spots, plays within himself and is a lethal threat from three. He has shined early with Breakaway on the club circuit.
9. He’s a downstate player, but the scoring potential of Alton’s Semaj Stampley is off the charts. The junior guard showcased that and more while playing with the Southwest Illinois Jets.
10. The player movement has started. TJ Williams, an athletic guard and the leading scorer for the Glenbard West team that won a sectional title, has transferred to Bolingbrook.
