Silva joins Mundelein’s college-bound basketball crowd

Jose Silva has value.

Make it seven players off coach Dick Knar’s 2012-13 Mundelein boys basketball team to commit to play in college.

Silva, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound center, will attend Crown College in Minnesota. He played two seasons on the varsity and “has worked hard to fulfill his dream of becoming a college basketball player,” Knar said.

Silva had a career-high 8 points and 8 rebounds on senior night against Round Lake.

Mundelein basketball is not new to Crown. Inder Singh, a 2007 graduate, played at Crown and is now an assistant coach.

“I believe Jose’s best basketball is ahead of him,” Knar said. “He is a great kid who really worked hard this year. He is a great teammate.

“We sat down with his parents at the start of last year, and he said he wanted to play at the next level. I told him he had to work harder than he ever did before. He did that. I am so happy he is realizing his dream.”

Mundelein’s other seniors who will play college basketball next season are Robert Knar (Northern Iowa), Sean O’Brien (Southern Illinois), Chino Ebube (Missouri S&T), Cliff Dunigan (Missouri S&T), Quinn Pokora (Augustana) and Dylan Delaquila (Roosevelt).