Stars abound on Associated Press all-state teams
There is no shortage of future stars on The Associated Press 2007-08 Class 3A and 4A boys basketball all-state teams.
Fifteen of the 22 players selected by a statewide panel of sports writers have signed letters of intent or made verbal commitments to Division I colleges. Five will be playing in this weekend's 3A state finals in Peoria.
With the Illinois High School Association's expansion to four classes, there was a first and second team in each class. There are six players on the 3A and 4A second teams as a result of ties in the voting compiled by Marty Maciaszek of the Daily Herald.
All five of the 4A first-team members will be playing major college basketball. Kevin Dillard, a 5-foot-11 senior guard from Homewood-Flossmoor, averaged 25 points, 5 assists and 5 steals for the top-ranked team in the state's final regular-season poll and has signed with Southern Illinois.
Mike Dunigan, a 6-10 senior from Chicago Farragut, averaged 17 points, 15 rebounds and 6 blocks and is headed to Oregon. Oak Park-River Forest 6-4 senior guard Iman Shumpert averaged 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals and is going to Georgia Tech.
Nick Fruendt, a 6-5 senior and four-year starter for Batavia who averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, is staying closer to home at Northwestern. The only junior on the 4A first team, 6-3 guard Brandon Paul of Gurnee Warren, averaged 20 points and 6.5 rebounds and committed to Illinois in the summer.
Four players on the 3A first team will be battling for a state title Friday and Saturday and Peoria. Lewis Jackson, a 5-8 senior guard from Decatur Eisenhower, was the only player in either class to be a unanimous selection with first-team votes on all 15 ballots.
The Purdue-bound Jackson averaged 20 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals for the top-ranked 3A team in the final AP regular-season poll. Eisenhower suffered its only loss 65-63 in a sectional final to Champaign Central, which is led by first-team all-state pick Verdell Jones III. The 6-5 senior point guard averages 20 points, 6.5 assists and 5 rebounds but has not made a college choice.
Matt Roth, a 6-3 guard from downstate Washington, is the most prolific career 3-point shooter in state history and averages 22 points a game. The Indiana-bound Roth led his team to the state finals for the first time since 1962.
After spending his first three years at Chicago Leo, 6-9 Stan Simpson hopes to lead Simeon to a third consecutive state title. The Illinois-bound Simpson averages 19 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.
Senior Ryan Hare hopes to lead Chicago Marshall to its first title since 1960 after third-place finishes the last two seasons. The 6-3 Hare, who backed out of a commitment to Oregon, averages 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals a game.
The Class 4A second team has three Division I recruits in Glen Ellyn Glenbard West's 6-8 John Shurna (22 ppg, 11 rpg, Northwestern), Glenview Glenbrook South's 6-9 junior Jack Cooley (21 ppg, 12 rpg, Notre Dame) and Chicago Whitney Young guard A.J. Rompza (18 ppg, 7 apg, Central Florida). Uncommitted seniors are Moline's 6-6 Isiah Nunn (25 ppg, 8 rpg), O'Fallon's 6-3 Kenny Leverette (16 ppg, 9 rpg) and Alton's 6-0 Ruben Cotto (22 ppg).
Buffalo Grove senior Brian DeSimone and Schaumburg junior Cully Payne earned honorable mentions in Class 4A.
The Class 3A second team has 6-2 junior Darius Smith of Chicago Marshall playing this weekend in Peoria. Smith averages 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and a whopping 8 steals a game.
Four 3A second-teamers are Division I recruits. Peoria Central 6-3 junior D.J. Richardson (17 ppg) and Sterling 6-5 junior Joseph Bertrand (14 ppg, 5 apg) have committed to Illinois. Decatur Eisenhower 6-8 senior Jeremy Robinson (17 ppg, 9 rpg) is headed to Illinois State and 6-7 Geneseo senior Tyler Storm (19.5 ppg, 9 rpg) has signed with Northern Illinois.
The other 3A second-team selection figures to have no shortage of college interest as 5-11 freshman guard Donivine Stewart of Bartonville Limestone averaged 25 points a game.