Honestly? Felt lazy this Saturday afternoon. Stuffed my face with cold pizza leftovers while scrolling basketball forums. Then this thread caught my eye – “2025 Illinois Sleepers??” – posted by some anonymous coach account. Figured hey, why not drive over? Had nothing better to do anyway. Grabbed my notebook and cheap binoculars.
The First Stop: Lincoln High (Springfield)
Parked my rusty Civic beside a fancy-looking team bus. Seriously, felt like I drove a tin can into a dealership lot. Inside the gym? Pure noise. Sneakers squeaking like crazy, whistles blowing, coaches shouting themselves hoarse. Saw this skinny kid immediately – #11, Jamal Peterson. Folks said he was “raw”. Raw my foot. Watched him drive right through three defenders like they were cardboard cutouts. Swish. Again. And again. Notebook got filled real fast:
- Not just fast – stupid fast. Explodes off the floor instantly. You blink? You miss the dunk.
- Handles pressure like it’s nothing. Double-teamed? Triple-teamed? Didn’t panic once. Found the open man slicker than grease.
- Defense? Relentless. Stole the ball twice mid-dribble. Kid’s like a shadow with arms and legs glued to his man.
Left that gym buzzing. This “sleeper”? Nah. D1 coaches gonna fight over him before Thanksgiving.
Second Game: Oakwood Prep (Chicago Suburbs)
Different vibe here. Quieter crowd. Snooty private school folks sipping lattes. Easy to miss Elena Rodriguez at first. Tiny guard, maybe 5’5″? Sat mostly early on. Mistake to write her off. Fourth quarter, team down eight? She switched on. Turned into a complete pest on defense. Hounded the opposing point guard full court, literally forcing a 10-second violation. Then? Clutch mode activated. Sunk three deep threes back-to-back-to-back. Pure ice water. Fans around me shut up real quick. Scribbled down key stuff:
- Shooting stroke is sweeeet. Release is crazy quick. Doesn’t need much space at all.
- Brain operates fast. Reads screens before they happen. Finds gaps you wouldn’t see on replay.
- Big stage nerves? Zero. Game on the line? Smiled before sinking that final free throw. Savage.
That small frame hides a monster competitor. Recruiters gonna discover her eventually. They’d be fools not to.
Last Call: Lakeside Tech (Rockford)
Late game, drove tired. Energy weirdly low when I got there. Then Marcus “Big Mac” Coleman woke everybody up. This guy? Mountain. 6’10″ of muscle. First five minutes? Blocked four shots into the third row. Felt the air change. Players stopped even trying inside. Think he got twelve rebounds? Fifteen? Lost count. Made layups look like a joke. Simple power moves, defenders bouncing off. Notes read simple:
- Physical presence? Scary. Owns the paint completely. Doesn’t just block shots – deters them.
- Unselfish monster. Could score forty if greedy. Finds the open cutter instead. Smart.
- Stamina beast. Late fourth? Sprinting full court faster than guards half his size.
Big dude who plays team ball? Major colleges will line up throwing offers by Christmas.
Driving Home Thoughts
Parked in my driveway, just sat. Stars aren’t just about the points flashing on some scoreboard tonight. Jamal’s killer vision? Elena’s ice-cold nerves? Marcus turning defense into an art form? THAT’S what sticks. Forgot my pizza addiction for a whole day. Can’t wait to see where these kids go. Future’s bright for Illinois hoops. Real bright. Gotta track ’em down next season too.