Below are the favorites for Mr. Basketball for the states of Illinois and Ohio. Players are listed alphabetically and bold denotes my pick to win the title. Both states allow underclassmen to be considered (*denotes underclassman)

ILLINOIS

• ISAIAH BARNES (CHICAGO SIMEON)
• MAX CHRISTIE (ROLLING MEADOWS)
• TROY D'AMICO (NILES NOTRE DAME)
• BRYCE HOPKINS (OAK PARK FENWICK)
• ANTHONY SAYLES (NILES NOTRE DAME)

OHIO

• MALAKI BRANHAM (AKRON ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY)
• LOGAN DUNCOMB (CINCINNATI MOELLER)
• KEVIN ETZLER (CONVOY CRESTVIEW)
• *CHRIS LIVINGSTON (AKRON BUCHTEL)
• GEORGE MANGUS (LIMA SHAWNEE)

Saturday I observed the Will Harris Homes Winter Classic at Central Hardin High School in Cecilia, KY. Below were the game results and the top players. All teams are from Kentucky.

• LAWRENCEBURG ANDERSON CO.-59  CECILIA CENTRAL HARDIN-55
• BARDSTOWN-63  MT. VERNON ROCKCASTLE CO.-42
• ELIZABETHTOWN JOHN HARDIN-54  BARDSTOWN THOMAS NELSON-37

TOP 4

• AMIYAH JENKINS 5-11/JR LAWRENCEBURG ANDERSON CO.
• JAILEYAH COTTON 5-6/JR BARDSTOWN
• MONICA LINDSEY 5-5/JR CECILIA CENTRAL HARDIN
• KEELEE KING 5-11/SO MT. VERNON ROCKCASTLE CO.

TOP SLEEPER

         SHARON TIDWELL 5-9/FR ELIZABETHTOWN JOHN HARDIN

 SECOND 4

• KADENCE WALLS 5-7/JR BARDSTOWN
• RACHEL SATTERLY 5-8/SR LAWRENCEBURG ANDERSON CO.
• SOPHIE SMITH 5-8/SR LAWRENCEBURG ANDERSON CO.
• JACIE CHESSER 6-1/JR LAWRENCEBURG ANDERSON CO.

SECOND SLEEPER

         CASEY COLEMAN 5-10/SR MT. VERNON ROCKCASTLE CO.

We are now officially taking registrations for our 2021 High Potential Blue-Chip Basketball Camps at Charlestown, IN, just 15 miles northeast of Louisville, KY. This will be our 41st year of operation. For more information about our camps, go to this site below.

2021 HPBC CAMPS

This past weekend (Friday and Saturday) the IHSAA crowned four champions at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Below are the game results and top 20+ college prospects.

CLASS 2A (FRIDAY)

(27-1) LINTON LINTON-STOCKTON-63  (20-8) TIPTON-25

CLASS 1A (SATURDAY)

(25-4) ROYAL CENTER PIONEER-43  (20-5) LOOGOOTEE-42

CLASS 3A (SATURDAY)

(25-3) SELLERSBURG SILVER CREEK-54  (22-6) SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON-48

CLASS 4A (SATURDAY)

(25-1) CROWN POINT-44  (17-11) BROWNSBURG-34

TOP 10

• MILA REYNOLDS 6-2/JR SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (MARYLAND)
• JESSICA CARROTHERS 5-7/JR CROWN POINT
• LILLY STODDARD 6-3/JR CROWN POINT (PURDUE)
• AMIYAH REYNOLDS 6-0/SO SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
• ALLI BECKI 5-8/SR BROWNSBURG (BALL STATE)
• RASHUNDA JONES 5-8/SO SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
• MARISSA GASAWAY 6-0/SR SELLERSBURG SILVER CREEK
• KYNIDI STRIVERSON 5-8/JR SELLERSBURG SILVER CREEK
• VANESSA SHAFFORD 5-9/SR LINTON LINTON-STOCKTON (SOUTHERN INDIANA)
• ALANA STRIVERSON 5-10/SR SELLERSBURG SILVER CREEK

TOP SLEEPER

         QUINCI THOMAS 6-2/SO BROWNSBURG

SECOND 10 (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

• ASHLYNN BROOKE 5-6/SO ROYAL CENTER PIONEER
• AUBREY BURGESS 5-5/SR LINTON LINTON-STOCKTON
• HALEY CRIPE 5-6/JR ROYAL CENTER PIONEER
• JACLYN EMLY 5-11/SR SELLERSBURG SILVER CREEK
• KALEA FLEMING 5-6/SR LOOGOOTEE
• BROOKLYN JONES 5-8/SR LOOGOOTEE
• HALEY ROSE 6-0/SR LINTON LINTON-STOCKTON
• ALYNA SANTIAGO 5-7/SR CROWN POINT
• ASHLEE SCHRAM 6-2/SO TIPTON
• KYLIE VAN HOY 5-9/JR LOOGOOTEE

SECOND SLEEPER

        NOVALEE GLASS 6-0/JR BROWNSBURG

(TO VIEW THE BOXSCORE FOR EACH GAME GO TO THE BELOW TAB)

IHSAA FINALS

Below are my "Sweet 16" picks for the Kentucky's Girls State Tournament which will be played April 7-10 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.

• REGION 1: BENTON MARSHALL CO.
• REGION 2: DIXON WEBSTER CO.
• REGION 3: OWENSBORO APOLLO
• REGION 4: BOWLING GREEN
• REGION 5: BARDSTOWN BETHLEHEM
• REGION 6: MT. WASHINGTON BULLITT EAST
• REGION 7: LOUISVILLE SACRED HEART
• REGION 8: LAWRENCEBURG ANDERSON CO.
• REGION 9: UNION RYLE
• REGION 10: WINCHESTER GEORGE ROGERS CLARK
• REGION 11: FRANKFORT FRANKLIN CO.
• REGION 12: DANVILLE
• REGION 13: LONDON NORTH LAUREL
• REGION 14: BOONEVILLE OWSLEY CO.
• REGION 15: PIKEVILLE SHELBY VALLEY
• REGION 16: ASHLAND BOYD CO.

BOLD DENOTES THE EVENTUAL CHAMPION

Although the state high school association of Illinois allowed boys' high school basketball to start up towards the end of January, there will not be a state tournament for any of the four classes in March due to COVID-19. However, Notre Dame High School in Niles, Illinois, will be conducting a season ending tournament for 8 of the top ranked teams in Illinois on March 12-13. Below are the participating teams.

• DEPAUL PREP (CHICAGO)
• EVANSTON
• FENWICK (OAK PARK)
• MUNDELEIN
• NOTRE DAME (NILES)
• SIMEON (CHICAGO)
• ST. PATRICK (CHICAGO)
• WHITNEY YOUNG (CHICAGO)

McDonald's has announced their All-Americans for both boys and girls. There are 24 players for each team. Like last season due to COVID-19, there will not be a game for 2021 as well. One can view the rosters below.

MCDONALD'S ALL-AMERICANS

Although Flyin' to the Hoop in Kettering, OH, was canceled last month due to COVID-19, the organizer is doing a Top Gun Showcase featuring several of the nation's top teams and players next month. It will take place March 7 and March 8 at Butler High School in Vandalia, OH. Emoni Bates, the nation's top junior, will be participating. One can view the schedule and top players below.

TOP GUN SHOWCASE