The NCAA men’s basketball tournament kicks off today and the state of Illinois is once again well represented. Below is a full list of former Illinois prep athletes in this year’s March Madness.
The list is alphabetical by school first, followed by last names of each athlete.
Arkansas
Justin Smith, Stevenson
- 6-7 Senior
- 24 games (24 Starts), 30.9 minutes, 13.0 points on 54.1 percent shooting (FG%), 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
- Team leader in rebounds in rebounds per game.
Cleveland State
Craig Beaudion, Whitney Young
- 6-3 Senior
- 26 games (26 Starts), 30.8 minutes, 9.6 points on 46.2 percent shooting (FG%), 2.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
- Shot 40.7 percent from the three-point range this season
Creighton
Devin Davis, Westinghouse College Prep
- 6-0 Freshman
- 7 games (0 Starts), 14 total minutes
- Scored his first and only points of the season
Sami Osman, Oaklawn
- 6-4 Freshman
- 8 games (0 starts), 21 total minutes
- Averaged 0.8 points and 0.4 rebounds per game
Drake
Andrew Barrett, Alleman
- 6-5 Junior
- 8 games (0 starts), 21 total minutes
- Averaged 0.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game
Nate Ferguson, Lemont
- 6-8 Redshirt Freshman
- 22 games (0 Starts), 10.7 minutes, 2.6 points on 61.5 percent shooting (FG%) and 1.6 rebounds per game.
Jordan Kwiecinski, Loyola Academy
- 6-9 Freshman
- 8 games (0 starts), 28 total minutes
- Averaged 1.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per game
Joseph Yesufu, Bolingbrook
- 6-0 Sophomore
- 29 games (5 Starts), 22.9 minutes, 12.1 points on 45.3 percent shooting (FG%), 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
- Scored most points (350) for Drake during the 2020-21 season but second in points per game (12.2)
Florida State
Malik Osborne, Rich South
- 6-9 Junior
- 21 games (4 Starts), 20 minutes, 5.5 points on 41.3 percent shooting (FG%) and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Illinois
Ayo Dosunmu, Morgan Park
- 6-5 Junior
- 26 games (26 Starts), 35.1 minutes, 20.7 points on 48.8 percent shooting (FG%), 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
Zach Griffith, Fisher
- 6-6 Senior
- 6 games (1 start), 21 total minutes
- Averaged 0.7 points and 1.0 rebounds per game
Jermaine Hamlin, Lincoln
- 6-10 Sophomore
- 8 games (0 starts), 24 total minutes
- Averaged 1.0 points and 0.4 rebounds per game
Brandon Lieb, Deerfield
- 7-0 Freshman
- 4 games (0 starts), 11 total minutes
- Averaged 1.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game
Adam Miller, Morgan Park
- 6-3 Freshman
- 29 games (29 Starts), 25.7 minutes, 8.2 points on 37.4 percent shooting (FG%), 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.6 steals per game.
Connor Serven, St. Rita
- 6-9 Freshman
- 6 games (0 starts), 12 total minutes
- His only made basket came on November 25, 2020 vs. N.C. A&T
Da’Monte Williams, Manual
- 6-3 Senior
- 29 games (17 Starts), 25.1 minutes, 5.7 points on 52.6 percent shooting (FG%), 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game.
- Shot an impressive 56.5 percent from three-point range this season
Iowa
Ahron Ulis, Marion Catholic
- 6-3 Freshman
- 16 games (0 Starts), 6.7 minutes, 1.7 points on 33.3 percent shooting (FG%), 0.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game.
Loyola
Jake Baughman, Bloomington Central Catholic
- 6-3 Redshirt Senior
- 10 games (0 starts), 26 total minutes
- Averaged 0.3 points and 0.1 rebounds per game
Sami Ismail, Carl Sandburg
- 6-1 Junior
- 3 games (0 starts), 7 total minutes
- Averaged 1.7 points and 0.7 rebounds per game
Marquise Kennedy, Brother Rice
- 6-1 Sophomore
- 25 games (0 Starts), 18.2 minutes, 7.1 points on 49.6 percent shooting (FG%), 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
Cameron Krutwig, Jacobs
- 6-9 Senior
- 27 games (27 Starts), 28.1 minutes, 15.0 points on 57.9 percent shooting (FG%), 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
- Leading scorer and rebounder for the Ramblers
Tom Welch, Naperville North
- 6-8 Sophomore
- 27 games (1 Start), 10.8 minutes, 5.0 points on 60.5 percent shooting (FG%), 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
Lucas Williamson, Whitney Young
- 6-4 Senior
- 28 games (28 Starts), 27.4 minutes, 8.2 points on 42.3 percent shooting (FG%), 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.2 blocks per game.
Maryland
Aquan Smart, Niles North
- 6-3 Freshman
- 20 games (0 Starts), 7.9 minutes, 1.5 points on 31 percent shooting (FG%), 1.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.
Michigan
Mike Smith, Fenwick
- 5-1 Graduate Student
- 24 games (24 Starts), 31.3 minutes, 5.7 points on 42.9 percent shooting (FG%), 2.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 0.5 steals per game.
- Shot 44.4 percent from three-point range
Michigan State
Jack Hoiberg, Hinsdale Central
- 5-11 Redshirt Junior
- 14 games (0 starts), 43 total minutes
- Averaged 0.5 points and 0.2 rebounds per game
Missouri
Javon Pickett, Belleville East
- 6-5 Junior
- 25 games (2 Starts), 17.8 minutes, 6.2 points on 50.4 percent shooting (FG%), 2.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists, per game.
Xavier Pinson, Simeon
- 6-2 Junior
- 25 games (25 Starts), 25.9 minutes, 10.3 points on 39.2 percent shooting (FG%), 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
Mark Smith, Edwardville
- 6-5 Senior
- 25 games (23 Starts), 29.5 minutes, 9.6 points on 37.0 percent shooting (FG%), 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
Jeremiah Tilmon, East St. Louis
- 6-10 Senior
- 23 games (22 Starts), 27.4 minutes, 12.3 points on 61.8 percent shooting (FG%), 7.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game.
- Leading rebounder and shot blocker for the Tigers
Morehead State
Marcus Garrett, Hillcrest
- 6-1 Redshirt Junior
- 11 games (0 start), 94 total minutes (8.5 minutes per game)
- 1.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
North Texas
Thomas Bell, Cahokia
- 6-6 Senior
- 26 games (26 Starts), 27.2 minutes, 10.3 points on 53.1 percent shooting (FG%), 5.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Ohio State
E.J. Liddell, Belleville West
- 6-4 Sophomore
- 28 games (28 Starts), 29.0 minutes, 16.3 points on 46.5 percent shooting (FG%), 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.
Jimmy Sotos, Conant
- 6-3 Senior
- 12 games (2 starts), 114 total minutes (9.6 minutes per game)
- Averaged 1.7 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game
- Unfortunately, Sotos is out for the season. He underwent a season-ending surgery to repair a separated shoulder last month.
St. Bonaventure
Eddie Creal, Romeoville
- 6-4 Junior
- 14 games (0 starts), 74 total minutes (5.3 minutes per game)
- Averaged 0.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game
Jalen Shaw, Larkin
- 6-10 Junior
- 19 games (0 starts), 112 total minutes (5.9 minutes per game)
- Averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game
Texas Tech
Terrence Shannon, Jr., Lincoln Park
- 6-6 Sophomore
- 26 games (11 Starts), 26.2 minutes, 12.7 points on 45.4 percent shooting (FG%), 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
University of Southern California
Drew Peterson, Libertyville
- 6-8 Junior
- 29 games (26 Starts), 28.4 minutes, 9.9 points on 42.4 percent shooting (FG%), 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
Wisconsin
Carter Higginbottom, St. Ignatius
- 6-0 Redshirt Sophomore
- 7 games (0 starts), 10 total minutes
Justin Taphorn, Pekin
- 6-5 Freshman
- 5 games (0 starts), 10 total minutes
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