Joe Henricksen
@joehoopsreport
Editor/Publisher of the City/Suburban Hoops Report in Chicago • Chicago Sun-Times contributor
From the breakout players to the still overlooked and new arrivals, here are some players who moved the needle this summer. chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-ba…
ICYMI: Following a big junior season and solid summer, New Trier’s Christopher Kirkpatrick saw the recruiting interest rise. He’s now off the board after committing to Princeton on Thursday. chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-ba…
Princeton nabs another Illinois product. This time it’s New Trier standout guard Christopher Kirkpatrick. chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-ba…
100% committed to the admissions process at Princeton University. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to where I am now. Back to work🏗️ @FundamentalUA // @NewTrierBBB
🚨 The 2025 High Academic Showcase is less than 2 weeks away! 📚 Tuesday, August 5th - Waukegan, IL Saturday, August 9th - Thousand Oaks, CA Lock in your spot now! 🔗fundamentaluniversity.com/academicshowca…
A player who has made the most of post-high school spring and summer. He’s grown physically and as a player. More should come his way as he heads off to prep school.
After a great conversation with Coach Powell and Coach Gordon I am extremely thankful and excited to receive a scholarship offer from Valparaiso University. @FundamentalUA @mikeweinstein55 @UANextBHoops
DePaul Prep’s Rykan Woo commits to Brown. The Ivy League program landed an Ivy League gem in the senior guard who is fresh off a big junior season and solid spring and summer. Brown was in early on Woo.
Rashaun Porter and Rykan Woo gobble up a lot of the attention and headlines for DePaul Prep. But, man, what a summer guard AJ Chambers has put together — with the Rams and Elevate in AAU. Playing at a completely different level and all the D2 interest is more than warranted.
Marian Catholic hires John Oliver as basketball coach. He was a key member of the Tyler Ulis teams, graduated from Marian in 2014.
Big blow to Dyett basketball as coach Jamaal Gill says he has been "released" from his roles at the school, including coach of the Class 2A state champions. CPS budget cuts appear to be behind the move. With school so close, you really have to feel for the kids in this program.
Atticus Richmond has really made some significant strides in the last six months …
I am very excited to announce my commitment to the admissions process at Columbia University! I would like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. Thank you to my family and friends for always being there when I needed you, and for all the time and…
Maybe they do, but not sure #Illini fans know how lucky they are for the type of insight, professionalism and coverage they receive from Derek Piper and @JWerner247 That’s not normal from really any specific fan outlet. With that being said, this is a big loss for them.
My 12-year sports media career has been the ride of a lifetime, and I've been lucky enough to spend 9 of those years at a special place in Illini Inquirer. But it's time to do something different. My column: 247sports.com/college/illino…
Braden Huff’s upcoming Basketball Camp at Glenbard West all for charity! Here’s more info on the City/Suburban Hoops Report Player of the Year, state champ and current Gonzaga player’s camp …
DePaul Prep's Rashaun Porter impresses easily, both on and off the floor which is why he’s such a valued and recruitable prospect for so many college programs. What a year this kid has put together. Here is more on Porter’s continued rise … chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-ba…
The Mount Carmel guard has generated a lot of interest following the work he did in June.
after a great talk with Coach Barone I am blessed to receive an offer from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville
Unlike many years in the past, when it comes to rising senior prospects, there is no clear-cut answer — at least not yet. But the top of the Class of 2026 has a bigger upside than a year ago. chicago.suntimes.com/high-school-ba…
Crane’s Jamier Montgomery continues to impress following a solid sophomore season. The slender and slithery junior guard showcased his smooth shot-making ability today with Y&R in the pre-live period event at Supreme Courts.
A back-to-full-strength Christopher Kirkpatrick of New Trier will have plenty of eyes on him in the coming two weeks. He’s a top five prospect in the Class of 2026 in Illinois and after watching him today with Elevate, the 6-2 guard will prove that and see his recruiting rise.
Biggest downer of the day was missing out on seeing Cooper Knowles with Mid-Pro, a bouncy 6-9 rising senior who the Hoops Report is very high on. Suffered a broken wrist in June and will miss all of the July eval period. But an ultra-intriguing big man with upside.
Another much-improved player is little-known big man Ayden Jensen of Tri-Valley High School in central Illinois. He’s 6-8, long, can move and put down a three and a couple of thunderous dunks. Should be a coveted small college recruiting target after watching again today.