ESPN

Sometimes it's appropriate to speak when not spoken to. Sometimes -- again, not all of the time, just sometimes -- it's appropriate to pound your chest, pop your collar, find the mountain top and let the rest of the world know the truth. As unconventional and inconvenient as it sometimes can be. Sometimes you gotta go Kanye.

"Chicago is the basketball capital of the world!"

Read the entire story.

1. Rise of Anthony Davis: He put himself on the basketball map a year ago, but Davis finished his rise in 2011 and cemented himself as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2011. Davis, who played at Perspectives High School, closed out his prep career showcasing his talents in the McDonald’s All-American Game in Chicago and is now considered the top freshman in the country at Kentucky. He’s likely the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

2. Verzbicas breaks four-minute mile: Illinois may never see a prep runner like Lukas Verzbicas again. Verzbicas, who attended Sandburg, became the fifth U.S. high school runner to break a four-minute mile when he ran it in 3:59.71 at the Adidas Grand Prix in June and earlier in 2011 broke the national high school record for the two-mile run with a time of 8:29.46 in the Prefontaine Classic. He recently left the University of Oregon to concentrate on his triathlon training.

3. Montini vs. Joliet Catholic: The Class 5A state football championship was expected to be an offensive showdown, but no one could have imagined what it actually became. The two teams combined for 115 points, 16 touchdowns and 1,644 yards. Joliet Catholic running back Ty Isaac broke the record for most rushing yards in a state title game in the first half alone with 376 yards. He finished with 515 yards and six touchdowns. Montini wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp also had a record-setting day with 12 receptions for 353 yards and five touchdowns. Oh, yeah, Montini won 70-45 for its third consecutive title.

4. Benet vs. Simeon: This was the boys basketball game of the year in 2011. Benet, which was No. 2 in the rankings, defeated top-ranked Simeon 58-54 before 8,184 fans at the UIC Pavilion. Benet’s Matt Parisi sealed the game with two free throws with 3.5 seconds left. Benet’s Frank Kaminsky had 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five blocks. Simeon went on to win its second consecutive state title, and Benet was upset in sectionals.

5. Bolingbrook vs. Whitney Young -- again: These two programs are in another world when it comes to girls basketball in Illinois. Bolingbrook and Whitney Young met in the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year in 2011, and it was another nail-biter with Bolingbrook pulling out a 50-49 win in overtime thanks to a free throw by Taylor Tuck with two seconds left.

The first of two July recruiting basketball periods begin on Tuesday. Here are 10 things to keep in mind throughout the coming weeks.

1. DePaul taking next recruiting step: While the Blue Demons improved their team with this year’s recruiting class, there’s still plenty of work to do. The next step is for Oliver Purnell to grab a marquee recruit from the Chicago area. Simeon senior forward Steve Taylor, the area’s lone ESPN’s top-100 player, could be that guy for the Blue Demons. Taylor may not have the impact Quentin Richardson did years ago for DePaul’s recruiting, but he could do some wonders locally for the program. Class of 2013 guard Billy Garrett Jr., who is No. 45 in ESPN’s Super 60, is a major commitment for DePaul, but he was expected to go there because his father is a Blue Demons assistant.

2. Just one: Illinois welcomed six freshmen and one transfer to its latest recruiting class. Headed into July, Illini coach Bruce Weber had just one scholarship to play with. Simeon forward Steve Taylor is the likely target for the Illini. Weber and his staff also will be sure to be seen plenty when the state’s younger recruits are playing.

3. Big class for Northwestern: The Wildcats are hoping to secure four or five commitments for their Class of 2012. While losing point guard Michael Thompson won’t be easy, next year’s departures will be even harder. Northwestern will graduate starters John Shurna and Luka Mirkovic and key reserve Davide Curletti after next season, and will need to find a few players, especially post players, who can make an immediate impact for the 2012-2013 season. There’s a good chance Northwestern will not seek a single in-state player in this class. Wauwatosa East (Wis.) forward Darrell Bowie is one of the Wildcats’ targets.

4. New to the road: This will be the first opportunity for a number of new in-state coaches to hit the road recruiting for their programs. Bradley’s Geno Ford, Loyola’s Porter Moser and Northern Illinois’ Mark Montgomery are all entering their first season at their new homes. It will be the second year for Chicago State’s Tracy Dildy, DePaul’s Oliver Purnell and UIC’s Howard Moore.

5. Jabari watch: Simeon junior Jabari Parker continues to get better, and his recruitment is bound to only get more intense. Parker is coming off MVP honors while helping Team USA win the 16-U FIBA Americas championship. He isn’t likely to make a decision until at least next summer, and that means the nation’s top coaches will be recruiting him hard until then. DePaul, Duke, Georgetown, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan State and Washington are among the schools he’s interested in.

6. Not the state’s best: Illinois was stacked in 2011. The state placed nine players in ESPNU’s top 100. This year will be a different story. As of now, one player -- Simeon’s Taylor -- is in the top 100 for the Class of 2012. A few others could end up on the list. Downers Grove South’s Jerron Wilbut has proven himself as a scoring machine. Jay Simpson, who just transferred from Champaign Central to Indiana’s La Lumiere, is also a candidate.

7: Back to the usual: The Class of 2012 may be a down year for the state, but the talent quickly picks up again in the years following. The Class of 2013 has six players in ESPN’s Super 60. The Class of 2014 has three players in the Terrific 25. There’s a chance Simeon’s Parker could end up the No. 1-ranked players in the Class of 2013, and Whitney Young’s Jahlil Okafor could be the No. 1 player in the Class of 2014. Anthony Davis, who played at Perspectives in Chicago, was the No. 1 player in 2011.

8. Local tournaments: The Tip-Off Classic will be at Riverside-Brookfield High School from Wednesday through Friday. The field includes the Illinois Warriors, Ferrari and PrymeTyme. More information can be found at www.773hoops.com. ... The D-I Elite tournament will be held at York High School from Friday through Monday. The tournament field is loaded with local talent. The Illinois Wolves, Mac Irvin Fire, MeanStreets, Illinois Warriors, Full Package and Illinois Heat are all expected to compete in it. More information can be found at www.bayloryouth.org. ... The King James Summer Showcase will be held in the northern suburbs from Saturday through Tuesday. King James has a lot of the nation’s top out-of-state teams. Locally, Ferrari, Rising Stars and PrymeTyme are among the teams to see. The tournament’s locations will include the Waukegan Field House, Ridgewood High School, Libertyville Sports Complex, Lake Zurich High school, Lake Barrington Field House and Joy of the Game. More information can be found at www.neobasketball.com.

9. The high school season is different: East Aurora point guard Ryan Boatright, a Connecticut recruit, ended up No. 72 in ESPN’s final Class of 2011 rankings and was behind four other Chicago-area players in the rankings. Despite that, Boatright earned the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year award and Mr. Basketball with his play during the high school season. So no matter where players end up after being ranked this July, it likely won’t have an impact on next year’s high school season. It’s important to remember the game is different during the high school and club seasons.

10. The search for another Anthony Davis: They story of Davis is unlike any of the past. Davis went from being an unknown player in Chicago as a junior to now being considered the likely No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft. Davis was discovered last summer on the club circuit. There probably won’t be another player with as much talent who goes unnoticed like Davis, but there’s sure to be a couple diamond in the roughs always discovered. Joliet West senior forward Marlon Johnson, who played for the Illinois T-Wolves, could be one to watch. He began to emerge in the spring and could have a big July period.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- James McAdoo can't wait to move on from high school.

North Carolina fans may be just as eager for his jump to the next level after his performance in Saturday night's Jordan Brand Classic.

McAdoo had 26 points and 14 rebounds and hit the clinching free throws with 1.6 seconds left to lead the East squad to a 113-109 victory over the West on Saturday night in his final basketball act before joining North Carolina's deep front line in the fall.

"High school kind of got boring. After a while it's just the same thing over and over," the 6-foot-8 Norfolk, Va., native said. "So just getting on campus there and kind of being put back at the bottom of the totem pole is just going to be get me to work harder and proving myself once again."

Duke product Austin Rivers added 16 points, six rebounds and four steals for the East, which held off a late West rally in the freewheeling high school All-Star game devoid of much defense.

Anthony Davis led Kentucky's impressive foursome of prospects with 29 points and 11 rebounds to pace the West. Tony Wroten Jr., who is headed to Washington, added 16 points and 10 assists.

Read the entire story.

The Chicago area has overflowed with nationally-ranked high school basketball players for the last decade.

Derrick Rose, Shannon Brown, Julian Wright, Jereme Richmond, Dee Brown, Sherron Collins and Jon Scheyer were among the country’s top players in their respective classes during that time. But none of them were ranked No. 1 overall.

On Thursday, Perspectives senior forward and Kentucky recruit Anthony Davis was placed where none of them ever were. Davis was given the No. 1 spot in ESPN Recruiting’s final Class of 2011 rankings.

The last Chicago-area player to sit atop the national rankings was Thornwood’s Eddy Curry in 2001. Other No. 1’s in the last decade have included LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire.

Davis had been ranked No. 2 in ESPN’s previous rankings and jumped over Austin Rivers, a Duke recruit, following a strong week of play during the McDonald’s All-American game and its practices in Chicago.

“The big thing was everyone wanted to know what the top guy did to lose the position,” ESPN senior recruiting analyst Dave Telep said. “I don’t think that had anything to do with it. In this case, we thought that with Anthony Davis’ ceiling, his ability to maximize his ceiling, his size, his natural instincts, especially defensively, he would prove himself as the top prospect in the class.

“I think more than any time I’ve ever seen him, his basketball ego is beginning to develop. His humility is tremendous, but there is a part of him now that sees the light at the end of the tunnel and what his career could look like.”

Davis’ rise to No. 1 is one of the most unique in the history of high school basketball rankings.

A year ago, Davis was an unknown even in Chicago. He attended a small high school that played in a lower Public League division, and he hadn’t played club basketball since he was in junior high. He had also been a 6-3 guard as a sophomore and sprouted to 6-10 as a junior.

After his high school junior season, he decided to play club basketball and joined Tai Streets’ team, MeanStreets. Within a month of playing on the club circuit, Davis and his versatile game was known by nearly every scout and college coach around the country.

Davis would ultimately choose Kentucky over DePaul, North Carolina, Ohio State and Syracuse. He averaged 32 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks during his senior season and was named a McDonald’s All-American.

Davis is now being touted as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

“We live in a world that is much smaller because of the internet and television,” Telep said. “I’m not sure if we’ll ever see something like this again.”

ESPN’s final Class of 2011 rankings also included Morgan Park’s Wayne Blackshear (No. 26), Whitney Young’s Sam Thompson (No. 43), Rock Island’s Chasson Randle (No. 58), St. Ignatius’ Nnanna Egwu (No. 68), East Aurora’s Ryan Boatright (No. 72), Mount Carmel’s Tracy Abrams (No. 84), De La Salle’s Mike Shaw (No. 88) and Orr’s Mycheal Henry (No. 94).

CHICAGO – No high school basketball player has ever likely slammed what Anthony Davis did into one year.

On March 30, 2010, no one knew who Davis was. He was a 6-foot-10 junior at Perspectives High School in Chicago, putting up big numbers, but virtually unknown to anyone outside of his conference.

A year later, Davis, now a Kentucky signee and the No. 2 player in the Class of 2011, was blocking shots, grabbing rebounds and throwing down dunks before a hometown crowd of 20,019 fans at the United Center in the McDonald’s All-American game on Wednesday.

Davis finished with 14 points, six rebounds, one assist, four blocks and two steals in the West team’s 111-96 losing effort to the East before the biggest crowd in the game’s history.

“It was excellent,” Davis said. “I played in front of my home crowd, my hometown Chicago, Illinois. I especially put a lot of pressure on myself because Wayne [Blackshear] wasn’t playing, so it kind of made me step up and represent for Chicago. He was only able to play eight minutes. I think I did an excellent job representing Chicago.”

Blackshear concurred.

“He really put on a show for everybody,” Blackshear said. “That’s what I said before, he’s going to go out there and just play basketball, and that’s what he did.”

ESPN senior recruit analyst Dave Telep has been touting Davis’ game ever since he first saw him last spring, and Davis continued to impress him from the first practice of the week to the final buzzer of Wednesday’s game.

“His week met and exceeded expectations,” Telep said. “On the biggest stage of his career, he looked remarkably comfortable. Add up the physical attributes, project where he can go and mix in the fact he has the ability to maximize the potential, and I think he stated a powerful case to be considered as the top prospect in the class."

Davis never doubted it was impossible.

“I did a lot of work,” Davis said. “I knew one day I wanted to be a McDonald’s All-American. When I got that call, I was just shocked. What Alonzo Mourning told us earlier today, you put in what you get out of the game. If you don’t put in the work, you’re not going to anything out of the game.”

Blackshear didn’t have the numbers or the night Davis had, but just getting on the floor was a blessing for him. After dislocating his left shoulder in practice on Tuesday morning, Blackshear was told he would be unable to play in the game.

On Wednesday, Blackshear’s shoulder began feeling better, and he decided to give it a try. He started the game, played eight minutes and had two points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.

“It was a big stage for me,” Blackshear said. “Even though I was hurt, I wanted to play so bad because this was a big thing for me and it was in my hometown. I was excited I got at least got a couple of minutes.”

In the girls game, Bolingbrook’s Ariel Massengale had 13 points, four rebounds and four assists in the East team’s 78-66 win.

“It was amazing,” said Massengale, who was the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year. “I’m honored to have the game played in my state and to be chosen to participate this year. It was just great. A lot of people were here, teammates, friends, church members. It was just great to have them come out and see me play.”

Perspectives forward Anthony Davis shows off his ability at a McDonald's All-American game practice in Chicago on Tuesday.

Perspectives senior forward Anthony Davis will finish No. 1 or 2 in ESPN's final Class of 2011 rankings, which isn't too shabby for a player who wasn't ranked anywhere in the country a year ago.

"It's really exciting going from being nowhere to No. 1," Davis said. "Most people don't get that, and I have the opportunity to do that. If I could be No. 1, it would probably be exciting for a week. ‘Oh God, I'm No. 1, let's go celebrate.'"

Heading into this week's McDonald's All-American game, ESPN has Winter Park (Fla.) shooting guard and Duke recruit Austin Rivers ranked No. 1, and Davis, a Kentucky recruit, at No. 2. At the end of the week, that could change, according to ESPN senior recruiting analyst Dave Telep.

"I think there are only two guys. It's Rivers and Davis," Telep said. "One is the now, and the other one could be the future. That's the one difficulty to take down this year.

"I've watched Austin Rivers since freshman year of high school. There's not much he can do that will be surprising to me. Anthony Davis, there's so much more to learn about him. We don't have a huge album on Anthony Davis. This is a chance for him to make more impressions."

Eddy Curry, who played at Thornwood, is the last Chicago-area senior to be considered the consensus No. 1. He was the top-ranked player in 2001.

Unlike Rivers, who is the son of Doc Rivers, Davis hasn't been a known commodity since stepping foot onto a high school court. Despite playing in Chicago, Davis went unnoticed for three high school seasons because his school plays in a the Public League Blue-West, one of the city's lowest divisions, and he never played club basketball.

It wasn't until last spring when Davis decided to play for MeanStreets on the club scene that his 6-10 size and multi-dimensional game gained exposure. Soon after, he went from one scholarship offer from Cleveland State and being unranked to being highly ranked and able to choose any school in the country.

Davis has one more final chance to prove himself. He's already secured at least a top 2 spot, but with a great week of practice he could vault himself to No. 1.

Yes, practice will determine where he ends up. The game and its alley-oops, behind-the-back passes and high scoring are for the fans. Where Telep will be watching closely is when the players compete against each other in practice at ATTACK Athletics.

"This is a situation where the spotlight is on you," Telep said. "How are you going to respond? What is your approach going to be? If I was a guy of his caliber, I would want to be razor sharp in my approach, be business-like.

"I want to see how he's competing. I want to see everything, little nuisances he's added. There are two ways of walking on the floor. You walk on the floor knowing you're the best player or you walk on the floor trying to fake it. I wonder how he's going to approach it."

Wherever Davis ends up in ESPN's rankings, Telep believes Davis has a huge career ahead of him.

"In my mind, I have this vision of what Anthony Davis can look like," Telep said. "I think he could be a guy whose game mimics Chris Bosh to a degree with an even bigger defensive upside.

"A year ago, he was no different than 500,000 kids who are named Anthony Davis. Now, he's the Anthony Davis."

CHICAGO -- People strongly advised Anthony Davis he should transfer from Perspectives for his final season.

They told Davis, who had gone from an unknown last spring to ESPN’s No. 2 prospect in the country, because he was such a large draw and so talented he surround himself with better players. They tried to be polite about it, but they let him know his Perspectives teammates weren’t going to get anywhere.

Davis didn’t listen. Perspectives was home. It was where he started and where he would finish his career. Whether or not his teammates had the ability to play on any of the area’s top teams was unimportant. They were his friends when he was just Anthony Davis to now when he was the Anthony Davis. He wasn’t going to abandon them.

The decision cost Davis a chance at experiencing a winning season and competing for a state title. It cost him winning ESPNChicago.com’s and the Chicago Sun-Times’ player of the year honors. It’ll probably cost him Illinois’ Mr. Basketball, too.

But when his high school career did finally come to an end with a 60-53 loss to King in the Class 3A King regional semifinals on Wednesday, Davis had no regrets about his decision.

“Overall, I love playing with this team,” Davis said. “People told me to transfer. I stuck it out with these guys. I love them.

“I never was going to transfer, ever. This is my team. This is who I’ve been with since sixth grade through my whole high school career.”

Despite again being outmatched in talent on Wednesday, Davis and his teammates nearly pulled off the improbable against top-seeded King. The Jaguars had opportunities to put Perspective away throughout the game, but the Wolves had an answer each time until the final minutes.

King held a 45-35 lead to start the fourth quarter, but Perspectives wasn’t going to lie down in the final eight minutes. Getting contributions from a variety of people, the Wolves opened the final quarter on an 8-2 run and pulled within 47-43 with 5:15 left.

It would be as close as Perspectives would get. King provided the Wolves with a few more chances to pull even closer, but they could never capitalize. Missed shots and turnovers would be Perspectives’ downfall in the final five minutes.

“It was one of those situations where we haven’t been in this type of situation in a long time, not a lot,” Perspectives coach Cortez Hale said. “We’re in a tight game like this, in a playoff atmosphere. When this happened, a lot of people didn’t know how to handle themselves. They didn’t know what to do.

“It’s something we have to work on and get better at because next year there is no Anthony Davis.”

Opponents won’t be shedding a tear for his departure. Davis changed games by himself, and that was again the case against King.

He scored inside and out. He blocked shots inside and out. He grabbed his own misses and put them back. He grabbed his teammates’ misses and dunked them home.

When the final horn sounded, Davis finished with 30 points, 19 rebounds, two assists, six blocks and two steals. It was a normal night for him.

Hale was going to miss Davis, but he couldn’t wait to see his star player surrounded by players of his caliber in the McDonald’s and Jordan Brand all-star games in the coming month and next season at Kentucky.

“It’s going to be amazing just to see him playing with kids of those type of levels,” Hale said. “Next year and in the all-star games, he’s going to show the nay-sayers he’s not a one-man show. He can play great basketball.”

The next month will provide Davis an opportunity to prove to ESPN’s recruiting experts whether he’s deserving of the No. 1 spot in the Class of 2011 in the season’s final rankings.

Davis had mixed feelings about the honor.

“It’s really exciting going from being nowhere to No. 1,” Davis said. “Most people don’t get that, and I have the opportunity to do that. If I could be No. 1, it would probably be exciting for a week. ‘Oh God, I’m No. 1, let’s go celebrate.’

“But after awhile, after these all-star games, and I start working out to get ready for Kentucky, it’s time to bite down and get serious.”

CHICAGO -- Morgan Park guard Wayne Blackshear and Perspectives forward Anthony Davis had the same goal entering this season: To be named McDonald’s All-Americans.

That goal became a reality on Thursday when both were announced on ESPNU as 2011 selections.

But when they found out the game would be at the United Center in their hometown Chicago, their initial goal was altered. It wasn’t about just making an appearance and playing in the McDonald’s game anymore; it was about dominating and putting on a show.

“A lot of legends came out Chicago, and I just wanted to be remembered as one of them,” said Blackshear, who played with Davis on the same AAU team as kids. “It means a lot to me for the game being in Chicago. Not a lot of players get to play in their hometown.

“Me and Anthony grew up together, and it’s good for us to be McDonald’s All-Americans. It shows all the hard work paid off. It’s going to be fun playing with him.”

Blackshear, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, is the 17th-ranked player in the Class of 2011 and is a Louisville recruit. He averages 32.5 points, 14.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 5.4 blocks, and 4.2 steals this season for Morgan Park.

“Blackshear is a strong and athletic wing that has been a marquee name in Chicago since he hit the high school scene,” ESPN recruiting coordinator Reggie Rankin said. “He has a college-ready body and will be a terrific Big East wing at the ‘Ville.”

Davis, a 6-foot-10 forward, is the No. 2-ranked player in the class and is a Kentucky recruit. He averages 32 points, 19 rebounds and 6.5 blocks for Perspectives.

"This means a lot to me," Davis said. "This was one of my high school goals. It's a great accomplishment. I have a chance to play in front of my family and friends."


Unlike Blackshear, Davis wasn’t a household name in the country or even Chicago up until last spring when he played club basketball for the first time of his high school career. Within a few months of people seeing his versatile game, he was one of the most coveted recruits in the nation.

“Davis came on the scene last spring and has never looked back,” Rankin said. “From an unknown to being considered for the top spot in the class and signing with Kentucky, Davis has off-the-charts’ upside and is the toughest matchup in high school basketball because of his size, length and guard skills.”

Davis’ national attention has helped Perspectives’ profile as well.

“It’s a huge thing for the school especially,” Perspectives coach Cortez Hale said. “He’s getting good notoriety out there for the school that we’re not just an academic school. We also have athletics.”

Morgan Park doesn’t need the exposure, but Blackshear’s McDonald’s All-American selection has fulfilled a dream for Mustangs coach Nick Irvin. A star player himself in high school, Irvin wasn’t selected to play in the game.

“I was disappointed I never made it, but I had to move on from it,” Irvin said. “It’s great to see someone I coach and be a part of his life and see him make it. He can tell me how it feels.”

Irvin also had no doubt Blackshear and Davis would put on a show for their hometown crowd.

“He better,” Irvin said of Blackshear. “This is what he wanted. He better have a big game because he’s going to get hit in the mouth if he doesn’t. He’s not just going out there and playing around like it’s an all-star game. It’s a game to showcase yourself and show you belong. It’s in his home city where he’s the best player in the state of Illinois.”

In addition to Blackshear and Davis, Bolingbrook's Ariel Massengale was selected to the roster for the girls game.

Ten years have passed since the Chicago area claimed the consensus No. 1 senior in the country.

Simeon’s Derrick Rose, Proviso East’s Shannon Brown and Homewood-Flossmoor’s Julian Wright all reached the top 10 in the last decade, but only Thornwood’s Eddy Curry earned the top spot.

Perspectives' 6-foot-10 senior forward and Kentucky recruit Anthony Davis is now on the verge of giving the area the No. 1 player again. Davis remained at No. 2 in the Class of 2011 when ESPN Recruiting released its new rankings on Tuesday, but he has a great shot at being No. 1 when the final rankings are updated in the spring.

Duke recruit Austin Rivers held down the No. 1 spot in the recent rankings, and fellow Kentucky recruit Michael Gilchrist was No. 3.

“This class is really pushing us to figure out how we define the best player in the class,” ESPN.com senior basketball recruiting analyst Dave Telep said. “We had three guys who are completely different, but we kind of came to the conclusion Anthony Davis is the best long-range prospect in the group. We just have 2-3 months to confirm our suspicions in some elite settings.”

Whether Davis end ups No. 1 will likely be decided how he performs during workouts leading up to the McDonald’s All-American game. It’s been difficult to assess Davis during the high school season. He doesn’t face much high-level competition with his high school team, and when Perspectives has played quality opponents, his teammates have been outmatched.

Telep and ESPN’s other analysts want to see how Davis performs while playing with and against the country’s other top players. During the spring and summer, Davis proved he belonged, and now they want to see him do it again.

“There’s any eyeball test for him,” Telep said. “When he’s on the floor with the elite players in the class, we still want to see him conducting himself like a dominant player, not deferring to the other guys, just continuing to see that evolution.”

Aside from Davis, eight other Illinois players were ranked in the new ESPNU 100. Davis was joined by Morgan Park’s Wayne Blackshear (No. 17), Whitney Young’s Sam Thompson (No. 45), Rock Island’s Chasson Randle (No. 60), East Aurora’s Ryan Boatright (No. 76), Orr’s Mycheal Henry (No. 77), De La Salle’s Mike Shaw (No. 79), St. Ignatius’ Nnanna Egwu (No. 84) and Mount Carmel’s Tracy Abrams (No. 87).

The state also has a shot at No. 1 in the Class of 2013. Simeon 6-foot-7 forward Jabari Parker is ranked No. 2 behind power forward Julius Randle, who is from Texas.

“There are a couple people on the staff who certainly feel the difference between the two is negligible, if there is any,” Telep said. “I really think Julius Randle is the most improved guy in that class in terms just of shear production, ability and potential. I think I see things in Jabari Parker that are exciting. His body continues to change in little ways. I think he’s the most cerebral forward in that class. He probably has the best basketball IQ in that class.

“There is a tighter gap now than when the season began. I think both guys are having very good years.”</p?

Whitney Young sophomore Tommy Hamilton Jr. also made the ESPN’s Terrific 25 at No. 15.

As loaded as Illinois’ Class of 2011 and 2013 are, its 2012 class didn’t anyone record in ESPN’s Super 60.

Here are the top 10 storylines of the year in area high school boys basketball.

1. The final page: Since committing to Illinois as a freshman, Jereme Richmond became one of the most touted and scrutinized players in the state’s history. His every move on and off the court was dissected. In 2010, he put the final touches on his storied high school career, and he didn’t disappoint, leading Waukegan downstate again while averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal. His season earned him the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year award and Mr. Basketball.

2. Unknown to well-known: A year ago, 6-foot-10 forward Anthony Davis was known as a basketball star among the few hundred students at Perspectives High School. Today, he’s a star to the whole country. Davis' stock rose dramatically from the end of his junior high school season to the start of his senior year. In between, he played his first club basketball since grammar school, dominated from coast to coast, was offered by nearly every high-major school, signed with Kentucky and was ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2011 by ESPN.

3. Simeon is still Simeon: Three years after winning its last state championship with Derrick Rose, Simeon again was on top of the Illinois high school basketball world in 2010. The Wolverines won the Class 4A state championship in March, have been dominant so far this season as the No. 1 team in the state and earlier this week won another Pontiac Holiday Tournament title. Sophomore Jabari Parker could be the program’s next pro.

4. The rise of Benet: In the past year, Benet won its first regional since 2005, its first sectional since 1983, pushed state champion Simeon to the brink in the super-sectionals, had two players sign with Big Ten programs (David Sobolewski to Northwestern and Frank Kaminsky to Wisconsin) and just recently won the historic Proviso West Holiday Tournament. Entering 2011, the Redwings are 14-0 and appear again to be Simeon’s greatest challenger.

5. Wayne’s world: Morgan Park star Wayne Blackshear had plenty of moments throughout 2010, but none was bigger than in the Public League championship. With his team down by one, he hit a game-winning runner over a Marshall defender in the final seconds to lift the Mustangs to the title. Afterward Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said, “Wayne Blackshear is a bad man.”

6. Chi-town is Weber’s town: Illinois coach Bruce Weber snatched four highly-ranked Class of 2011 Chicago commitments, which may just be his greatest recruiting feat. Weber will bring in ESPNU Top 100 players Mount Carmel point guard Tracy Abrams, Orr small forward Mycheal Henry and De La Salle power forward Mike Shaw along with St. Ignatius center Nnanna Egwu, who is the 10th-ranked center in the country.

7. Boatright is all right: East Aurora’s Ryan Boatright may not be the most highly-ranked player in the area, but he is the most entertaining. He not only scores a massive amount of points, but he does it while putting on a show with crossovers, dunks, acrobatic jumpers and more. He was sensational against Hales in November with a stat line of 55 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals, three assists and two blocks. He scored 63 points against Proviso West earlier this month. He even ended 2010 by scoring 43 points on Dec. 30. He also added some drama to year by committing to West Virginia, de-committing shortly after and then committing to Connecticut.

8. Sign here: The Class of 2011 is considered one of the state’s best ever, and it made last month’s signing period one of the most memorable. Anthony Davis signed to Kentucky, Wayne Blackshear went to Louisville, Ryan Boatright to Connecticut, Sam Thompson to Ohio State, Illinois inked four top players and DePaul and Northwestern each grabbed two area star players.

9. No. 1 to us: Not everyone agreed with ESPNChicago.com, but we placed Hillcrest atop of our final 2009-2010 season rankings ahead of Simeon. Hillcrest won the Class 3A state championship and finished the season 31-3. The Hawks didn’t face as tough of a playoff road to their state championship, but we argued they had a better season than Simeon.

10. The battle of Vincennes: One of the most entertaining and hyped games of the year occurred just eight days in. On Jan. 8, a capacity crowd packed Simeon for its Public League Red South matchup with Morgan Park, a fellow Vincennes Avenue school. The home team pulled out a 54-48 victory, but Morgan Park got its revenge in the city playoffs. Their 2011 matchup has already been moved to a larger venue.

CHICAGO -- Thursday’s ESPNU telecast of Perspectives-Whitney Young wasn’t supposed to be about showcasing freshman Paul White, but he made it that way.

Facing the No. 2 player in the country in Kentucky recruit Anthony Davis in a nationally-televised game, White took advantage of his opportunity and proved he belongs in the conversation of the best freshmen in the country.

White, a 6-foot-7 guard, played everywhere from the point guard to the post while scoring 11 points from inside and out, grabbing a few rebounds, blocking one of Davis’ shots and throwing down a monstrous fastbreak dunk in No. 8 Whitney Young’s 76-47 win over Perspectives on Thursday at Chicago State in the Nike High School Hoops Madness.

“It was fun to play on national TV,” White said. “You rarely get this chance, especially as a freshman. I have to take every opportunity that I can get.”

To not only play well before a massive audience, but do it against Davis, gave credence to White’s performance. He wasn’t afraid to drive right at the 6-10 Davis or get up right on him on defense. In the third quarter, Davis elevated for a baseline jumper, and White directed it back at him.

“I don’t really get nervous when it comes to games like this,” White said. “I’m not really scared of people like that. I’ll take on anyone I need to.”

ESPN recruiting coordinator Reggie Rankin took notice.

“I love his athletic ability, business-like approach and upside,” Rankin said.

So does Illinois coach Bruce Weber. The Illini are the lone school to offer White. Whitney Young coach Tyrone Slaughter expects more to follow as they have with fellow Dolphins sophomore Tommy Hamilton Jr. and freshman Jahlil Okafor.

“Paul White’s one of the top players in the country in his class,” Slaughter said. “I think a lot of times people when they see Jahlil they kind of forget about Paul White. If you talk about it from a national perspective, Paul White is a top-10 player in the country.

“I have to believe as people see him more and more they will recognize the level of his game. I think at the end of the day people will know what he does.”

While his Perspectives’ teammates were out-matched by Whitney Young on Thursday, Davis displayed the overall game that took him from being an unknown to nationally renowned this summer.

Davis finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three blocks.

“I can’t wait to see Anthony Davis on the floor will all the talent next year at Kentucky,” Rankin said. “He must get ready for teams to gang up on him. He needs to stay focused and keep attaching.”

Despite the lopsided score and Whitney Young focuses completely on Davis, he didn’t show any frustration. He stayed positive and continued to try to motivate his teammates.

“It’s been really tough,” Davis said. “We haven’t been playing to our abilities. I’m not trying to be frustrated. I’m trying to keep everything quiet and calm. I think we can still turn it around. It’s a long season left.”

Ohio State recruit Sam Thompson led the way for the Dolphins with 20 points. Okafor (seven points), Kwai Pearson (eight points) and Hamilton (seven points) contributed in the win.

The Chicago area is stacked with nationally-ranked players, and it should make for a very interesting race to ESPNChicago.com’s Player of the Year award.

Here’s a look at the early front-runners:

1. Morgan Park senior guard Wayne Blackshear
Blackshear may no longer be the highest ranked prospect in the state, with the arrival of Kentucky recruit Anthony Davis to the scene, but he still is the front-runner for the player of the year award. Unlike Davis’ Perspectives team, Morgan Park is a state contender, and that makes Blackshear more relevant. Blackshear can score, and there may not be a more clutch player in Illinois. He’s signed with Louisville.

2. Orr senior forward Mycheal Henry
Of all the candidates, Henry is the most gifted shooter. He’s drawn comparisons to former Public League star Bobby Simmons with his ability. Henry is going to put up numbers, and that will keep him among the race leaders. He had 30 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in his season opener last week. Even with foul trouble on Sunday, he dropped 21 points on T.F. North. He’s signed with Illinois.

3. East Aurora senior guard Ryan Boatright
Boatright is the most exciting player to watch. He not only scores, but he scores in dramatic fashion. He not only passes, but he makes those passes look pretty. He not only drives to the lane, but he gets there after crossing over his opponent, spinning past another and acrobatically laying the ball into the net. He’s already dropped 55 points in a game this season, which some other basketball minds have raved about. He’s signed with Connecticut.

4. Perspectives senior forward Anthony Davis
While Davis is considered the No. 2 prospect in the country by ESPN, he is No. 4 on this list simply because of the school he plays for. Perspectives is a tiny school and has an even smaller basketball program. Davis is like a whale in fish bowl there. His team can’t compete with the rest of the area’s powers, and it’ll likely affect Davis’ player of the year stock. Of course, if he averages 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds, which he is almost doing now, he’ll be hard to ignore. He’s signed with Kentucky.

5. Benet senior guard David Sobolewski
Sobolewski isn’t as highly regarded nationally as some of the players on this list, but locally there’s few better at doing whatever his team needs to win. He can score in bunches when asked to, but he can also dish it. Benet is the No. 3 team in the area because of him. He’s signed with Northwestern.

6. Simeon sophomore forward Jabari Parker
Parker is considered one of the top sophomores in the country. The son of former NBA player Sonny Parker, he’s the perfect mixture of size, skill and intelligence. Simeon is the area’s top team, and Parker is its star player. What may hold him back are his numbers. The Wolverines are more balanced than any team around, and Parker’s numbers aren’t flashy due to that. He’s uncommitted and is being recruited by nearly every top program.

7. Whitney Young senior guard Sam Thompson
Thompson is the jack of all trades. He isn’t going to put up gaudy scoring numbers, like Boatright, or rebounding ones, like Davis, but he’s going to fill up the whole stat sheet with points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He’s long and one of the area’s best defenders. Like Jabari Parker, Thompson plays for a very balanced team. He is signed with Ohio State.

8. Mount Carmel senior guard Tracy Abrams
Abrams was once considered the top player in Illinois’ loaded Class of 2011, but an early commitment and injuries knocked him off the map for a bit. Now with one last season, he’ll be looking to place himself back up there. He has the skill set to do so. He’s an all-around point guard and is considered to be the successor to Demetri McCamey at Illinois. He is signed with the Illini.

9. Glenbard East senior guard Jon Hill
Hill is the one mid-major player on this list. Hill is a versatile guard for one of the top teams in the state. He can fill it up, especially from deep. In an early win over Glenbard North, he scored 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting and added five assists and four steals. He had a game-high 25 points in a recent win over Wheaton Warrenville South. He’s signed with Illinois State.

10. De La Salle senior forward Mike Shaw
Shaw has been one of the area’s top big men throughout his career. He can score, rebound and alter shots, and he’s done it pretty consistently. What people expect out of him this year, though, is for him to begin dominating. He’ll be looked to take over games with his versatile ability. If he can do that, he’ll move up these rankings. He is signed with Illinois.

Others to watch: Hales senior guard Aaron Armstead (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Hillcrest senior guard Julius Brown (Toledo), Rich South senior guard Macari Brooks (DePaul), Proviso East junior guard Keith Carter (uncommitted), Notre Dame senior forward Quinton Chievious (uncommitted), St. Ignatius senior center Nnana Egwu (Illinois), Brooks senior guard George Marshall (Wisconsin), Niles North senior forward Abdel Nader (New Mexico), Homewood-Flossmoor junior forward Delvon Rencher (uncommitted), York senior guard Will Sullivan (uncommitted).

ESPN will televise two Chicago high school boys basketball games from Chicago State on Thursday, Dec. 16.

Perspectives, which feature Kentucky recruit Anthony Davis, will face Whitney Young and its loaded roster of Division I prospects at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.

Top-ranked Simeon and sophomore sensation Jabari Parker will meet Lew Wallace (Ind.) at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Both games can also be found on ESPN3.com.

ESPN will be broadcasting all together 14 high school basketball games throughout the country this season. The full schedule can be found here.