Henricksen: Class of 2017 recruiting round-up

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A recruiting round-up of all the top prospects in the Class of 2017 — from the committed to the uncommitted — as the early signing period is now just seven weeks away.

The committed

• Nana Akenten, 6-5, Bolingbrook (Nebraska)

• Jameel Alausa, 6-7, U-High (Yale)

• Trevian Bell, 6-5, Joliet West (Wisconsin-Green Bay)

• Tai Bibbs, 6-2, West Chicago (Drake)

• T.J. Clifford, 6-6, Downers Grove South (Western Michigan)

• Jordan Goodwin, 6-3, Belleville Althoff (Saint Louis)

• Teyvion Kirk, 6-2, Joliet West (Drake)

• Cameron Krutwig, 6-9, Jacobs (Loyola)

• Javon Pickett, 6-4, Belleville East (Illinois)

• P.J. Pipes, 5-11, Lemont (Wisconsin-Green Bay)

• Carson Newsome, 6-4, Waukegan (Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

• Connor Niego, 6-8, Lyons Twp. (Holy Cross)

• Jeremiah Tilmon, 6-10, East St. Louis (Illinois)

• Da’Monte Williams, 6-3, Peoria Manual (Illinois)

• A.J. Youngman, 6-4, Peoria Manual (Eastern Kentucky)

Top uncommitted players

Justin Smith, 6-7, Stevenson

The best uncommitted player left on the board in the Class of 2017 in Illinois returned from a very favorable official visit to Indiana last week. He followed it up with an official visit to Villanova this past weekend. He still has a visit to Stanford planned. A recruiting website crystal ball has the consensus pointing towards Stanford. But the Hoosiers just might be the school to beat for the athletic and ever-improving Smith.

• Nojel Eastern, 6-6, Evanston

The highly versatile Eastern, a City/Suburban Hoops Report top five prospect in the Class of 2017, has one official visit in the books to Purdue, a visit that went especially well and set the bar high. Over the next three weekends he has visits planned to Michigan State, Seton Hall and Ohio State.

• Christian Negron, 6-6, Larkin

Negron has narrowed his list of schools down to a handful. He returned from an official visit this past weekend to Oregon State still uncommitted, which was good news to local schools Bradley and DePaul. Those two will receive visits later this month while a visit to UAB has been set up for the weekend of Oct. 14-16. Loyola is still hanging around in the mix as well

• Elijah Joiner, 6-2, Curie

The City/Suburban Hoops Report’s No. 7 ranked prospect in the senior class has taken an official visit to Illinois State and will take official visits to Missouri (Sept. 23-25) and Iowa State (Sept. 30-Oct. 2). UIC, Tulane, Saint Louis and UAB all remain involved while Xavier has been a late inquiry.

• Jimmy Sotos, 6-3, Conant

The rising senior guard has been as busy with visits as anyone in the class. Most recently, Sotos took an official visit to Bucknell. He hit Dartmouth this past weekend for an official visit. He will return to Princeton, where he took an unofficial visit in August, for an official visit this coming weekend.

• Lucas Williamson, 6-4, Young

The unsung senior returned this past weekend from an official visit to Hofstra and has also taken an official visit to Northern Illinois. Williamson, who received a recent offer from Eastern Illinois, is still hearing from Wisconsin-Green Bay, Toledo, Bucknell and Incarnate Word.

• Demarius Jacobs, 6-2, Uplift

A visit to UTEP is being planned for this coming weekend, with an official visit to Southern Illinois to soon follow. Denver, Central Connecticut State and Wisconsin-Green Bay are all still involved with Jacobs.

• Evan Gilyard, 5-9, Simeon

The senior point guard says he is in the process of setting up an official visit with UTEP, which could come as early as this weekend. Loyola has jumped prominent into the mix with Gilyard, who is also hearing from Tulsa and Toledo.

• Dwayne Rose, 6-2, Crete-Monee

Official visits are set to both Toledo and Ball State, while Buffalo and Tennessee State remain involved with the powerful athletic guard.

• Jacob Keller, 6-2, Fenwick

After official visits to both Siena and Vermont in recent weeks, the physical and athletic 6-2 guard is still uncommitted.

• Manny Patterson, 6-7, Kenwood

The big man has visited Wisconsin-Green Bay officially and had one lined up to Bowling Green. But a recent commitment Bowling Green received from another big man has changed that. UIC and Central Connecticut State are potential visits, while Southern Illinois and Towson University are involved.

Follow Joe Henricksen and the Hoops Report on Twitter @joehoopsreport

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