Signing Day: Local basketball recruits

When looking back 12 or 18 months ago, no one would have forecasted seven high-major players in the class, especially after top 100 national talent JJ Taylor left Kenwood for California following his sophomore year.

Also, no one would have predicted the number of Division I players would rise to 30-plus in the class. This week the state will have 29 players sign with another handful with either Division I offers or on the bubble of emerging as Division I prospects.

Here is the complete list of area players expected to sign with Division I schools during the early signing period, which runs from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16.

Player, High School, College

Darrin Ames, Kenwood, Kansas State

Darrion Baker, Hillcrest, Akron

Richard Barron, St. Ignatius, George Mason

Troy Cicero, Romeoville, Loyola Maryland

Cameron Christie, Rolling Meadows, Minnesota

Mekhi Cooper, Bolingbrook, Miami Ohio

DeAndre Craig, Mount Carmel, Denver

Dalen Davis, Young, Princeton

Jeremy Fears Jr., Joliet West, Michigan State

Jake Fiegen, New Trier, Cornell

Ahmad Henderson, Brother Rice, Niagra

Quentin Jones, Marian Catholic, Cal Poly

Jackson Kotecki, St. Ignatius, Miami Ohio

Sam Lewis, Simeon, Toledo

Mekhi Lowery, Oswego East, Towson

Matthew Moore, Joliet West, UNC-Wilmington

Marcus Pigram, Young, The Citadel

Miles Rubin, Simeon, Loyola

Wesley Rubin, Simeon, Northern Iowa

Drew Scharnowski, Burlington Central, Belmont

Kaiden Space, Simeon, Stony Brook

Asa Thomas, Lake Forest, Clemson