Good Morning, Illini Nation: UI targets continuing to shine
May 23—Scottie Adkinson
Adkinson flashed for the second straight session on Nike's E15 circuit last weekend in the Indianapolis suburbs for Bradley Beal Elite. The Marion native, who played his freshman year at Webster Groves (Mo.), had four games of at least 22 points in five opportunities and put up 22.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game with 65/55/88 shooting.
JJ Andrews and Jaylan Mitchell
Two of the three Illinois targets playing for Bradley Beal Elite on Nike's E16 circuit (Miikka Muurinen is the other) had another strong weekend in a spring schedule starting to fill up with them. Andrews, a five-star wing in the Class of 2026 per ESPN, had three 20-point games and averaged 20 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 60 percent overall and 67 percent from three-point range on 15 attempts. Mitchell was the No. 4 overall recruit in the Class of 2027 in ESPN's latest rankings, and his follow-up to that rankings update was averaging 16.4 points, four rebounds and three assists this past weekend in Westfield, Ind.
Jamarion Batemon
Batemon continues to be one of the top players on the adidas 3SSB circuit and showed again why that's the case last weekend in Bryan, Texas. The Milwaukee native — a three-star guard in the Class of 2025 — had a 32-point game in his weekend opener against D1 Minnesota (where he made 7 of 16 threes) and averaged 21.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
T.J. Crumble
Crumble has starred for All Ohio Red on Nike's E16 circuit. The four-star recruit in the Class of 2026 averaged 19 points and five rebounds last weekend, with a 24-point, six-rebound and six-assist performance against Howard Pulley his best effort.
Jaxson Davis, Josiah Harrington, Davion Thompson and Howard Williams
Illinois has offered the core of MeanStreet's E15 team at this point, with the program that's delivered Ty Rodgers and Morez Johnson Jr. to Champaign continuing to be fertile recruiting ground with Tim Anderson on staff. All four Illini targets also played well this past weekend. Davis opened with a 20-point game against NY Rens and averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while Thompson put up 9.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Harrington and Williams are two of Illinois' newest targets. Harrington had a pair of double-digit scoring performances, but Williams was MeanStreets' top performer averaging 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 2.8 assists. He also shot 56 percent from the field overall, 56 from three-point range and 77 percent at the free throw line.
A.J. Dybantsa
The No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2025 (and maybe the country regardless of class) is ... still good. Dybantsa tore up the EYBL circuit last weekend just like he has all spring, averaging 22 points and 5.3 rebounds and putting up a 56/50/80 shooting slash.
Jeremiah Fears
Illinois' lone commit in the Class of 2025 continues to play well on the EYBL circuit for Indy Heat when he's not getting an open gym run in with future teammates Ty Rodgers and Kylan Boswell in Joliet. (Check out his for the video). This past weekend in Westfield, Ind., Fears averaged 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and two assists.
