Here’s the synopsis of the two guys signed by Illini basketball today. At least the two future college basketball players whose signing is now made official. Welcome to Illini basketball Leron Black and Michael Finke.
LERON BLACK
Combination Forward, 6-7, 220
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
High School / Coach: White Station / Jesus Patino
AAU Program / Coach: Team Thad / Norton Hurd
Notes: Consensus national top-50 recruit (No. 40 on rscihoops.com) … Ranked No. 41 nationally by Rivals and ESPN, No. 42 by 247Sports and No. 47 by Scout … Class AAA All-State Team by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association … Pepsi Best of the Preps Class AAA Team by the Memphis Commercial Appeal … Averaged 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks as a junior, leading White Station to a 22-6 record … His high school enters the 2013-14 season ranked among the nation’s top teams, including No. 5 in the Student Sports Fab 50, No. 12 in the USA Today Super 25, and No. 16 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 … First player from Memphis to sign with the Fighting Illini since Cory Bradford in 1996 (Raleigh Egypt High School).
Groce on Black: “Leron is athletic, versatile and plays with a high motor. He is an outstanding rebounder and defender and has the ability to score both in the paint and with a face-up perimeter game as well. He will be an effective player at multiple positions in our system.”
MICHAEL FINKE
Forward, 6-9, 210
Hometown: Champaign, Ill.
High School / Coach: Centennial / Tim Lavin
AAU Program / Coach: Peoria Irish / Gavin Sullivan
Notes: IHSA Class 3A first-team All-State by the Associated Press … First-team All-State by the Champaign News-Gazette … Class 3A second-team All-State by the Chicago Sun-Times … Second-team All-State by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association … Special Mention All-State by the Chicago Tribune … News-Gazette All-Area Player of the Year … Averaged 16.6 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior, leading Centennial to a 22-9 record and IHSA Class 3A Sectional Final appearance.
Groce on Finke: “Michael is very skilled, a relentless worker and has a high basketball I.Q. He is an exceptional shooter who can stretch the defense with his ability to shoot it from 3-point range. Michael’s father, Jeff, played basketball and football here at Illinois, so to have Michael also wear that Illini jersey is special for the Finke family.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bears for WAOR 95.7 The Fan