There have been four weeks of our fall runs so far, so it seemed like a nice point to do some writeups on the players who were in attendance. Today, I will just look at the 2025 and 2026 players. Some of them played primarily in the upperclassmen/college runs but we split them up by age.
We plan on continuing to have runs in the fall before high school tryouts begin for players. It will remain invite only to maintain the level of competition and allow for the most productive environment. But we do send out weekly invites, so if you would like to attend or know a player who would, you can send over a direct message on Twitter or Instagram or send an email to illinoishoopprospects@yahoo.com
2025 Players
Aidan Bardic (6’2 PG, Stevenson)
Bardic is a good attacking guard who got downhill often during the runs. The lefty floor general set up defenders before getting to his strong hand, initiating contact, and using a number of different finishes with either hand. He is a hard-nosed defender who has plus size and strength as a point guard as well. Bardic is very cerebral, picking his spots to score and understanding how, when, and where to get teammates the ball to be most successful. He made a couple of difficult wrap around passes and drop offs look routine. Although his shot needs some time and space, Bardic showed improvement knocking down threes when defenders went under screens. If he can continue to shoot with confidence and consistency, he has all the other prerequisite traits you look for in a young point guard on varsity.
Anestis Hadjistomolou (6’0 PG, Glenbrook South)
Anestis had one of the more dominant showings at a run. He easily hit double-digit threes and many of them were contested with defenders in his area. The 6-foot guard is both quick and strong, excelling at using his body to create space while maintaining his balance. Anestis made a handful of stepback threes from behind the college line, pulled up behind the arc off ball screens when defenders switched, and got just enough space for some mid-range shots with his deceleration moves. Any time he was able to get all the way to the rim, he shook off pushes and hits and converted. Anestis is an all-around lead guard that can make plays for others as well and rebounds at a high level at his size. He will be a breakout player in the sophomore class this year for a new-look, but reloaded Glenbrook South team.
Anton Strelnikov (6’6 C, Lake Zurich)
People who say low post game is going away haven’t watched Strelnikov’s footwork on the block. He has mastered how to time his duck ins and get defenders deep under the rim. Strelnikov hit hooks over both shoulders and showed the ability to make quick moves. But he’s got plenty of perimeter skill as well, being a threat as a shooter off pick-and-pops or as a decision maker in short roll situations. The 6-foot-6 big stayed active on the offensive glass, clearing out space and using his long arms to high point misses. Strelnikov had multiple impressive showings.
Ben Schneider (5’9 PG, Prospect)
Dynamic and crafty, Schneider made it hard on defenders all day. Not only is he a blur with the ball, but he understands how to take his foot off the gas to stay unpredictable. At 5-foot-9, he was living in the paint after breaking guys down and usually finishing in the paint off two feet with floaters or hop steps. Those paint touches led to early help and ample open looks for others. Schneider complemented his speed by hitting jumpers off hesitations and hard dribbles as his guy retreating to cut off his drive. When he moved off of the ball, either in transition or in the flow of a possession, Schneider caught the ball ready to shoot. Above all else, I think Schneider’s ability to be a ball hawk defensively and disrupt opposing offenses like he can will be key. Prospect has a good one for years to come.
Bobby Vespa (6’5 SF, Lyons)
Vespa has great height and length for a wing and had some bright moments during the runs. His shot-blocking ability is pretty developed for a sophomore, pinning multiple shots off the backboard and rotating over to swat a few more. As a perimeter defender, he’s got good mobility and a very long reach that made up for any time he got beat. Offensively, Vespa has solid three-point range and made a decent number of shots off kick outs. He’s still developing as a ball-handler and decision maker, but he cuts hard and has upside skill-wise. Vespa has a lot of quality seniors to listen to and get guidance from at Lyons, who has a number of solid wings every year.
Brady Sehlhorst (6’6 SG, Notre Dame College Prep)
Sehlhorst is just starting to tap into his athleticism and it is already causing problems. The 6-foot-6 two-guard finished above the rim easily in transition with strong dunks over the weeks he attended and did even more damage using his skill below the rim. With long strides and good body control, Sehlhorst is able to take wide routes to the rim and lean in at the last second to draw contact and create a finishing angle. He’s a very effective interior scorer, but he’s got the makings of a productive catch-and-shoot player. Sehlhorst sprayed in a few of the open looks that he got from three, which opened up even more driving lanes. There were times where he hit jumpers off as a lift man and a few as ball-handler on the break. When he’s engaged on defense, he has long arms, natural timing as a shot blocker, and moves well when he’s in stance. On a new look NDCP team, Sehlhorst could emerge as a big-time player.
Brandyn Michaels (6’2 SG, St. Viator)
The 6-foot-2 Viator guard plays with energy and tenacity on both ends. Transition offense was the area where he really shined, building up momentum and using his athleticism and strength to outsprint retreating defenders and then score through anyone at the rim. Michaels has true open court speed that helped him get a step when coming off of handoffs or high ball screens. When he wasn’t getting paint touches, Michaels buried a couple of deep threes and stepped into catch-and-shoot looks nicely throughout the runs. He will have an impact on both ends for a youthful St. Viator team.
Cam Thomas (6’2 PG, Mount Carmel)
Thomas was with the upperclassmen group the whole month and fit right in. He’s a gifted one-on-one scorer that has an explosive first step, upper body strength to score through contact, and the ability to stop on a dime and pull-up. Even against high-level defenders, Thomas was able to elevate on mid-range jumpers off of multiple dribbles. The term three-level scorer gets thrown around a lot, but Thomas is also efficient as a three-point shooter off the catch or off the bounce. He used pullbacks and hesitations to set up his long-range looks where his balance and mechanics were consistent. Thomas plays with his head up and stood out at times with by snapping the ball up the court or leading teammates to the rim for layups. All of the physical tools and competitive nature are there for him to grow into a plus defender at the next level too. Thomas will be a Division 1 guard prospect as he continues to progress.
Colby Smith (6’2 PG/SG, New Trier)
Smith is a bucket getter. That’s about as to the point as I can be. It didn’t matter which defender was on him, he manufactured quality looks for himself and for teammates all day. He can dance with the ball in isolation situations or make quick moves off the catch to get to the rim where he was scoring in traffic easily. Smith is a very good triple threat player with how well he shoots the three, his ability to throw guys open as a passer, and how dynamic he is when he drives. He had an answer for whatever the defense tried to take away. When shot clocks are implemented, Smith is going to be able to make something happen at the end of shot clocks. But he’s not limiting to offensive production, using his athleticism to shoot passing lanes and recover quickly. He kind of has that extra gear that he can use to get back into plays or force ball-handlers to get to their second or third move. You’ll want to head out to New Trier to see Smith with the returning cast of Trevians.
Conrad Okulski (6’1 SG/SF, Palatine)
Okulski had a good showing on both ends, really standing out with how hard he played. He took away a number of easy looks by hustling back on defense or sliding over to get a steal or deflection. Okulski is a bruising wing that got to the basket well going to his right hand. He also shot the ball well with the attempts that he took, particularly from the corners. I would expect Okulski to continue to show progress with how hard he works.
Gus Donahue (6’2 SG, DePaul Prep)
In both the underclassmen and upperclassmen run that he attended, I couldn’t tell you how many times Donahue missed an open three but I could probably count it on one hand. He caught fire as the runs went on and never slowed down, taking and making threes off of down screens, drifts to the corner, and as a trailer in transition. Shooting is his gift, but it says something when college players are no-helping to avoid giving him space off the catch. Donahue transferred into DePaul Prep where his size, shooting, and developing handle should fit in.
Ian Miletic (6’6 SG, Rolling Meadows)
Miletic played with a level of patience, competitiveness, and team-first mentality that is often lost in runs. The rangy lefty used his strides and handle to get around defenders before finishing with push shots or hooks. Sometimes his length can mask how explosive of a leaper he is, but he got up to the rim quickly and with force on multiple occasions. Miletic has excellent touch from multiple spots on the floor and showed consistency as a perimeter shooter, both on kick out threes and on turnarounds and pull-ups. What stands out most to me is his facilitating ability. Miletic worked in pick-and-rolls the whole day and created openings by utilizing skips, body deception, and putting the right amount of touch on his passes. He has a mature approach to the game, has the length and instincts you look for in a wing defender, and is only going to get stronger. Miletic has plenty of skill and athletic upside, but it’s his intangibles that should separate him. He’s got it. Mid-major programs should already be keeping tabs.
Jake Nosek (6’7 SF, Metea Valley)
Nosek continues to grow both in terms of his height and his skill set. Whenever he wanted to get to his pull-up, there was very little that defenders could do. He’s a legitimate 6-foot-7 and probably has a few more inches to his wingspan, making that shot nearly impossible to block. Nosek either dribbled to the elbows or let guys fly by before cashing in on threes, which he made in volume in both the underclass and upperclassmen runs. The ball-handling skills and shooting should make him a weapon in the mid-post where he had a couple of nice face-up moves. As he adds strength, the upside as a multi-positional defender is there. He blocks shots and is moving better laterally to contain quicker players. Nosek probably isn’t don’t growing and already has the face-up game to be a mismatch.
Jon McGee (6’3 SF, Glenbrook North)
Shooting is always valuable and McGee is one of the elite ones in the sophomore class from a standstill position. It’s hard to gameplan for players that are comfortable shooting from the jump circle, but McGee was letting it fly and wasn’t missing too many good looks. He generally shot right off of the catch but does a good job of relocating when the ball touches paint and sets his feet quicky to get into his shot. McGee has some size to work with and has gotten more explosive since the spring.
Jordan Tunis (5’10 PG, Schaumburg)
Tunis is a pace-setter with very good top-end speed. He plays fast but doesn’t ever seem in a hurry. It was great watching him control the tempo, break down defenses, and read the defense as opposed to predetermining his action like many young point guards. Sometimes it was something as little as a slight hesitation that would give him time to decide how to attack, but Tunis has the ball control and IQ to make the correct play. Any time he got the ball in the backcourt on a miss, it only took three or four dribbles for him to go end to end and finish. He applies a similar level of pressure as an on-ball defender, especially in one-on-one situations where he seemed to take pride in keeping the ball in front. Tunis hit a three as well, but his creating ability off the dribble is going to do wonders for Schaumburg this year.
Kobe Jordan (6’2 PG, Plainfield East)
The new guard at Plainfield East has taken a big step since the spring. His growth in athleticism has been noteworthy, blowing by defenders easier and dunking in traffic and on the break. Jordan has a physical frame that allows him to be the initiator of a lot of contact inside the arc. Getting into defenders gives him space to take his mid-range shot that has looked good over the last month. Even while playing with the older group, Jordan was assertive and competitive on both ends, taking on the challenge defensively to get up and guard. His game has continued to progress nicely and should carry him over to the new system.
Matthew Morrice (6’3 SG, St. Edwards)
Morrice has continued to get better and more confident at the runs. A solid 6-foot-3 with plus length, he has a projectable body and a shooting stroke that will travel. When running off of wide pindowns, he gets his feet squared quickly and lifts up well to shoot over contesting defenders. He had stretches where he hit multiple triples in a row and was pretty efficient whenever he had an open look. With his long reach, Morrice was able to affect shots and block a couple as a weakside helper. There’s no question that he will be an instant-impact transfer at St. Edwards.
Ricky DiVito (5’9 PG, Hersey)
The highly-athletic Hersey guard was looking to make things happen as usual. He got out into space and weaved by defenders with eurosteps and spin moves. His bounce allows him to score amongst the trees without much issue and he has good hang time to adjust mid-air. DiVito is creative ball-handler in the half court and he showed some nice court sense as a passer when he drew additional help. His athleticism is already a separator, but he will be a quality piece for a young Hersey team as the game slows down for him.
Ross Robertson (6’8 PF, South Beloit)
Robertson made the trip out and looked every bit like one of the top bigs in the class. His strength was overwhelming, holding his ground even when he played against the upperclassmen and college bigs. On top of that strength, Robertson is quick off the ground and has elite rebounding instincts. He went over, around, and through box outs to get offensive boards where he either dunked it or sprung back up for a layup. His face-up game continues to blossom, handling the ball very well in the open floor to get to his spots while having the skill to make spin moves and other counters to beat defenders who reach. He didn’t take many jump shots, but he showed that he can pop out and make threes and is a high-post option as a passer or straight-line driver. His defense was stifling at times, as players struggled to back him down and he walled up or swatted shots from the weak side. Robertson is another player who Division 1 programs should be keeping tabs on.
Ryan Brown (6’4 SG, Fremd)
Playing the role of a 3-and-D option at the runs, Brown spaced the floor and gave constant energy on the defensive end. He’s a very tall guard that recovers quickly on defense to take away any open lanes for scorers. Brown came out of nowhere for a couple of steals and blocks and took away plenty of other scoring opportunities with his closing speed and positioning. Offensively, Brown was primarily drifting and lifting to get three-point looks where he has a reliable, rainbow shot. He will be a quality player who doesn’t require touches to affect games for Fremd.
Ryder Raya (6’2 SG, DePaul Prep)
Another skilled shooter from DePaul Prep, Raya was making the right decisions with the ball and hit the open threes that he got. He didn’t force anything and was willing to make the extra pass when the ball was swung to him. When he put the ball on the ground, he was fluid and efficient but showed a little bit of creativity as well. He uses his length to contest shots and affect the vision of playmakers defensively. Raya looks like he’s still growing and should be able to add strength as he matures. He’s just scratching the surface of his potential.
Sean Reynolds (6’1 PG/SG, DeKalb)
Reynolds was mostly with the upperclassmen group and may have been the best mover off the ball in attendance. He’s a true complete shooter that can bury shots off the catch (as he did frequently) but is also lethal running off of pindowns, staggers, or flare screens. Reynolds reads defenders well off of away screens and got a couple of runners and layups off of his tight curls to the rim. There was also clear value in his ability to stay in motion and draw defenders away from their help responsibilities or force them to overhelp to allow him to dump off passes to bigs and other shooters. What really stood out was how disciplined and energetic he was on the defensive end. He kept his feet moving to get side to side quickly and he had multiple perfect X-outs on the weakside to slow up ball reversals and rotate to the next guy. Reynolds is a game-changing shooter that displays winning habits on both ends.
Sincere Martin (6’1 SG/SF, Waubonsie Valley)
Of all of the underclassmen, Martin’s motor ran the highest. He is a relentless defender that doesn’t need to be encouraged to apply ball pressure or communicate. Martin sought out the toughest matchups and pushed guys in the runs he attended. Outside of the defense and energy, Martin showed that he can produce from 15-feet and in with his one dribble pull-up or strong takes to the rim where he welcomed any type of contact. Martin’s spirited effort should be infectious for Waubonsie Valley in the future.
Vova Polishchuk (6’4 SF, Neuqua Valley)
Polishchuk did what he does best: shoot the lights out. You wouldn’t know that he’s a marksman when he walks in the gym, but the big 6-foot-4 forward has a great release with deep range. He made the majority of his looks from the wing and connected on a pull-up in transition. When defenders went under screens or stayed too long on a hedge, he popped out for open threes. Polishchuk has size that he should be able to use to rebound and score around the paint as well as he grows.
Whitman Charboneau (6’2 PG/SG, Neuqua Valley)
One of the best pull-up shooters that has attended the runs so far, Charboneau has a natural ability to stop on a dime, gather himself, and lift up into his shot. Whether it was off of a rip through from the wing, off ball screens, or coming downhill at full speed in transition, he shot it well off the bounce. Also a skilled passer, Charboneau had timely deliveries with both hands from a variety of passing angles off of his attacks. He’s an unselfish combo guard that can fill it up as a catch-and-shoot guy or as a shot creator. Charboneau has grit on the defensive end and a calm demeanor that that will serve him well.
2026 Players
Carlos Cuevva (6’2 SG, Sandburg)
Cuevva held his own against some older kids at the run. He has good height as a freshman guard with body control to finish around the rim. Cuevva knocked down a couple of threes as well. He should be able to step into a nice role as a freshman on Sandburg this year.
Danny Houlihan (6’2 SG, New Trier)
Houlihan showed the ability to hit outside shots at a high rate, hitting a high rate of his catch-and-shoot looks. The lefty has a textbook finish to his shot with a high release, good lift, and the footwork to get square on the move. He got to his one-dribble pull-up off aggressive closeouts and made sound passes within the flow of possessions. Houlihan should give in nicely to a New Trier program known for churning out knockdown shooters.
Oliver Gray (6’4 SG/SF, Barrington)
A big wing with NBA range, Gray will be one of the top shooters in the 2026 class. He was a threat as a floor spacer in transition and off kick outs where his size and quick release made it difficult to contest. At 6-foot-4, he can also put it on the ground and showed some creativity breaking down defender. Gray loves the floater in the lane and has great touch on it from 10 to 12 feet. Right now, he is a solid positional defender, but has the length and athletic upside to be more impactful on that end down the line as he grows into his body. Gray should be able to make an impact on varsity early in his career.
Panayiotis Sotos (6’0 PG, Maine South)
Sotos is a gamer. He was patient early on, but he really controlled the scrimmages when he was aggressive. With some height at 6-foot, he was able to see over the defense and deliver passes to cutters and rollers off ball screens. Sotos has good pace and knows how to create space off the dribble. He made a couple of tough stepbacks and stop-and-pop shots against tight defense and got the ball to the backboard quickly off of penetration. His best trait is his poise. When it got to game point or his team needed to make a comeback, he wanted the ball in his hands and made big shots more often than not. Sotos is going to be a dangerous pick-and-roll player and coaches will feel comfortable putting the ball in hands.
Rocco Pagliocca (6’1 PG, Stevenson)
For a freshman, Pagliocca has an advanced skill set and feel for the game. He varies his rhythm well as a ball-handler, using misdirection moves and crossovers to create driving angles. At his size, he does a nice job of playing through initial bumps from defenders. Pagliocca has a high-arching floater that allowed him to score in traffic and he used his body to shield off shot blockers. He didn’t hit a bunch of threes, but he has a quick, one-motion release with range out to the volleyball line. His playmaking ability stood out as well, understanding how to collapse the defense and hit shooters. Defensively, he was active and opportunistic. Pagliocca’s toughness and confidence stood out as the only freshman to play with the older group.
Ryan Walsh (6’2 SG, Benet)
Walsh is a high-level shooter with a nice all-around offensive skillset. He was pulling up effortlessly from behind the college line and hit a couple of deep threes off of the dribble. But Walsh also stayed in constant motion off the ball, scoring on hard cuts, running his lane in transition, and making good reads off split actions. For a guard, he blocked a number of shots, covered ground defensively, and rebounded well in crowds. His 6-foot-2 frame helped him score on direct drives either off of two feet or on short turnarounds. Walsh also impressed with his passing instincts, especially in P&Rs where he anticipated slips and the weakside help well. Walsh has the motor, shooting ability, and IQ you look for in a young two-guard.