Recruiting: 2017

[covufan]

Heard that Valpo is most likely going to offer Mileek McMillan from Merrillville. 

Looks like we offered Mileek McMillan this past Sunday:

http://verbalcommits.com/players/mileek-mcmillan

[oklahomamick]

Looks like the other schools who are interest in him are UMKC and E. Illinois.  Of course he would choose Valpo over those other offers.  Hope he can play. 

[valpo84]

His game looks similar to Jubril in a one minute clip and without putting undo pressure on him.  Need a guy willing to get dirty inside. Mileek can be Mileek.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO5qirwNTY0

[RS]

Mileek McMillan of Merrillville HS signed a NLI today and will be a freshmen in the 2017 season. Congrats to our coaching staff and welcome Mileek. Believe its our first Merrillville HS grad since the early 80's. 6'8 forward who was 6'2 as a freshmen. 6'5 as a junior.

[M]

Hopefully this is just the beginning of recruiting NWI. There is soooo much talent up here.

[valpotx]

McMillan also had an offer from Indiana Wesleyan.  Taking people from Tonagel, and it sounds like other D-1 programs were starting to seek this guy out.  Will hopefully be a nice get as he develops into his bigger body.

[wh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjlhj7yBYY0

[oklahomamick]

Shouldn't we have recruiting battles with schools not named Indiana Wesleyan, E. Illinois and UMCK? 

[covufan]

Maybe we'll here positively from Sasha this week!

More on Mileek:

https://twitter.com/NWINews/status/798672307665321984

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-boys-basketball-valparaiso-mileek-mcmillan-st-1116-20161115-story.html


Merrillville senior center Mileek McMillan signs with Valparaiso 





Merrillville senior center Mileek McMillan signs with Valparaiso






Merrillville's Mileek McMillan, who signed with Valparaiso University this week, goes up on defense against LaPorte's Scott Cooper, 44, last season. (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)


Mike HuttonBy Mike Hutton
Post-Tribune

November 15, 2016, 5:33 PM



Mileek McMillan has a hard time putting into words what this week has meant.

"It's like a dream. It's crazy. I can't believe it happened," the Merrillville senior said.


Only it's not.

It's very real.







Monday, after watching Valparaiso University play Coppin State, McMillan verbally committed to play for the Crusaders.

On Tuesday, McMillan's mother sent a signed letter of intent to the school, according to Merrillville coach TJ Lux.

It's been a whirlwind process for McMillan, a 6-foot-7 center who was virtually unknown to start the summer.

McMillan averaged 5.4 points and 6.7 rebounds last year. He only scored in double figures once, according to Lux.


College coaches started to notice McMillan this summer when he played well in July in the AAU circuit.

Merrillville assistant coach Bo Patton said that when McMillan started playing for Indiana Elite out of Indianapolis, he started fielding calls from coaches who wanted to know who McMillan was.

McMillan started with a Chicago-based AAU team, the Illinois Wolves, before moving to Indiana Elite.

Indiana Elite gave McMillan the confidence he needed to showcase his talent.

McMillan is the quintessential modern front-court player.

He can step out and shoot the 3-pointer, post up, shoot facing the basket and run the floor. Defensively, he can block shots. The Pirates expect big things from him this year.

"I started playing more," he said. "I got the freedom to do what I wanted. More people were interested."

Said Patton: "It just exploded. Everyone was asking about him."

McMillian had offers from Eastern Illinois, UMKC and NAIA power Indiana Wesleyan. The Crusaders offered last week.

McMillan believes VU will be a perfect fit.

"It's a great place for me, " he said. "I'll get a good education and they have a great athletic program."

McMillan is the first local recruit signed by first-year coach Matt Lottich.

[a3uge]

Looks like a big dude that will fit well in the Horizon.

[VU2014]

Sounds like Mileek is a late bloomer and really showed off his growth and skills this Fall. "Mileek is unique in that he is only beginning to scratch the surface of what he is going to be as a basketball player," said Crusader head coach Matt Lottich. "Mileek was 6'2" as a sophomore, 6'5" as a junior, and now as a senior, he is already 6'8". He possesses guard skills in a power forward's body and poses extreme matchup problems for the opposition. Crusader fans are going to love Mileek's versatility, his competitive desire and the fact he is from Northwest Indiana. Mileek will be a great addition to Valparaiso University and we couldn't be more excited to add him to our roster."

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2016-17/15920/mcmillan-signs-nli-to-join-valpo-mens-basketball-program/#.WCx78WQrL-Y

That late blooming height from 6'2" as a sophomore, 6'5" as a junior, and now as a senior, he is already 6'8" probably helped him develop those guard skills that he may not have develop as a young player if he was already considered the big guy post player pre high school, where often times the tall kids are told to develop post skills and rebound and not developing the skills and shooting ability of guards. Just my theory I guess. That's one of the reasons I feel like the NBA is getting these Euro big men are coming into the league being able to shooting the ball and be more versatile. The Euro bigs are taught to develop all skills as big men which isn't often the case in the States. He looks really athletic for for a 6'8" guy. I'm pretty excited to see how he develops.

[VU2014]

Maybe we'll here positively from Sasha this week!

I remember reading an article when he narrowed down the offers down to 4 schools: Valpo, Loyola, St. John's, and Evansville, that he said he wanted to decide which school he want to commit to before his high school season, but I read an article at NWI.com a couple days ago that seems to indicate that he changed his mind possibly.

I'm hoping he choses Valpo, but we'll see. I took a look at Loyola, St. John's, and Evansville's rosters and it seems like Sasha would be "blocked" a little more then he would be at Valpo if you consider Sasha a 2 guard. We have more opening and he'd probably have a better opportunity to get playing time as a younger player. I really think Sasha would be a great fit at Valpo and he could be an impact player here and he'd be able to develop his game with this coaching staff/team.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/crown-point-s-stefanovic-continues-to-advance-his-game/article_e29fe674-a40c-5610-8ee5-543487b00000.html

Crown Point's Stefanovic continues to advance his game

By: Jim Peters           Date: Nov 14, 2016

It's not like Sasha Stefanovic wasn't already well-known when he hit his memorable game-tying, overtime-forcing 3-pointer from 30 (give or take) feet against Valparaiso in last year's Class 4A Crown Point Sectional final.

It just took the Bulldog's star to another level, reaching the point where he became readily identifiable as simply "Sasha".

"Everybody around school knows who I am. Everybody knows me for the shot," Stefanovic said. "My phone was blowing up. A lot of my friends try to imitate it. From a basketball aspect, beating our biggest rival in such a big game, it was a crazy experience. It was one of those things I couldn't believe myself. I'd love to do it over and over again."

Casual fans may know Stefanovic for the shot or his sharp shooting in general, when there is so much more about the 6-foot-4 guard's game.

"A lot of people look at his ability to shoot and understandably so," C.P. coach Clint Swan said. "That's what stands out the most. He's continued to evolved in all aspects of the game. He handles the ball better. He was our best rebounder last year. He's become our best passer. He's turned into someone who can not only create his own shot, but break guys down off the dribble and get into the lane."

That's something Swan wasn't sure Stefanovic would be able to do as a slick-passing freshman with a sweet standstill shot. By the end of his sophomore year, he was in the mold of a point forward, able to bring the ball up at any time.

"He's worked hard on his body, on his skills, and it's paid huge dividends," Swan said. "A moment like that (shot), he could rest on his laurels, the glory of the moment, but he's hungry for more. You can tell he wants it more. His teammates want it more. It creates a really good culture in the program. "

As good as he already was, Stefanovic saw the big picture, knowing he had to make advancements in order to become a complete player at the collegiate level.

"Defense is something I definitely have to work on," he said. "Most (colleges) have me as a 2, maybe a 3. All those guys are crazy athletic, strong, fast. Offensively, I fit most systems, but I have to be able to play the end of the floor, too."

Stefanovic played AAU with the Eric Gordon All-Stars, Mr. Basketball favorite Romeo Lankford of New Albany among his teammates. He traveled the country, seeing many of the top players in the nation, though a sprained ankle in late June limited his productivity.

"It was a fun summer," he said. "I wasn't playing well, but a lot of people got to see me out there. I got a little stronger. Being out with the injury, I focused on that. I worked on my game a lot, becoming a more complete player."

For Crown Point, Stefanovic will play everything short of the post, as he did last year. He can create size mismatches outside and pull bigger interior defenders away from the rim.

"Whatever coach Swan wants," he said. "I've worked real hard on my driving ability, not just for my own shot, but to create plays for others. I anticipate a lot of junk defenses, face guarding, but I have faith in all the guys to be able to help us win. The sophomores and juniors are going to have to fill big roles and the seniors are going to make sure they do what they need to do to get us back to the places we've been."

The Bulldogs have reached the Michigan City Regional final the last two years and look to take at least another step. It takes stars to get there, but more to go beyond.

"He understands the attention coming his way," Swan said. "That's something he's always handled really well. Some kids make the mistake of trying to do too much. He takes what the defense gives, what's best for the team, which really speaks well of his basketball IQ. That type of mindset makes it fun for others to play with him because he tries to get them involved as well, and it makes him infinitely more difficult to guard."

Beyond a deeper team run, Stefanovic aspires to make the all-star team and be a Mr. Basketball candidate. He'll wait to make his college decision after the season. A list of 22 offers has been narrowed to four -- Evansville, Valparaiso, Loyola and Northern Iowa -- though that could change.

"I'm not going to try to add any pressure, put any stress on my teammates," Stefanovic said. "The last two years, we had the same record going into the sectional, so I'm not going to get caught up in records, who's ranked or not. I just want to go out and enjoy it with my friends. We've been together a long time. It's our last go round. Why not make it fun?"

[M]

Fingers crossed on Sasha, we all know how much the team could use another outside shooter.  Mileek is going to be an outstanding talent.  Guy has grown 6 inches in 2 years.  The region is filled with outstanding players who either bloom later (due to growing late or increased PT due to playing behind upper classmen) or can't afford the big time (even small time) AAU circuit. So I guess my point is, don't put too much into what other schools are offering a kid we get.  Trust the coaching staff, or if it is too early for trust, give them the benefit of the doubt that they know what kind of talent they are targeting.

[wh]

One of my nephews teaches at Mville, is a VU season ticket holder, and basketball savvy. He thinks Maleek is positioned to have a big senior season and would have received multiple offers.  In his opinion, Valpo beating the competition to the punch is a low risk high return gamble. He also said no one knows if he's done growing.

Personally, I like what Matt did here. Think about Vashil. He went from somebody no one wanted coming out of high school to a premier D-1 defender and shot blocker by his senior year.

[FieldGoodie05]

I agree with Matt's approach here.  VU cannot yet consistently recruit the Shane Hammink quality athletes out of high school.  We have to develop our players, be it 2* to 3* recruits.  Or take on transfers, of which I think we have two promising guys for next year (Bakari and Burton).  I'm pleased with this move despite Oklahoma Mick (my buddy) who wants 7* and he wants it NOW! 😉

[FieldGoodie05]

Also, here's a prediction on UIC.  3 of their freshmen transfer due to lack of playing time.   

The reason I bring this up is because you cannot recruit a bunch of three star recruits and expect all of them stay happy with minutes.  It's exceedingly difficult to hand out mediocre minutes to high achievers and get them to "buy in".  Teams need 2* type players to fill out the roster and work hard for minutes (not expecting them).  Mileek is 2* and should have a chip on his shoulder to prove otherwise.

P.S.  Most of UIC freshmen are PG or SG as recruited.  Even more reason.  Think 4/5 are guards.

[valpo64]

Does anyone know if our 2 early signings are the end  for 2017 or are we waiting for possibly more?

[VU2014]

Does anyone know if our 2 early signings are the end  for 2017 or are we waiting for possibly more?

Parker Hazen and Mileek McMillan both signed and sent in their NLIs so they are officially in the fold for the 2017 Freshman class.

We have 3 other outstanding public offers for the 2017 Freshman class:

1. Sasha Stefanovic - SG  The big fish (imo). He's a game changing recruit although Parker and Mileek (just started to breakout this Fall) are very good recruits as well. We're in Sasha's Top 4: along with Evansville, St. Johns, and Northern Iowa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViKNj2lpDcE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59J_sqkwFvc

2. Greg Elliot - SG  He got an offer back in April. I haven't heard much about him since. Offers: Detroit, Eastern Michigan, Milwaukee, Temple, Valpo, Rice, DePaul, Duquesne, Toledo and George Mason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0HV71x8nyU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5hdtJFOoCU

3. Axel Okongo - C - He's plays at Thetford Basketball Academy up in Montreal, Canada. I can't almost next to nothing about the recruit other then he's 7-0" and I guess he drew some interest from Georgia Tech and we're the only official offer he has, which he received back on 9/12/2015.
https://twitter.com/NERRHoops/status/753351974800744450

I think Paul Oren mentioned that the coaching staff really likes John Kiser the Freshman Walk-On this year, and he'll probably get one of the 2 remaining scholarships. I have heard literally nothing about the Axel recruit but we already have 2 freshman big men and Parker Hazen is versatile enough play the 4 and 3. I think Mileek could also play both the 3 and the 4.

I really hope Sasha choses Valpo. I bet the coaching staff has a plan B, C and D and is actively scouting potential recruits.

Anyone know what happened to John Middleton the red-shirt transfer? I know he got suspended for breaking team rules but nobody was talking about what happened. He wasn't in the team photo either. Has he been on the bench at the games?

[VU2014]

Mike Hutton of the Post Tribune wrote another article about Mileek McMillan. Definitely worth getting read. McMillan sounds like a very late bloomer with huge upside. I'm pretty excited for his future.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-mike-hutton-column-st-1120-20161119-story.html

Hutton: Valparaiso-bound Mileek McMillan comes out of the blue for Merrillville

By: Mike Hutton Post-Tribune

Welcome to the Mileek McMillan era at Merrillville.

If that sounds strange to anyone watching the Pirates, who were ranked No. 1 in Class 4A for a good portion of last year, that's OK.

McMillan isn't sure what to think either.

"It's weird," he said of his recent notoriety.

After averaging five points and eight rebounds last season, after being the fifth scoring option for the Pirates, McMillan was thrust into the spotlight in a way he never imagined after a monster summer.

Eastern Illinois, Missouri-Kansas City and Valparaiso all offered scholarships.

More were likely on the way if he held out, but McMillan was overwhelmed with the attention and signed a national letter of intent Tuesday with Valparaiso.

The last few months have been a blur.

McMillan arrived this summer after Bo Patton, an assistant for Merrillville, took him off the Illinois Wolves, an AAU team out of Chicago, and put him on Indiana Elite, an Indianapolis AAU team.

An impressive July caught the eyes of college scouts.

Merrillville coach T.J. Lux said the first time an EIU assistant saw him, he called the head coach and told him to come see McMillan right away.

He was that good.

EIU was the first to offer.

All buzz aside, McMillan is still a bit of a mystery to Lux.

Oh, Lux watched McMillan get infinitely better this summer. Lux knows that McMillan has added 30 pounds of muscle. He weighs 220, up from 190 last year.

Lux knows McMillan can run the floor and score inside.

Or step out and make a 3-pointer.

The problem is, he hasn't done it much in high school.

DJ Wilkins, Jairus Stevens, Cameron Wilbon and Marcel Cherry were — in no certain order — scoring options before McMillan. Wilkins and Stevens have graduated.

"Mileek has gotten a lot better," Lux said. "Obviously, he is going to be more of a priority with Jairus and DJ gone."

McMillan's story is a remarkable lesson in perseverance.

He was cut from the basketball team in seventh grade. He made the B team in eighth grade, and then missed his freshman year with an ankle injury.

He started about half the games on the JV, and then he started last year, but he wasn't the player teams scouted against.

McMillan had potential, but no one was sure how that would go until he started playing with Indiana Elite.

Patton said that was a game-changer.

"We knew if he got in the right situation, he was going to turn the corner," Patton said. "He's been good since then (playing with Indiana Elite)."

McMillan's problem in middle school was his weight.

He was chubby. He has slowly grown into his body. McMillan was 6-foot-1 as a freshman and 5-8 in seventh grade. Lux said McMillan is 6-7 today without his shoes on.

Getting cut made a huge impact on him.

"I was crying, " McMillan said. "My mom told me that if I really wanted to play, that I should keep trying."

He heard her, working by himself to sharpen his skills.

The new McMillan, the full-blown version that most teams haven't seen yet, can play with his back to the basket, facing up, or he can step out and make 3-point shots.

Lux said McMillan is unselfish and concerned. He stretched out making his commitment to Valparaiso because coaches were stopping by to watch him play.

That allowed players like Wilbon and Johnny Bernard, a 6-3 guard, to get some looks. Like everyone else, Lux is interested to see how the season unfolds with his big man.

Lux was once a coveted frontcourt player at Merrillville before signing with Northern Illinois. He knows a little bit about what McMillan is going through.

"He has a very high ceiling," Lux said of McMillan. "He is still growing into his body and he has developed quickly. He's got the physical ability. Now, he just has to figure out the mental part of it."

Asked what his goals were, McMillan seemed puzzled.

"I'm not sure," he said. "I'd most definitely like for us to win a championship."



Also the Post Tribune ranks Mileek's Merrillville team #1 in the State and Sasha Stefanovic's Crown Point team #2 and Valparaiso #3.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-boys-basketball-preview-st-1120-20161119-story.html

TOP 10 TEAMS

1. Merrillville (22-2): Valparaiso University recruit Mileek McMillan leads a Pirate team with all the parts. Cameron Wilbon (10 points) and Jonah Jackson (7 points) return. Johnny Bernard, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, could surprise.

2. Crown Point (19-9): Sasha Stefanovic (15 points) and Andrew Kenneally (11.8 points) lead a Bulldog team that won its own sectional last year. Dominic Tomich (5.2 points) and Ken Decker also return. All four players are seniors.

3. Valparaiso (20-7): Trace Ramsey (11 points) and Jay Bisacky (8 points) give the Vikings a solid frontline. Brandon Newman, a 6-3 sophomore, could be a player to watch. The JV team went undefeated last year. It all depends on guard play for the Vikings.

[bbtds]

Those are Mike Hutton's Top 10 REGION teams. He obviously hasn't ranked any FW, L'ville area, E'ville or Indy teams in the state.

Here is the AP Indiana State Rankings for each class

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/hs-blog/2016/01/26/weeks-ap-high-school-basketball-rankings/79357874/

[VUBBFan]

Does anyone know if Valpo is interested in Lowell's Nick Mantis? I hear he was at a recent game/visit and from video I've seen he looks good. Apparently he has no offers yet. Wondering if Valpo is holding out to see what happens with Sasha, before throwing out any more offers. Would be nice to add another quality player from NWI ( either one ). Also what is up with Middleton, I don't think I've seen him at any games, I know he got suspended but is he gone for good or expected to be here next year. Thinking if it opens up another spot for 2017. 

[M]

Idk about any offers, but think I saw Mantis put up 41 the other night.  Walter Ellis also put up some nice numbers.

[wh]

Idk about any offers, but think I saw Mantis put up 41 the other night.  Walter Ellis also put up some nice numbers.

Idk about any offers, but think I saw Mantis put up 41 the other night.  Walter Ellis also put up some nice numbers.

Despite being a scoring machine, he doesn't have any D-1 offers yet. Not sure what to make of that, except to say that if our goal is to maintain our current status as a Top-50 program, it will take an ongoing crop of high quality mid major-level players and players with high major skills (i.e., AP, SH) to make it happen. If Mantis fits that profile, Im sure the coaching staff will be all over him. If not, there has to be a good reason.

[VUBBFan]

Idk about any offers, but think I saw Mantis put up 41 the other night.  Walter Ellis also put up some nice numbers.

Idk about any offers, but think I saw Mantis put up 41 the other night.  Walter Ellis also put up some nice numbers.

Despite being a scoring machine, he doesn't have any D-1 offers yet. Not sure what to make of that, except to say that if our goal is to maintain our current status as a Top-50 program, it will take an ongoing crop of high quality mid major-level players and players with high major skills (i.e., AP, SH) to make it happen. If Mantis fits that profile, Im sure the coaching staff will be all over him. If not, there has to be a good reason.

I totally agree with you. We should seek out the best talent available no matter where they come from, but I'd hate to see us miss out on local talent that fits our requirements. Just looking at his stats and video I was wondering if he's flying under the radar or the competition makes him look better than he is. I'm no scout, there are a lot more qualified people than me, but I was just curious about his status.

[M]

Mileek went for 17pts and 8rebs tonight in a win over Southport.