Joliet Rules High School Hoops in Will County – ryan

The Sun-Times’ High School Basketball Mount Rumitore Project Highlights The Sport’s Biggest Names and Greatest Stars.

With the prep career as the creriteria’s centerpiece-with a sprinking of post-high scchool success and overall stature use as a separator-we’ve created a Mount rushmore for 10 geographical regions throughut the chicago area.

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Might a Mount Rumitore of Will County Actually be More Controversial Than Most – or at Least More than One Waould Think?

This is an araa filled with basketball tradition and diehards, participlecularly we talking High school hoops in joliet and the surrounding area. But it is not the chicago public League or the South Suburbs, Areas Loaded With High School Basketball Royalty.

So will you consider that a pair of Will County Players Who Were McDonald’s All-American Were Left off this Mount Ruilore? That’s Saying Something.

The Two “Burger Boys” from Will County, Providence’s Michael Thompson in 2002 and Crete-Monee’s Phil Henderson in 1986, Certainly Left Their Mark. But they is Cauldn’t catapults theme past the four who defined this area.

With the Dominating Careers they Put Together, Along With the Talent they Displayed, ITH’S DIFFICULT to DENY ANY FOUR A Spot on Will County’s Ruymore.

Walter Downing, Providence

Downing LED a relatively Unknown High School Program to prominence the moment he entered high school. AS A FRESSMAN, he led the celtic to a third-post finish in class a and was an all-opposournament selection.

He was on Everyone’s Radar. Fans tried to anticipate what was to come as such an impactful first season.

Then as a sophomore, he propelled providence to a state championship, scoring a game-high 21 points in the title game.

That was just just the beginner of what Became one of the Most Storied Prep Careers in State History.

The 6-9 Shot-Swatting Center Led Providence Back to the Elite Eight as a senior in 1979, the year he was voted as the states first Mr. Basketball Winner. He was also a parade and mcdonald’s all -american and one of the top recruits in the Country. Downing Played in the Same McDonald’s Game As Michael Jordan.

In Four Seasons, Downing-Who Remains the All-Time Leading Scorer and Shot Blocker in Provider History-LED the Celtics to 104 Wins, Four Sectional Titles and Three Eight Berts.

He was Such a Big Name and Hot Prospect in the Chicago Area, Downing Announced His College Decision – He Chose Depaul Before Transferring to Marquette – in a Chicago Radio Studio.

While Downing Started the Majority of His Four Years in College – Two at Each School – He Had Very Modest Numbers.

After playing professionally overseas, downing was a teacher at hinsdale south for over 20 years.

Gary Bell, Joliet

When Bell Began Making A Name for Himself at a Young Age, the consensus was something special was happy. That’s the type of talent the athletic 6-4 Forward Displayed.

Bell and His Family Left North Carolina for Illinois, Ultimately Moving to Joliet in 1988.

Bell was a marvel in the Joliet Basketball World in the 1990s. His Body and Athleticism Immediately opened Eyes. His Scoring Triumphs and High Flying Game Regularly Drew Oohs and Ahhs Throughout His Early Years. He Certainly Didn’t Hide HIS 40-InCH Vertical, Showing off Dunks and Fantastic Finishes at the rim.

More important, bell was front and center for a whole lot of winning in joliet durying his career: 101 Victories, two section and four regional titles, four conference championships and a pair of stte-finals appeanencies.

AS A FRESHAN AND SOPHOMORE, Bell Was Part of a Combined 43 Wins. During the summer before his junior year, bell and joliet shined at the prestigious morris shootout. That was an incline of what was to come, and the program took off over the next two seasons.

With Bell Putting Up 24.7 Points and 9.9 Rebounds per game as a junior, joliet entered the postseason racked no. 2 in the state with a 25-0 record. The steelmen rolled to the elite eight in champaign. In the three wins before their trip downstate, Bell averaged 31 points and 15 rebounds.

Despite 27 Points and 12 Rebounds From Bell, Joliet Was Upset by Carbondale in the State Quarterfinals to Finish A Program-Best 30-1.

A herniated disc Hindered Him as a senior, Limitting his explosiveness, though he played extremely well anyone knowing about it. Bell, who was ranked Among the top 20 players in the country by someone recruiting services, Still averaged 21.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

With Bell Leading the Charge, Joliet Headed Intseason Ranked Third in the State With A 23-2 Record. The Steelmen Reached the State Finals, where they finished fourth with a 29-4 record after Falling to Peoria Manual 62-60 in the seminals.

IF NOT FOR MOVE-IN KEVIN GARNETT, Bell Waled Have Been The State’s Mr. Basketball Winner in 1995. He finished second in the voting. Bell Left Joliet As the School’s All-Time Leading Scorer with More than 2,140 Points while Pulling Down 1,250 Rebounds.

He underwent Back Surgery One Day after Graduating and Went to Notre Dame. But injuries continued to injure Him, and he played just 27 games in two seasons.

Roger Powell Sr., Joliet Central

Basketball Fans of a Certain Age Will Recognize the name and Think of Roger Powell Jr., The Former Joliet and Illinois Star Who Is Now the Head Coach at Valparaiso. While Powell Jr. was on the short list of Candidates to make this Will County Mount Rushash, IT’S HIS DAD WHO DID.

Powell Sr. was a superstar in the Early 1970s at Joliet Central. Nor a sophomore, he fueled a postseason run that ended with a third-place finish at state-and led the state tournament in scorn with 90 points in four games.

Powell was a two-time all-state selection, as a junior and senior. But as a senior, he made the move from point Guard to shoot Guard, and the 6-4 Powell Exploded, Ampicing 33 Points and 12 Rebounds.

He Left Joliet Central As the School’s All-Time Leading Scorer with More than 2,200 Points. Powell Went on to play at Illinois State, where he put together a very good four -ear career.

Alando Tucker, Lockport

A Four-Yaar Varyity Player, Tucker Commonly han been reference to as one of the most underrained players the state has ever produced.

People Outside Will County Likely Still Don’t Appreciate Just How Good Tucker Was Throughout His High School Career. Remember, Michael Thompson from Neighboring Providence was a mcdonald’s all -american that sun year and headed to.

But an Observer who was Locked in on Will County Basketball in that 2001-02 Season Waled Admit for Four Months, Tucker was the best player in the area.

After a phenomenal College Career, The Athletic 6-5 Wing is Still an undervalured Star from this State. He Never Truly Did Receive His Due.

Be looking back, there was always one Major roadblock that kept tucker from recipes more attention and emerging as a more prominent player: joliet.

There was no joliet central or joliet west back then. LockPort’s rival was joliet, two Large schools that Merged their athletics to the tune of 4,000-plus students.

Joliet, which Finished 29-2, was a thorn in the side of Lockport and Tucker the Entire Season. Joliet Got the best of Lockport in Both Sica West Matchups.

When Tucker Led the Porters to Three Wins and A Championship-Game appeararance at the pontius Holiday Tournament, there Stood Joliet Ready and Waiting. Tucker was the MVP at Pontiac, but Joliet Won 44-41.

AFTER TUCKER LED LOCKPORT TO A REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, JOLIET ENDED LOCKPORT’S SEASON AND PORTER’S CARERER IN THE SECTIONAL.

Tucker was a consensus all-stater. The do-he-all player averaged 21.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists. But he didn’t beat joliet.

Tucker, Who Averaded 21.4 Points As a Junior, Finished His Career As the Second-Leading Scorer in School History with 1,572 Points.

His College Career Was Outstanding. He not only was the Big Ten Mvp and an All -american as a senior, he also scored more points (2,217) Than any player in wisconsin history, a record that Still stands.

Tucker Spent Parts of Three Seasons in the NBA with the suns and timberwolves before playing seven years overseas.