1 team in the nation. 6 Simeon (Chicago) and No . Kerr was the firstcoach in the history of the Chicago Bulls (1966-67), and was a joy to listen toas a broadcaster for decades. Simeon assistant coach Maurice Jones, left, helps with a framed portrait of Ben Wilson during a ceremony where the basketball team was being honored for their fourth consecutive Class 4A IHSA championship at Simeon High School in Chicago on March 20, 2013. MOLINE, Ill. (AP) Here are the Illinois Associated Press Class 1A-4A All-State boys' basketball teams as voted on by a statewide panel of newspaper sports writers/editors, TV/radio broadcasters, and internet-site editors/reporters. He was considered among the best prep centers in thecountry, and opted to play at Wisconsin. Rose won the 2009 NBA Rookie of the year and hasplayed in three All-Star Games. There was no set starting lineup as the core of the 1984 state-championship team Ben Wilson, Tim Bankston, Rodney Hull, Bobby Tribble and Kenny Allen were getting their varsity feet wet. Urbana, IL 61801 Coach Robert Smith's Wolverines, heavily favored to win their third state championship in a row and fifth in seven years, are being touted as the No. In 1996, Walker led UK to the NCAAChampionship before turning pro. Stands third on Illini career scoring list. Since retiring,he has served as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and the 76ers. LIST OF VOTERS (30) Derek Bayne, WREX-TV Rockford; Aaron Britton, Nesto Hoops.com; Josh Brown, Robinson Daily News; Jack Bullock, A Baseline View (Southern Illinois); Jimmy Dean, WGGH radio Marion; Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star; Charlie Ellerbrock, The Times (Ottawa/Streator); Kevin Hieronymus, Bureau County Republican; Brian Hoxsey, The Times (Ottawa/Streator); Johnston City Newsbreak; Fred Kroner, Mahomet Daily; Colin Likas, Champaign News-Gazette; Randy List, Centralia Morning Sentinel; Jim Mattson, WEEK-TV Peoria/Bloomington; Erich Murphy, Pontiac Daily Leader; Seth Pote, Chicagoland Prep Hoops.com; Dick Quagliano, Chicago Daily Herald; Randy Reinhardt, Bloomington Pantagraph; Matt Rodewald, IHSA TV Network; Greg Sapp, WXEF-WKJT radio Effingham; Mason Schweizer, Kankakee Daily Journal; Steve Tappa, MC22-TV Quad Cities/QCSportsNet/AP All-State chair; Matt Trowbridge, Rockford Register-Star; Greg Shashack, Alton Telegraph; Steve Soucie, Joliet Herald-News; Joe Stevenson, (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald; Alex Wallner, Effingham Daily News; Josh Welge, Kendall County Record/Kane County Chronicle; William Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register; Matt Wilson, Carlyle Union Banner. Our guard play was second to none, they were really really good. The 1979-80 record is from Tribune archives. Feb 15, 2013 at 6:24 pm. Dora B. Jones sings "Keep Looking Up" for Mary Wilson, right, mother of slain basketball star Ben Wilson, at the second anniversary vigil for her son on Nov. 20, 1986. Simeon High School, which is located in Chicago, Illinois, is one of the most famous and well known basketball programs around the country. (Ernie Cox Jr. / Chicago Tribune), Stunned friends and classmates break down upon viewing Ben Wilson's body at the wake held in Simeon High School's gymnasium on Nov. 23, 1984. Murder of Ben Wilson - Wikipedia . He was named an All-American in 1994before taking his talents to the NBA; that summer, the Washington Bullets madeHoward the fifth overall pick in the NBA Draft. Copyright University of Illinois Alumni Association , Alice Campbell Alumni Center Paver Program, University of Illinois Alumni Association Giving Program. Big night for UA Elite 24 alumni. 25 in Wilson's honor. SI All-American Candidate Ahamad Bynum Highlights and Evaluation . Buckner, whose mother was a teacher in the district and whose sister later became superintendent of the district, and Batts were among the first African-Americans to attend the Dolton school. Another future NBA player, David Wingate, also was a starter. Wisch: What If Ben Wilson Had Lived - And Become A Flyin' Illini? The Illinis career scoring leader, who prepped at Chicago Simeon, stands third all-time in blocked shots and fourth in rebounds. We are one of the few schools in the state that has been on top since the 70s. Coach Smith says regarding the culture and history behind Simeon High School. There were a total of 30 voters, but not all cast a ballot in each class (29 in 1A & 2A, 26 in 3A, 22 in 4A). High school: Simeon Career Academy College: University of Illinois Career highlights: Key member of the "Flyin' Illini" Final Four team Anderson was named Mr. Basketball in 1986 and led the University of Illinois to the Final Four in 1989. It is the Falcons' unprecedented record of achievement that Simeon is chasing this season.<\/p>\n

Lynn's book, "Thornridge: The Perfect Season in Black and White," published by AuthorHouse, brings back memories for high school basketball fans throughout Illinois. 105-34 (L) Simeon @ Kenwood. For example, Lynn researched how the issue of racial integration was overcome when black students were enrolled at the previously all-white school. It was really a tough group. Davis career is only beginning, but his one year at Kentucky is considered oneof the best freshman seasons in NCAA history. Get back to state. (Gerald West / Chicago Tribune), The gravesite of Ben Wilson at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago on Nov. 10, 2009. Simeon's third city championship in five years tasted a bit sweeter because it came against King. No Illinois team before or since has ever done it better.<\/p>\n

That is the challenge that confronts Simeon this season.<\/p>\n", mps => {"league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}, chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}", image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/chicago\/2011\/12\/06\/604768.png","alt":"604768.png","title":"Remembering Thornridge -- 40 years later"}, fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=330072974228200&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fchicago%2Fremembering-thornridge-40-years-later&display=popup", tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Remembering%20Thornridge%20--%2040%20years%20later&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fchicago%2Fremembering-thornridge-40-years-later&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fchicago%2Fremembering-thornridge-40-years-later", mailto => "mailto:?subject=Remembering%20Thornridge%20--%2040%20years%20later&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fchicago%2Fremembering-thornridge-40-years-later", meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/chicago\/remembering-thornridge-40-years-later.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/chicago\/2011\/12\/06\/604768.png"]}, orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2016\/04\/11\/604768.png","alt":"604768.png","title":"Remembering Thornridge -- 40 years later"}. Print. Vernon (5-11, Jr., PG) 6; Craig Niko Newsome, Bloomington (6-5, Jr., F/G) 6; x-Tyler Swanson, Metamora 6. I really think we have a really good shot at it here in Illinois and I do believe we will be one of the best teams in the country. Coach Smith answered. Future streetball legend Carl Harris spent most of the season in Hambric's doghouse. He is a collector of elite sports memorabilia and a cigar connoisseur. Thornridge's toughest opponents were south suburban rivals Bloom and Thornton and perennial Downstate power Peoria Manual. "He was hilarious," said Carlil Pittman, Good Kids Mad City. Mr. Simeon married Helen and to this union was born daughter Sharon A. Simeon. High school: Chicago Vocational College: University of Michigan Career highlights: 2012 NBA Champion, 1996 NBA All-Star Howard was a member of the famous Fab Five teams at Michigan that played inthe 1992 and 1993 NCAA Championship Games. Kevin Garnett, while a graduate of Farragut Academy, only lived in Chicago for a little over a year. Organized w/the Simeon High School athletic fan in mind. A four-year starter, Douglas helped the Illini reach four consecutive NCAA tournaments. I'm still carrying the legacy myself so that's huge for me," Kendrick Nunn said of Wilson. Wilson was affectionately known as Benji.. Ben Wilson of Simeon High School was considered the No. After playing basketball and graduating from Southern Illinois in 1976, he set out on a career in radioTV broadcasting. Illinois AP names All-State boys' basketball teams | AP News 11y . High school: St. JosephCollege: Ohio State UniversityCareer highlights: Big TenConference Player of the Year, NCAA Player of the Year Turner, like Isiah Thomas, graduated from St. Joseph High School in suburbanWestchester and took his talents to Ohio State. He played 12 seasons in the NBA,winning an NBA championship in 1970 and playing in the 1972 All-Star Game. Win the regional. For a basketball city that continues to endure a dark cloud decades later behind one of its greatest players never reaching his full potential, seeing Nunn in action was able to bring a bright spot. Frame: Lean frame with room . Jabari Parker and Derrick Rose face off tonight in Chicago, where they both attended Simeon Career Academy. And countless others that lets face it would beat you pretty soundly in a game of H-O-R-S-E. To celebrate this longstanding tradition of basketball excellence, weve rather poetically put together a list of Chicagos greatest all-time basketball players. Players (14) Staff (9) Do you have a team photo? Buckner stood up and said to his coach and the other players: "If we win all of our games, we will accomplish all of our goals." Simeon in the '80s | A year by year breakdown - Chicago Tribune (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune), Simeon coach Robert Smith holds a framed poster of Ben Wilson during a ceremony honoring his basketball team for their four consecutive state championships at Simeon High School in Chicago on March 20, 2013. And that team was the same way. He swept the postseason awardsafter the Wildcats won the National Championship, winning Final Four MostOutstanding Player and all major Player of the Year Awards. During Thanksgiving week in 1984, Simeon High School basketball star Ben Wilson was shot twice on his lunch hour after a chance encounter, in a slaying that shocked his family, his classmates and . Let the "old-school versus modern-times" debate rage on. Tab has attended NHL, MLB, NBA, and NFL playoff games in Chicago, as well as the NCAA tournament, the Rose Bowl, and the 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. Hambric told the Tribune in February he didn't think Simeon was getting the attention it deserved. CLASS 1A FIRST TEAM NAME, SCHOOL (HT., YR., POS.) When he left the Badgers, hewas the all-time leading scorer in Wisconsin basketball history (he held themark for 11 years until another Chicagoan, Alando Tucker, passed him on thelist). The team had a 71-game winning streak.<\/p>\n

De Matha, the team that snapped Power Memorial's 71-game winning streak was led by Bob Whitmore, Sid Catlett, Bernard Williams Mickie Wiles and Ernie Austin. 25 in Wilson's honor. 13 overall selection in the1999 NBA Draft. but winning state championships is the ultimate goal of just about every high school boys' basketball team. Thornridge's toughest opponents were south suburban rivals Bloom and Thornton and perennial Downstate power Peoria Manual.<\/p>\n

In a 33-0 season, Thornridge never allowed an opponent to come within 14 points. Hambric's first full season ended with a 59-58 loss to Westinghouse in the Public League semifinals. Ben Wilson was the nation's top-rated prep basketball player when he was slain near Simeon High School. Wilson was a top basketball prospect at Simeon High School when he was murdered during his senior year in 1984. Point guard from Quincy, Ill., could score. Lynn is a colon cancer survivor who underwent life-saving emergency surgery in 2008. But Thornridge was more than Buckner. They have the talent once again, and as always, will play an elite national schedule over the course of the season. Those guys have been on varsity for years now. "If you're living right, doing things the right way and taking control of everything that you're in control of, good things will happen. 12 overall pick in the 1983 NBADraft. He was the No. Who would you choose to lead your team, Parker or Quinn Buckner? Expand. He is the Heats all-timeleading scorer, was named the 2006 NBA Finals MVP, the 2010 NBA All-Star GameMVP and won the 2009 NBA scoring title. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1996Draft by the Boston Celtics, with whom he played for seven years and appearedin three NBA All-Star Games. He died Nov. 21, 1984, a day after he was shot near Simeon High School. alias => "chicago\/\/remembering-thornridge-40-years-later", title => "Remembering Thornridge -- 40 years later", article_body => "

Simeon's 2011-12 basketball team has stirred up considerable excitement. Simeon High School Alumni, Class Reunions, Yearbooks, Wolverines Classmates, and more! One man's opinion after covering almost three decades of Illinois basketball. Future Mr. Basketball winner Deon Thomas was a somewhat raw sophomore. Steve Turner, a 6-foot-10 forward, is turning out how we thought he would be as a freshman and he starting to get that capability to do some stuff.