Illinois wing Will Riley may nonetheless be in highschool. The freshman reclassified within the spring to go to varsity this fall.
Riley additionally might be within the beginning lineup for No. 25 Illinois. The 6-foot-8 Canadian has discovered a solution to lead the Combating Illini (4-1) in scoring regardless of coming off the bench in all video games to this point.
Getting into Monday’s non-conference house sport in opposition to Little Rock (3-3) in Champaign, Riley paces Illinois in scoring (18 factors per sport) and 3-point capturing (14 of twenty-two). He’s including six rebounds per sport.
Riley is athletic and lengthy sufficient to crash the offensive glass successfully and expert sufficient to get his personal shot at any time when the ball is in his fingers. He even took a spin at level guard late in Illinois’ 87-40 win over Maryland Jap Shore on Saturday.
“Will simply hoops,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood mentioned. “Will simply merely … I will use a man’s title, Michael Beasley, that I used to be round at Kansas State. Nothing fazes them. Nothing fazes Will.”
Beasley, in fact, was a one-and-done at Kansas State. After he averaged 26.2 factors and 12.4 rebounds for the Wildcats, he went No. 2 within the 2008 NBA Draft. Riley would not appear prone to go that top within the draft, however perhaps that is underestimating his means to adapt and enhance.
For instance, when Illinois performed at No. 8 Alabama on Wednesday, Riley missed his first 4 subject targets and first two free throws within the opening 12 minutes. He regarded slightly rushed and tried some atypical pictures making an attempt to unravel Alabama’s tall and athletic frontcourt.
Then, with 6:23 left within the first half, Riley confirmed he is a quick learner. He acquired the ball on the prime of the arc, faked a shot to get his defender to fly previous, then took one small step to the left and cashed in a 3-pointer. He completed with a team-high 18 factors, a career-high 9 rebounds and 4 assists with no turnovers in a 100-87 loss to the Crimson Tide.
“He simply performs the sport. The factor I used to be most upset with him at Alabama was he took contested twos with about 20 seconds on the shot clock,” Underwood mentioned.
And he sees nice potential in his freshman.
“When he learns to proceed to get fouled, phew. These are what lottery picks appear to be,” Underwood mentioned of Riley. “He is acquired a present to not be nervous about what I say, not be nervous a few missed shot (or) a foul half. He simply performs within the second and takes what the sport provides him.”
Riley and the Illini determine to face their second-toughest check of the season to this point in Little Rock, which collected 20 of the 22 first-place votes within the Ohio Valley Convention’s preseason ballot, with groups unable to vote for themselves.
On Friday evening, Little Rock fought again from a 22-point first-half deficit at No. 20 Arkansas to get as shut as seven factors earlier than winding up with a 79-67 loss.
“I believe if we hadn’t dug such an enormous gap for ourselves within the first half, it could have been lots simpler for us to remain within the sport,” ahead Mwani Wilkinson mentioned.
Whereas the Trojans have excessive expectations, they don’t seem to be at 100%. OVC preseason participant of the 12 months KK Robinson may miss the entire season on account of a knee damage suffered in late October, whereas backup energy ahead Creed Williamson — the son of Corliss Williamson, a two-time All-American at Arkansas and a former 12-year NBA participant — has missed the previous two video games with a foot damage.
Of their absence, Creighton switch Johnathan Lawson (16.3 factors, 7.2 rebounds, 4 assists) and Wilkinson (17.2 factors), an LSU grad switch, give the Trojans a pair of productive wings with high-major measurement and expertise. They’re additionally prolific 3-point shooters who every hit at a 41 % clip or greater.
“We’ll see a workforce that mixes up defenses,” Underwood mentioned. “It is a excellent Little Rock workforce. Let’s not overlook they may have been an NCAA Match workforce final 12 months. They’re very lengthy, very athletic.”
–Subject Stage Media
