Maybe it’s the role they play on their club basketball team, playing for a travel team that doesn’t get a lot of eyes on it or they were just out of action with an injury when it mattered most.
Whatever the reason, there are always talented players who didn’t get out of the summer what they quite needed to and remain, to some degree, hidden prospects.
Here are four seniors, poised for big senior years, that fit the description and who shouldn’t be forgotten about by college coaches. All four are headed towards monster senior seasons.
Miles Boland, Loyola
The 6-2 guard will be the catalyst for the Ramblers this season after averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while burying 53 three-pointers as a junior.
Boland was banged up and missed some time at the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout in June. While he did shine at the Romeoville Shootout a week later, the opportunity during the high school live periods didn’t generate enough buzz for what he did with the Ramblers.
He then played a supporting role for an Illinois Wolves team that featured stars Cole Certa and Angelo Ciaravino. Boland came off the bench and did his job, especially in the latter stages of the July period, but the versatile guard doesn’t have a single offer.
The more you watch the high IQ of Boland, the more you appreciate him as a player. He doesn’t force things and lets the game come to him while playing disciplined, unselfish basketball. He’s a weapon on and off the ball with his ability to see the floor and efficient shooting.
The fact Boland doesn’t have a single offer, even at the Division II level, will surely change. In seven months or so Boland will leave coach Tom Livatino’s program as one of the best, most productive players in program history.
Cam Cerese, Lake Park
The ultra-competitive combo guard was terrific as a junior. He averaged a whopping 20.9 points this past season, and he continued to light up opponents in June.
Cerese played out July with a lower-profile team on the AAU circuit, but he’s been far too overlooked. He’s a scholarship player without enough offers up to this point.
A relentless perimeter scorer, Cerese is going to go get a basket. He has an uncanny ability to score in the mid-range with pull-ups, step-backs and offers an array of ways to put the ball in the basket. His range does extend to the three-point line, but it’s the area of his game that must become more consistent.
While being one of the better scorers in the class, Cerese sets himself apart with a competitive edge that surpasses others and a scrappiness that not only impresses but is the trait teams need to win.
Calvin Robins, Kenwood
Unfortunately, Robins suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for the entire summer. Missing the summer, first with Kenwood in June and Mac Irvin Fire in July, undoubtedly impacted his recruitment. But the explosive and athletic 6-5 Robins will be back in action soon and is a player college coaches will want to see in open gyms this fall.
There are few players in the class who are as explosive off the floor as Robins. The skill level must improve. But when you factor in the powerfully-built body, the motor, rebounding, character and outstanding academics, there are a lot of boxes he checks off for college coaches.
CJ Worsham, Christ the King
Playing in a smaller class (2A) in a league (Chicago Prep) few watch can lead to being overlooked.
Worsham put up monster numbers (20.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists) in helping Christ the King to 25 wins last season, and he played extremely well for Denard Brothers on the club basketball circuit. But he did so without any fanfare.
Nonetheless, the 6-6 Worsham is a prospect who needs to be watched more closely. Engaged with a motor and productive without the exclamation points is the way Worsham gets things done. He goes about his business on the floor in a way that is easy to appreciate with energy and a vocal leader.
The perimeter shooting must continue to progress. But Worsham rebounds and can lead the break. He finds teammates with his passing, finishes at the rim and is transforming his body. A skilled hybrid forward, he can be an important piece of the new positionless puzzle in college basketball.
