Sherron Collins
Kansas – G – 5-11 – 205
Hometown Chicago
High school Crane.
Recently named the Big 12 Player of the Week, Collins is averaging 9.4 points per game after being slowed by nagging foot and knee injuries, but he appears to be playing at near 100 percent as tourney time nears.
Jason Richards
Davidson – G – 6-2 – 190
Hometown Barrington
High school Barrington.
Averaging 12.6 points and an eye-popping 8 assists per game to lead the nation, he fuels the Wildcats’ top-25 scoring offense.
Jon Scheyer
Duke – G – 6-5 – 180
Hometown Northbrook
High school Glenbard North.
The former Illinois Mr. Basketball is doing just fine in college, thank you, averaging 11.3 points and 4.1 rebounds for the seventh-ranked Blue Devils.
Jeremy Pargo
Gonzaga – G – 6-2 – 219
Hometown Chicago
High school Robeson.
The younger brother of ex-Bull Jannero Pargo recently was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.
Derrick Rose
Memphis – G – 6-3 – 190
Hometown Chicago
High school Simeon Career Academy.
The explosive guard has averaged 14.1 points per game
and 4.6 assists,
and he recently was named the
Conference
USA Freshman
of the Year.
– – –
OTHER LOCALS
NAME, POSITION, COLLEGE (HOMETOWN, HIGH SCHOOL)
Todd BABINGTON
G, Austin Peay (Crystal Lake, Prairie Ridge)
Averaging 11.6 points per game.
Ousmane Barro
C, MARQUETTE (Dakar, Senegal, JUlian)
Team’s second-leading rebounder with 5.5 per game.
Bobby Frasor
G, North Carolina (Blue Island, Brother Rice)
Out for the season after tearing a knee ligament.
Eric chesser
F, SOUTH ALABAMA (NAPERVILLE, NEUQUA VALLEY)
Has played in 12 games for Sun Belt champs.
Jamarcus ellis
g, indiana (chicago, westinghouse)
Averages about 7.7 points per game.
Brandon mcgee
F, INDIANA (Chicago, crane)
Has played sporadically this season.
Jonathan Peoples
G, Notre Dame (Bellwood, St. Joseph’s)
Scored a season-high 12 points and 4 rebounds against Georgetown in January.
Donald prichard
G, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE (THORNTON FRACTIONAL NORTH)
Has appeared in just five games this season.
Tom Kopko
G, Notre Dame (Chicago, St. Laurence)
Made the team as a walk-on but hasn’t played much.
Jonathan Cox
F, Drake (Barrington, Barrington)
Made the Missouri Valley Conference most-improved team.
Josh Parker
G, Drake (Harvey, Thornton)
Freshman scored a career-high 10 points against Cornell in November.
Marcus Green
G, Purdue (Franklin Park, Leyden)
Averaging 4.6 points and 3 rebounds a game.
Andre Walker
F, Vanderbilt (Flossmoor, Homewood-Flossmoor)
Has played in every game this season, averaging 2.4 points.
Dan Nelms
F, Davidson (Lake Forest, Lake Forest)
At 6-foot-9, he and Ben Allison are the tallest players on the team.
Maurice Acker
G, Marquette (Hazelcrest, Hillcrest)
5-foot-8 guard is hitting 41 percent of his 3-point shots.
Tommy Brice
G, Marquette (Bloomingdale, Lake Park)
Senior in his second season as a walk-on.
Jerel McNeal
G, Marquette (Chicago, Hillcrest)
Named second-team all-Big East; scored a career-high 28 points vs. Notre Dame in Thursday’s conference quarterfinals.
Tyrone Brazelton
G, Western Kentucky (Chicago, Rich Central)
Chips in 13.3 points and 3.6 assists per game.
Jacob Pullen
G, Kansas State (Maywood, Proviso East)
Scored career-high 20 points in a win over rival Kansas.
Da’Veed Dildy
G, Stanford (Chicago, King)
Hasn’t played this season, but hit 66 percent of his 3-point shots in 2006-07. Two-of-3, that is.
PATRICK BEVERLEY
G, ARKANSAS (Chicago, MARSHALL)
Last year’s freshman of the year is a double threat with 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Deandre Thomas
F, Indiana (Chicago, westinghouse)
Scored 10 in 16 minutes in win vs. Michigan State.
[ TRIBUNE, REDEYE ]
