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Que the theme from “The Good the Bad and the Ugly.”
No, not the article on The Champaign Room. I’m talking the theme from the old western because the recruiting landscape is a ghost town. With only two men standing in the center of town. Frank Martin the head coach of South Carolina and the Sheriff Brad Underwood.
This analogy not only shows that there is a face-off for a recruiting target but also gives precedence to how deserted Illinois basketball has been with recruiting news. The big breakthrough lately has been news on shooting guard target Jermaine Couisnard.
Jermaine Couisnard: 6-foot-4 SG (Montverde Academy)
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Couisnard is a guy who has picked up a lot of steam lately on the recruiting circuit. He’s not a top 150 kid by any means, but he definitely has some desirable qualities. Illinois isn’t the only program that has taken notice as they will be battling top programs like Virginia Tech, Louisville, and as I mentioned earlier, Frank Martin and South Carolina.
Jermaine is an absolute sharpshooter from the corners and can really knock down shots from anywhere on the perimeter, though his range is limited. Couisnard is also a fairly skilled rebounder for his size and natural position on the floor.
The thing coaches like Martin and Underwood like the most, I’m sure, is his hustle. The kid can be seen in any highlight tape diving for loose balls, scrapping for steals or sprinting down the floor to be in position for an open jump shot. You can’t teach the kind of motor this guy possesses.
Couisnard sounds like a really heavy South Carolina lean, but he put on twitter that he has cut his list to six schools: South Carolina, Louisville, Virginia Tech, UMass, Bradley and the Illini.
He is set to announce his commitment this Saturday per his twitter account.
I Will Be Making My College Decision This Saturday ❗️ https://t.co/bxwlnpES0w
— Jermaine Couisnard (@The__Future11) January 25, 2018
Update on Tevian Jones:
Tevian has been really quiet about his recruitment. I haven’t read or heard any news on what he is thinking at this point, and I’m sure this will be a long recruitment. Jones is absolutely soaring through the top-150 rankings right now. Look for him to take some visits and then make a decision late in the signing period.