E.J. Liddell
E.J. Liddell
Belleville West’s senior basketball star E.J. Liddell recently narrowed his list of college suitors to a top five that includes Illinois, Missouri, Kansas State, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
The reigning Illinois Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year said he plans to take visits to all five schools before arriving at a final decision, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.
Ranked as the No. 35 recruit in the nation by ESPN and No. 39 by Rival.com, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound power forward has drawn offers from some of the country’s top programs, among them DePaul, Florida, Georgetown, Iowa, Iowa State, Louisville, Marquette, Purdue, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Saint Louis University, Texas A&M and Connecticut.
Liddell spent part of his summer in California participating in the Nike Skills Academy featuring 30 of the top high school players in the country. Before that, he was among the biggest high-risers at several high school tournaments, including the Tournament of Champions and the Centralia Holiday Tournament, where he attracted the attention of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
As a junior, Liddell led Belleville West to a Class 4A IHSA state title, averaging 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and nearly three assists.
Alerts Sign-up