Illinois State – Might Be Scary Good

(St. Louis, MO) – Warning! Illinois State might be scary good this year.  Dan Muller’s team returns three potential all Valley players and is loaded with talented newcomers. Defending champion Loyola may not be the favorite when this season’s pre-season poll is released.

The Big Three

How good can Milik Yarbrough be this season? As good as he wants to be! The 6’6 forward is the reigning ‘Newcomer of the Year’ in the Valley, and all-conference and all-tournament team member last season.

A second generation Redbird (his father Del played for ISU in the late 1970s) placed led the Valley in assists and was fifth in scoring and fourth in rebounding while averaging 16.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

Yarbrough can be scary good.

After by-passing a potential pro contract, Muller says Yarbrough is poised for an even better season, because he is in much better shape.

 

 

Forward Phil Fayne and guard Keyshawn Evans make up the other two-thirds of the ‘big three’. The 6’9 Fayne (15.6 points per game and 7.4 rebounds) was a second team all-conference player after being named to the all-newcomer team in 2017. Fayne joined Yarbrough on the Arch Madness all-tournament team.

Evans (15.2 ppg) gave the Redbirds three players averaging 15 points or better per game. He was tied for fifth in the league in assists and was one of two Valley players to make at least three, three-pointers per game.

The ‘Big Three’ are scary good.

Impact Junior College Transfers

Guards Zach Copeland and Josh Jefferson come to Normal, Illinois with gaudy junior college resumes. Copeland originally signed with ISU last season, but sat out after failing to academically qualify. The 6’4 California native was listed as the 42nd best junior college player available last season.

Some Redbird watchers tell me Copeland has been one of the top performers during summer work outs and might be the best player on the team.

Jefferson is also a top 100 junior college player and averaged over 22 points per game for Lake Land College. The 6’2, New Albany, Indiana native connected on 45 percent of his long distance attempts.

Adding these productive veterans solidifies Muller’s lineup.

Chastain Becomes Eligible

Former Loyola guard Matt Chastain finally joins the rotation after his mandatory ‘sit year’. The 6’6 wing brings another long, athletic, skilled player to Muller’s rotation. Chastain was a three-star player coming out of LeRoy High School, averaging 26 points per game.

Muller says having Copeland and Chastain finally in the lineup will be a significant upgrade.

 

 

The Redbirds have six, potentially outstanding players on this year’s team. When you add to that mix three other players, William Tinsley, Taylor Burning and Matt Hein who made multiple starts last season, you obviously see the 2018-19 team could be scary good.

Do Good