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Illinois Basketball: Illini offer scholarship to forward Blake Hinson

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 22: A general view of the shoes worn by Illinois Fighting Illini forward Leron Black (12) during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan State Spartans on January 22, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 22: A general view of the shoes worn by Illinois Fighting Illini forward Leron Black (12) during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan State Spartans on January 22, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Illinois basketball team continued to make a push for the class of 2018 today.

Illinois’ most recent offer is to Blake Hinson. He is a 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 84 player in the class of 2019.

There are so many questions right now from Illini fans. Let’s start with how he is a recruit for the Illini in the class of 2018 when he is projected for 2019 right now. Well, Hinson has a real chance to reclassify for the class of 2018. He is currently making a push for that according to an interview Corey Evans, of Rivals, did with Hinson.

I have also seen questions about Hinson and football. He is listed as a four-star recruit who is a top 300 player in the class of 2019 in football as well. But, in the article with Evans, Hinson says he has decided to give up football and is now focusing on just basketball.

At the time of the article – just a week ago – Hinson named five teams who are standing out right now. He listed Seton Hall, SMU, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Washington State. I think it is clear Illinois has a lot of ground to make up on the rest of these teams, but they have one thing more than the other programs. That one thing is playing time.

There is a massive need for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots on the roster. If Hinson would pick the Illini, he would come in and compete for the starting No. 4 spot day one. The No. 5 spot is the big worry, but I wouldn’t mind shifting Leron Black over to that spot and then fitting Hinson in at the No. 4 spot. This would be a small lineup, but I believe it would give the team the best chance to win.

Next: 5 takeaways from the Illini loss to Penn State

Illinois continues to be a player in some of the possible recruits for the class of 2018. They need to make up some time, but they are casting a line and hoping some fish bite. They need to add a few more players for next season and Hinson would be a great option.

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