More scholarship offers were given out by the Illinois basketball team on Friday with the most recent going to Frankie Policelli.
Policelli is a 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward from Long Island Lutheran High School in New Hartford, New York. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 261 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 7 player in the state of New York. His recruitment continues to gain steam with the Illini being his most recent offer.
Besides for Illinois, Policelli has received offers from the likes of Texas Tech, Cincinnati and George Washington, among others. Right now, he has only taken two official visits. One was to George Washington back on October 6 and the other was to Stony Brook on October 13. These visits were both before the start of the high school basketball season.
There are some things I like about Policelli’s game. The first thing that I like is that he is left-handed. I am a fellow lefty and know the struggle of going through the world being opposite of a majority of people. There is a soft spot for left-handed people. Another thing that really makes him stand out for the Illini is his size.
Illinois needs more size on the floor. They had three players over 6-foot-7 this past season – Michael Finke, Greg Eboigbodin, Matic Vesel – but that is it for size. Having another player come in like Policelli and play the No. 4 when Leron Black needs a rest is huge. He would bring size and a seven-foot wingspan to the Illini lineup.
I also like Policelli’s driving ability and vision as well. He isn’t afraid to take it to the hoop and potentially draw a foul. This is something Illinois was missing this last campaign. His vision also makes him a dangerous passer. When he drives in the lane, he can find the open man when the defense collapses. That is a special attribute.
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Honestly, the player that comes to mind when I see Policelli play is a taller Kipper Nichols. They have similar games, but I think Policelli is a little more aggressive. Overall, though, I don’t mind the offer from the Illini. I think he would help the team next season.