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Illinois Basketball: Illini target Jason Jitoboh turning into a must-get

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 08: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks on during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 8, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 08: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks on during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 8, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The turnover at the No. 5 position for the Illinois basketball team has been nothing short of incredible.

There was a possibility to have either Leron Black or Michael Finke start at the No. 5 this upcoming season. They departed, though. Black is trying to make the NBA and Finke went to play with his brother at Grand Canyon.

When these two big men departed, that left plenty of room for Greg Eboigbodin to take over the starting job. But, Eboigbodin, along with Matic Vesel, decided to transfer out of the program as well.

This upcoming season, Illinois is going to have a mix of Adonis De La Rosa, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Anthony Higgs and Samba Kane manning the No. 5 spot. While I think some of these players will help the team in 2018, I am also nervous about the position. I think there is a lot left to be desired here.

After this season, though, De La Rosa is going to depart leaving only Bezhanishvili, Higgs and Kane at the No. 5 spot. Kane was the No. 281 player in the class of 2018, Bezhanishvili was No. 370 and Higgs was No. 390. Illinois didn’t exactly snag top-level big men. I do hope they show they are better than their ranking and these “experts” have no idea what they are talking about, which is a possibility. But, for now, I am just going off their ranking.

Having three sub-250 players who could possibly man the No. 5 spot heading into the future makes me nervous. That is why snagging Jason Jitoboh is important for 2019. Jitoboh is a 6-foot-10, 270-pound center from Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 191 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 34 center in the nation.

Jitoboh is in the top 200 nationally. On paper, he would be an upgrade at the No. 5 spot for the Illini. When I watch him play, I believe he can keep up in the Big Ten as well. This kid has the ability to be a force inside for this Illini team. He is more of a traditional big man but has the ability to run the court as well.

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Illinois is going to get their chance at Jitoboh with an official visit on October 11. This is their chance to land a big man for 2019. They need to snag one, and I think Jitoboh would fit the bill.

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