Illini land highly coveted point guard
THE LIST: Class of 2014 RIvals150
When John Groce and his staff began recruiting the class of 2014 they knew that they wanted a point guard. Little did they know that Quentin Snider would have ever been an option.
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After committing to Louisville early in his high school career, the No. 31 player in the country opened things at the end of the summer and the flood of attention began.
Thursday night, during a press conference at his high school, the Louisville (Kent.) Ballard star picked Illinois after a relatively brief but intense recruitment.
The No. 31 player in the 2014 Rivals150 and a high end four-star prospect, Snider has everything that Groce and his staff covet.
Before Groce landed at Illinois, he was at his best with D.J. Cooper running the show at Ohio. Snider can't be expected to score over 2,000 career points like Cooper did. But, his impact could be immense.
Groce favors an offense that features several ball screens and in order to make it work he has to have a playmaking point guard who is just as much a threat to score as he is pass. That's exactly what he is getting in Snider.
In fact, it is Snider's ability to score off the dribble that makes him such a dangerous player. He puts defenders on their heels and is able to stay in attack mode and when he draws help, he's an unselfish player who will find his teammates.
Of course Snider still has to get to campus and earn his playing time. But, if he plays to his capability then his impact should be early and notable.
The Illini will still pursue big fish Cliff Alexander and the five-star superstar from Chicago (Ill.) Curie would be a very welcomed addition. However, with No. 41 Leron Black already in the fold and good pieces in place in Champaign, Snider was the key and Groce and the Illini nation are justifiably excited.
Eric Bossi is the national basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.
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