IWU has not officially announced it yet, but I've learned that all-state point-guard Travis Rosenkranz from Macon Meridian H.S. has decided to attend Illinois Wesleyan. I've seen Travis play and I think is a very significant CCIW recruit. In terms of his passion for the game and how hard he plays every minute he's on the floor, he reminds me a lot of Adam Dauksas. He is just really fun to watch.
Travis was a 4-year high school starter. As a senior he averaged 24.9 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.4 steals. He shot 57% from the field, 42% from 3 and 84% from the FT line. Travis' numbers obviously have to be tempered by the fact that Class A competition is certainly not Class AA, but everytime he went up against a great team and/or a great player, he rose to the challenge...
* 36 points in the championship of the State Farm Holiday Classic @ IWU in a head-to-head matchup with point-guard Brandon Dunson (Tennessee-Chatt).
* 37 points vs Class A state champion Maroa-Forsyth in a head-to-head matchup with point-guard Robert Kreps (Illinois-Chicago recruit).
* 37 points in a Sectional final win vs Riverton, a team led by 7-0 Mike Tisdale (U. of Illinois).
* 35 points in his final high school game, a close loss in the sectional final to Monticello.
Travis finished his high school career with 1925 points scored. His final assist total of 678 is 5th in IHSA history and his 372 steals are good for 6th all-time in the state.
Recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen, the editor of City/Suburban Hoops Report, said Rosenkranz, a 6-foot senior point guard at Macon-Meridian, is ''the most underrated player in Illinois. He can play at a low-Division I school.''
Henricksen saw Rosenkranz score 37 points in an overtime loss to Bloomington Central Catholic in the Class A final of the State Farm Classic in Normal, Ill. He made a three-point shot to tie the score at the end of regulation.
''He is better than many of the heralded guards in the state, in a class with Von Steuben's Michael Horton, Peoria Richwoods' Justin Dehm [Furman], Thornton's Josh Parker [Drake], Maroa-Forsyth's Robert Kreps [UIC] and Bloomington Central Catholic's Brandon Dunson [Tennessee-Chattanooga],'' Henricksen said.
The
February 5, 2007 issue of ILL. Hoops included a feature on Rosenkranz. An excerpt:
“Travis Rosenkranz is a sleeper D-I point guard prospect,” wrote the Schmidts in an e-mail. “He can certainly play at the low D-I level, and perhaps the mid-major D-I level. “He is a gym rat, tough-minded kid who wants to get better and constantly works at his game. Nothing against Robert Kreps, who is a fine player and a good get for UIC, but Rosenkranz is every bit as good, and we think that their conference head-to-head matchups over the past two years would certainly verify that. Yes, he is only 5-11, but a player who can shoot, lead the transition game, and get the ball to the right people is certainly worth a look, and we do know that several low D-I’s have him on their list.”
Right now, he has heard from Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois, a few Ivy League schools and a lot of Division III schools.
“He has no Division I offers,” Blickensderfer said. “That’s amazing. Maybe that’s why those guys don’t keep their jobs long. They can’t evaluate talent. I’m not saying he can go to Illinois, Maryland or Kansas, but there’s no reason why he can’t play at an Eastern, Illinois State or Evansville.”
Travis made all of the various Class A all-state teams, such as...
Travis will be the valedictorian of his class and plans to be pre-med at Illinois Wesleyan. He is a triplet -- sister is heading to U. of Illinois and brother still undecided. Imagine having 3 kids in college at the same time....yikes.
Ron Rose and staff found a terrific player and a first-class young man in Travis Rosenkranz. I can't wait to see him take the floor as a Titan.
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