Peoria Area Players-MVC Schools

by **tribecalledquest** » August 4th, 2011, 9:23 am

The Peoria area has always been a hotbed for recruiting talent. The city schools have always produced a lot of players but not many have played in the MVC for different reasons (grades, BCS schools, etc.) Right now there are three different kids who could end up in the MVC and have a lot of Valley offers.

2012 Recruit - Jeff "Kiki" White - 6-1 Guard - Peoria Manual. He has offers from SIU, MSU, and Bradley along with UIC and Kent State. Bradley hasn't had a Peoria Manual kid on scholarship in a LONG time. I have heard he prefers to leave the city so that could bode well for SIU or MSU.

2013 Recruit - AJ Riley - 6-2 Guard - Peoria Manual. He has offers from SIU, UNI, Drake and Bradley. Teammate of Jeff White. A lot of people really like him. Grade issues are always a concern for Manual kids but I don't think that is the case for White and Riley (it is for a third teammate, Jacob Robby, a 6-5 forward who committed to Wright State)

2013 Recruit - Nate Taphorn - 6-6 Forward - Pekin. Obviously this name is familiar to ISU fans--but he is the son of the other Taphorn who played at UWGB. Right now has offers from Drake, Creighton and Bradley. Many feel he will end up at a Big Ten/BCS School. He is thin and not strong but 6-6 and a really great shooter.

Will be interesting to follow all of this.

**Sponsor**

by **panther-state** » August 4th, 2011, 11:20 am

I like what I've seen from AJ Riley from different game tapes and videos. The problem is he has an entire year of school left and the chances of him going to a mid-major school, much less UNI, aren't the greatest unless he has some sort of injury (knock on wood that he doesn't). He is a solid ball-handler and is very good at penetrating to the hoop. I see BCS offers mounting up for him in the next year and the MVC will be an afterthought :cry:

by **Khan4Cats** » August 4th, 2011, 5:01 pm

Former Panther John Little was from the Peoria area, great team member who did his job and helped rebuild the program and lead us to three NCAA appearances.

by **tribecalledquest** » September 5th, 2011, 5:53 pm

It looks like Jeff White will be available for the other MVC schools as Bradley got a commitment from PG KaDarryl Bell today. BU has two scholarships and wanted a guard and big man. Bell gets the guard scholarship. White still has some MVC offers in the table as well as other mid majors.