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Eastern Illinois Basketball Brings In Transfers

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CHARLESTON — The Eastern Illinois men's basketball program has announced three transfers for the 2023-24 season — Nakyel Shelton, Corey Sawyer Jr. And Kooper Jacobi.

Shelton (6-foot-3, 180 pounds) comes to EIU after earning NJCAA Division II All-America honors last season at South Suburban Community College, which went 26-6 before losing in the District semifinals last year. He was fifth in the nation in scoring at 23.6 per game and 10th in the nation in rebounding at 10.7 per game. He finished the season with 18 double-doubles, scoring a season-high 42 points against Terra State and pulling down a season-high 19 rebounds against Illinois Valley.

"Nakyel is a scorer and will fit a role we need on this team for us to be successful," EIU head coach Marty Simmons. "He has shown his ability to produce offensively at every level he has played at."

Shelton, from Chicago, earned All-City League honors three times at Schurz High School. He scored more than 1,500 points in his prep career. He began his collegiate career at NAIA member Montana State Northern but its season was canceled due to COVID-19. Shelton transferred and played closer to home at NAIA member Cardinal Stritch, leading the team in scoring at 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 2021-22 and earning honorable mention All-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference honors.

Sawyer (6-foot-4, 160 pounds) comes to EIU following two seasons playing at Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kansas. Last season Sawyer earned All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference second-team honors. He ranked seventh in the league in scoring at 16.5 per game. He added 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.2 assists to help lead Cloud County to its first Region IV Tournament game in seven seasons.

Sawyer set the school record for free throws made in a season with 223 and career free throws made with 337. He finished the season ranked second in the NJCAA in free throws made per game at 8.8 connecting at 79.1 percent.

"Watching Corey play, you can see that he has an extremely high motor and ability to get to the rim," Simmons said. "He finds ways to score the basketball, whether that be from the floor or the free throw line."

Sawyer is from Oviedo, Fla., and attended The Master's Academy for high school. During his first season at Cloud County he averaged 11.2 points per game with 13 double figure scoring games including a high of 31 points against Hutchinson CC.

Jacobi (6-foot-6, 200 pounds) is a transfer from the University of Toledo, playing for two straight Toledo teams that won the Mid-American Conference regular season titles and played in the NIT.

"Kooper embodies everything that we are striving to be," Simmons said. "He's a hard worker, an excellent student, has great character, and is a skilled basketball player."

Jacobi

University of Toledo

Jacobi is from Sellersburg, Ind., where he played at Silver Creek High School helping the team win Indiana Class 3A State Championships as a sophomore and senior. He averaged 21.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game as a senior earning Associated Press third-team All-State honors and a spot on the IBCA's Supreme 15 All-State Team. He shot 63 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range.

As a freshman in 2021-22 at Toledo he played in all 34 games for the Rockets averaging 2.2 points and 2.5 rebounds. Jacobi redshirted the 2022-23 season and will have three years of eligibility remaining at EIU.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Two transfers added

CHARLESTON — Eastern Illinois women's basketball added two new players in Charita "Tiny" Lewis and Lalani Ellis for next season.

"We are very excited about these two and feel they can add to an extremely talented returning group." EIU head coach Matt Bollant said.

A 5'6" point/combo guard from St. Cloud, Minn., Lewis is coming to EIU by way of the North Dakota State College of Science. In her one season at NDSCS, Lewis started 34 of 35 games and totaled 481 points. She averaged 13.7 points, three assists, and 4.3 rebounds. She shot 44% from the floor, 31.5% from three-point range, and 70.8% from the free throw line.

At Minnehaha High School, she earned conference player of the year honors her senior season and was a two-time all-conference team selection. She scored more than 1,000 career points in just two seasons at Minnehaha and helped lead the team to a conference title her senior year.

"Tiny is a very quick point guard who can handle the ball against pressure and get by and make plays," said head coach Matt Bollant. "She is great at pressuring the ball and is an extremely good defender."

A 5'7" point guard from Milwaukee, Wis., Ellis comes to EIU from the Milwaukee Academy of Science, where she averaged 20.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.9 steals in her senior year for the Novas under head coach Giovanni Riley. Ellis totaled just shy of 1,200 points in her high school career and helped lead the Novas to a 43-7 record over her junior and senior seasons. In her senior year, she helped lead the Novas to a state runner-up finish, earning Division 3 WBCA All-State Team honors in the process.

"Lelani is a very strong guard that is very good at getting to the rim and scoring," Bollant said. "She has a huge passion for basketball and wants to be great."

FOOTBALL

Defense wins spring game

The Eastern Illinois football team had its Blue/White Spring Game on April 22.

SANDY KING, EIU SPORTS INFORMATION

CHARLESTON — Eastern Illinois head football coach Chris Wilkerson said that the Panthers improved on both offense and defense, taking the opportunity to show progress in each of the fifteen allotted spring practices. The 15th and final practice took place April 22 at O'Brien Field as the Panthers held their Blue/White Spring Game in an offense vs. Defense format.

Both sides had big plays and highlights, with the defense walking away with a 39-28 win in the modified scoring system.

The defense ended the day with four turnovers gained with two fumble recoveries and two interceptions, both by redshirt-sophomore safety Collin Tyson.

EIU's defense led 8-7 at the end of one quarter with Tyson picking off one of his two passes in the opening 15 minutes. The offensive score came on a 48-yard connection between transfer quarterback Pierce Holley and wide receiver Justin Bowick.

The offense finished the day with four total touchdowns, two on the ground and two through the air. Two additional scores came in the second quarter with the offense holding a 21-20 lead at the break.

Junior college transfer quarterback Terrance Gipson ran in from 13 yards out for one score while returning quarterback Jonah O'Brien had a strike to junior college transfer wide receiver Eli Mirza.

The defense had several sacks in each half, holding the offense out of the end zone for a majority of the second half. The final score came on a big run by transfer running back Juwon Farri.

Following the spring game, EIU named two of its team captains for next season with seniors Chad Strickland and Mark Aitken being honored.

EIU will open the 2023 season on August 31 at Indiana State. EIU's home opener will be against Illinois State in the Mid-America Classic on Sept. 16.

Eastern Illinois University studio art master's students Lilly Lee of Toledo and Peyton Morrow of Mattoon stand on the "Art 13" exhibit floor Monday morning in the Lone Elm Room at the Mattoon train depot. The exhibit features the work of Lee, Morrow and 11 of their classmates in the studio art program.

Lake Land College President Josh Bullock, at left, and Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman sign an agreement on Thursday to help students who have paused their education complete degrees. EIU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jay Gatrell, who will become the university's next president this summer after Glassman's retirement, sits to the right watching the signing in the Foundation and Alumni Center at Lake Land's campus in Mattoon.

English professor Jeannie Ludlow greets her students at the start of a Spanish literature class Friday afternoon in Coleman Hall as Eastern Illinois University's classes resumed after the faculty and academic support professionals union suspended its strike that morning.

Economic professor Teshome Abebe, at left, elementary education major Joshua Doty, and mathematics and computer science professor Bogdan Petrenko get pizza as striking Eastern Illinois University faculty and academic support professionals, along with student supporters, shared a meal Wednesday afternoon at Morton Park in Charleston.

Teaching, learning and foundations instructor Denise Reid serves as a pivot point in the picket line as striking Eastern Illinois University faculty and academic supporter professionals, along with student supporters, march Wednesday afternoon in front of EIU's Old Main in Charleston.

Union members hold signs of support for striking Eastern Illinois University faculty and academic support professionals on Thursday in Charleston.

Rocco, 14, is bundled up by his owner, Eastern Illinois University student Bella Manrique of Champaign, during the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department's Easter egg hunt for dogs Saturday morning at Morton Park.

Eastern's chapter of University Professionals of Illinois (UPI), also held informational informational pickets Thursday morning and late afternoon in front of Old Main and its administrative offices.

Eastern Illinois University professor of Spanish Carlos Amaya, left, prepares to cast a ballot Wednesday in Booth Library in the EIU University Professionals of Illinois' strike authorization vote.

Eastern Illinois University beach volleyball player Emily Wilcox of Fort Wayne, Indiana, leaps for the ball alongside Panther teammate Ella Collins of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, during a match with Missouri Baptist on Monday afternoon at Sister City Park in Charleston.

Eastern Illinois University students D'Ajanae Jackson, at left, Aryanna Southworth and Danielle Frank make a knotted fleece blanket during the annual MLK Jr. Day of Service on Monday in the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Fall 2022 Eastern Illinois University graduate Benjamin Ellison of Pekin tries on his graduation gown with the help of Herff Jones employee Mark Krevin in the Student Recreation Center before the commencement ceremony at 10 a.M. Saturday in adjacent Lantz Arena.

Eastern Illinois University graduate student Victoria Tegge is shown Friday night looking over stacks of knotted fleece blankets that student volunteers assembled in preparation for the annual One Stop Community Christmas on Saturday in Lake Land College's West Building in Mattoon.

Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman, at left, and Lake Land College President Josh Bullock speak during the Community Update Breakfast held by the Charleston and Mattoon Chambers of Commerce on Friday at the Unique Suites Hotel in Charleston.

The Eastern Illinois University College of Education covered its float Saturday morning with 1990s and 2000s pop culture imagery to go with the "Bring the Beat Back" theme of EIU's 2022 homecoming.

Elise Warner and Taylor Sprenkle, freshmen at Eastern Illinois University, read stories about individuals who lost their lives to suicide. The stories came from loved ones who wanted to share information about those who died and were attached to bookbags spread around the Library Quad at EIU. Warner said the display was "very impactful." The display, titled Send Silence Packing, was creating by the organization Active Minds and sponsored by Aetna and the State of Illinois Central Management Services.

Grand-daughter of Zella Powell, Carla Wright, and Stephanie Wright-Griggs speak on Friday during a dedication and ribbon-cutting of Powell-Norton Hall on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

In this file photo, Eastern Illinois University student photographer Jessica Nantes takes a photo of Ceci Brinker, the university's director of student life. "EIU" letters and props were set up for students to mark their first day of the semester with a photo.

Union members hold signs of support for striking Eastern Illinois University faculty and academic support professionals on Thursday in Charleston.

Eastern's chapter of University Professionals of Illinois (UPI), also held informational informational pickets Thursday morning and late afternoon in front of Old Main and its administrative offices.

Eastern Illinois University professor of Spanish Carlos Amaya, left, prepares to cast a ballot Wednesday in Booth Library in the EIU University Professionals of Illinois' strike authorization vote.

The Eastern Illinois University College of Education covered its float Saturday morning with 1990s and 2000s pop culture imagery to go with the "Bring the Beat Back" theme of EIU's 2022 homecoming.

Grand-daughter of Zella Powell, Carla Wright, and Stephanie Wright-Griggs speak on Friday during a dedication and ribbon-cutting of Powell-Norton Hall on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

Eastern Illinois 75, Lindenwood 62

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Big Brothers: The Best Sibling Combinations In Illinois High School Basketball History

Pau and Marc Gasol. Dominique and Gerald Wilkins. Bernard and Albert King. The Barry brothers.

They are all among the greatest brother combinations in basketball history.

Illinois high school basketball has its own long and growing list of terrific brothers who have impacted the sport in a big way over the past 100 years.

There were state championship teams fueled by brothers.

Phil and Paul Judson led the famed Hebron team to a state championship in 1952. And repeating Hebron's story never gets old.

The Judson twins were two of 16 total seniors at Hebron that year — nine girls and seven boys. The Judson brothers are synonymous with Illinois high school basketball lore after helping tiny Hebron to a 64-59 state championship overtime win over Quincy during one-class basketball.

The Hebron-Quincy battle was the first-ever televised state championship in state history.

Ted Caiazza was the focal point of the Lyons state championship team the following year in 1953. But brothers Leon and Joel McRae were instrumental in helping Caiazza and LT to a perfect 29-0 record.

But Illinois high school basketball is in the midst of witnessing perhaps the biggest barrage of sibling stars the state has ever seen.

This past season Miles and Wesley Rubin, a pair of Division I prospects in the senior class, led Simeon to a city title and state runner-up finish in Class 3A. The Class 4A title game included all-stater and Iowa-bound Owen Freeman, along with younger brother Braden Freeman, helping Moline to a state championship.

And arguably two of the best brother tandems in the long history of this state include the Christie and Fears brothers.

Both pairs of brothers are included on this short list of the seven best brother combinations in Illinois high school basketball history.

Max and Cameron Christie (Rolling Meadows)

Rolling Meadows' Cameron Christie (24) is joined on the bench by his older brother Max Christie during the game against St. Patrick at the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout.

Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

The Christie brothers are certainly right near the top — if not at the very top — when it comes to the best brother combinations in state history. And they both played their entire four years of high school in Illinois.

The Christies combined to score an incredible 3,989 career points between them, which included a shortened COVID year in 2021 that limited the brothers to just 15 games.

Max Christie, the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American, scored 2,100 career points and was a three-time all-state selection. The 6-6 guard went on to play one season at Michigan State and is now finishing his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Cameron Christie averaged 25 points a game as a senior en route to finishing his career with 1,889 points. The two-time all-stater made a school record 101 three-pointers this past season and finished with 235 for his career. Christie is headed to the Big Ten next season to play for Minnesota.

No one was able to really capture the thrill of watching the Christie brothers together — at least at the highest level together — due to COVID keeping gyms empty and limiting Rolling Meadows to just 15 conference games when Max was a senior and Cameron a sophomore in 2021.

Jeremy and Jeremiah Fears (Joliet West)

Joliet West's Jeremy Fears, Jr., left, and his brother Jeremiah with a chest bump at half as the Tigers play Romeoville.

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

The Fears' run in Joliet was interrupted. Jeremy Fears Jr., left after his freshman year to attend La Lumiere in Indiana for two years.

Jeremy returned home this past season to play his senior year with his ultra-talented younger brother, sophomore Jeremiah. Together they filled gyms all season and led Joliet West to 28 wins and a sectional title game appearance.

Senior Jeremy Fears was the Sun-Times Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American. He averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game.

Jeremiah Fears is the City/Suburban Hoops Report's top-ranked sophomore prospect in the state. But, like his brother, he has also decided to leave the state and go the prep school route instead of playing his final two years in Illinois.

Tyler Ulis and Ahron Ulis (Marian Catholic)

Marian Catholic's Tyler Ulis shoots a three against Lake Forest.

They never played together but what a success story the Ulis brothers had in leading Marian Catholic basketball to unprecedented heights.

Tyler Ulis dazzled for four years and evolved into a McDonald's All-American during his senior season. He was a two-time all-state selection and helped the Spartans to a 57-7 record during his junior and senior years.

Ulis, who finished his high school career with 2,335 points, 578 assists and 283 steals, went on to be the SEC Player of the Year while at Kentucky and played two seasons in the NBA.

A few years later came little brother Ahron Ulis, who went on to score over 1,500 career points and become an all-state selection as well. Before heading off to Iowa, Ulis won 78 games in his final three seasons at Marian Catholic, including a Class 3A third-place finish.

Lloyd Batts (Thornton) and Boyd Batts (Thornridge)

Lloyd Batts of Thornton drives past Thornridge's Al Bolnick in 1970.

Arguably the best brother combination in state history.

When you're considered one of the greatest players in Thornton basketball history, you're in select company.

When Lloyd Batts graduated high school in 1970, he left as the all-time leading scorer in Thornton history with 1,601 career points. He was a two-time all-state selection. Batts headed to Cincinnati where he was a star, scoring 1,585 points in just three seasons there.

Younger brother Boyd Batts was also a star. He was part of the famed Thornridge teams in the early 1970s that won back-to-back state championships and compiled a three-year record of 84-8. Boyd Batts, who went on to play collegiately at Hawaii and then UNLV, scored over 1,500 career points.

Dennis and Bruce Douglas (Quincy)

Bruce Douglas is an Illinois basketball legend and the leader of some iconic Quincy teams in the early 1980s. In his four years at Quincy, the Blue Devils compiled a record of 123-5 and reached four consecutive IHSA State Finals. Douglas led the 1980-81 team to a perfect 33-0 state championship season. He finished his career with over 2,000 career points.

Following an All-American high school career, Bruce Douglas went on to star at Illinois where he was named co-Big Ten Player of the Year.

Bruce Douglas teamed up with his brother, Dennis Douglas, for that 1981 state title run and was a part of the infamous 64-game winning streak that spanned two seasons. Dennis Douglas was also an all-state selection, scoring 1,524 career points. He played collegiately at Northern Illinois before transferring to Ferris State.

David and Martell Bailey (Westinghouse)

Westinghousebrothers Martell (left), and David Bailey.

The Bailey brothers were Chicago basketball royalty for roughly eight years, starting with their high school careers at Westinghouse in the mid-1990s and through their standout years in college.

The fun, dynamic, pint-sized brothers were electric and starred collegiately at Loyola (David) and UIC (Martell).

The 5-9 Martell Bailey was an all-state selection in 1999-2000 when he averaged 14.5 points, 8.3 assists and 4.1 steals a game. He led Westinghouse to a 31-2 record and a state runner-up finish as a senior. He played three seasons at UIC where he finished with 789 points and a whopping 656 assists, including a season where he led the entire country in assists.

Older brother David Bailey, a 5-8 dynamo who graduated from Westinghouse a year earlier in 1999, put up some significant numbers at Loyola, scoring nearly 2,000 career points (1,933) while averaging five assists a game throughout his career.

Nick Martinelli, Dom Martinelli and Jimmy Martinelli (Glenbrook South)

Glenbrook South's Dom Martinelli (32) reacts after scoring three points against Evanston.

Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

How about a trio of brothers?

The whopping number that stands out is this one: 4,287

That's the career points the Martinelli brothers poured in for Glenbrook South basketball from 2013 to 2022.

The overall production from the three brothers is at another level when you also consider they together gobbled up 1,349 rebounds.

But the wins these brothers piled up at what has never been a traditional basketball powerhouse until their arrival is equally impressive. Of the five biggest single-season win totals in school history, four were achieved with a Martinelli on the roster.

Dom and Nick combined to help the 2019-20 team to a school record 29 wins. That was eclipsed two years later when Nick led the Titans to a 33-3 record and the program's first-ever sectional championship.

Dom Martinelli, who set the single-game scoring record with 51 points in a single game, is the all-time leading scorer in school history with over 2,000 career points. Nick Martinelli was a two-time all-state selection. He averaged 21.8 points a game as a junior and 22.8 points as a senior, finishing as the third all-time leading scorer in school history.

The oldest brother, Jimmy, went on to play Division III basketball at New York University where he was a four-year starter and captain. Dom is currently playing at St. Thomas in Minnesota, while Nick will begin his sophomore season at Northwestern next year.

Kinas Was Real Impressive At Sectionals

DE PERE (WLUK) -- Kaukauna's Alexa Kinas is a Division I college basketball recruit, but Thursday she had one of her most impressive performances in high school and it didn't include a basketball.

Kinas won four events at the West De Pere Division 1 sectional track and field meet, as she captured titles in the long and triple jumps, 400-meter run and ran a leg on the winning 4x800 relay team.

It's not easy for Kinas to be involved in so many events at a meet, but she makes it work.

"That's hard," she said. "I really don't rest much. I sit down when I can, but that may be for only five seconds, but you got to do what you got to do.

"I like to use my adrenaline, I guess. Anything can happen every day. Our coach said you may be number one but it depends on the day so run your race all out like it's your last."

Kinas showed her closing speed during Thursday's 400 run, winning in a time of 58.17 seconds. How does she know when to turn on the "jets?"

"I'd say competitors push me for sure," she said. "If you feel someone coming or they're in your blindspot that's when my competitiveness kicks in and I just go then."

The next week Kinas will look to fine tune herself for the Division 1 state track and field meet, but this spring on the side she's been keeping sharp on the basketball court.

Kinas hold offers from Green Bay, Eastern Illinois and Loyola (Chicago). She also will visit Grand Canyon University. She's a terrific athlete, so she would be a great addition to any team.

Last season, Kinas averaged 19.2 points per game and scored 500 points. She expects to make a decision soon on where she will play college basketball, but doesn't know where she will go.

"I don't know," Kinas said. "Hopefully by the end of summer. Sometime around there but as of now, no."

At least for now, it's about making an impression at the state track and field meet.

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

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