Today’s column from CBS Chicago …
(CBS) When it comes to college basketball recruiting, second place truly is the first loser.
No one hands out banners for your rafters when a prep star names you part of his Final Four. You don’t get a trophy for finishing a step behind in a recruiting race. And the truth is, any publicity gained from coming close with a blue-chip prospect is about as valuable to your program as, well, horseshoes and hand grenades.
The University of Illinois knows all of this all too well.
Throughout the past decade, the Illini have famously been in the final mix with a number of high-profile recruits only to see them make the orange blue by ultimately heading elsewhere.
Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …