Another High-Major from Brewster

New England Recruiting Report | Sunday, September 21st, 2014

Brewster Academy forward Alex Illikainen made a verbal commitment to Wisconsin this weekend while on his official visit.  

The six-foot-eight power forward from Minnesota had earned offers from the likes of Indiana, California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas Tech, and Creighton during the course of his recruitment but was left considering just Wisconsin and Iowa prior to making his decision.  

Illikainen, who ran with Howard Pulley on the Nike EYBL circuit, is an inside-out style big man who can stretch opposing defenses to the perimeter with his shooting range but still be an offensive threat around the basket.  

He is a true senior who came to Brewster following his junior year at Grand Rapids High School in Minnesota and now becomes the 7th Bobcat to commit to a high-major school joining Jalen Adams (UConn), Justin Simon (Arizona), Donovan Mitchell (Louisville), Jarred Reuter (Virginia), Marcus Derrickson (Georgetown) and David Crisp (Washington).  

Illikainen joins Brevin Pritzl, a six-foot-three guard from Wisconsin, in Bo Ryan’s recruiting class but the Badgers might not be done yet as they are also among the top contenders for Northfield Mount Hermon big man Josh Sharma.