Goss; Bolingbrook’s Ben Moore a hot commodity
September 12, 2012 8:38PM
Bolingbrook's Ben Moore (right). | File photo
Updated: October 14, 2012 12:58PM
When the high school basketball season rolls around in a couple of months, you may want to make it a point to see Bolingbrook’s 6-foot-7 senior power forward Ben Moore.
Some big names in college basketball are.
According to Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost, Moore has “around 20” offers, including Northwestern. Illinois, Michigan, Purdue and Missouri all have coaches scheduled to come in during this hectic week.
Brost said SMU coach Larry Brown — yes, Larry Brown — “was at BHS (Tuesday) and absolutely loves Ben. SMU already offered, and I am sure there will be many more.”
Colorado State, which made the 2012 NCAA Tournament, has offered. Moore took an official visit there last weekend.
Moore averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots as a junior. He helped the Raiders to a 30-3 record during the summer.
“It’s almost out of control, but it’s a good thing,” Brost said of the interest in Moore. “Coach Brown being here — any time you can get a Hall of Famer walking into your gym, it’s pretty fun.
“Ben really turned some heads this summer all over the country. On top of that, he is an honor roll student. That’s why you have people like Northwestern offering him.”
Brost said anticipates Moore making a decision before the season begins. “But things are changing every day, so we can’t be sure,” Brost added.
Bolingbrook guard Prentiss Nixon, a sophomore, is ranked as one of the top players in the Class of 2015, and Brost said he will have several offers before long.
During summer tournaments, opposing coaches, especially those whose teams must face Bolingbrook in the SouthWest Suburban Blue, raved about how good the Raiders will be. The area school with the national-caliber girls basketball program, the school that won its first Class 8A state football title last fall and may contend for another this season, appears on the brink of joining the state’s elite boys basketball programs even though the Raiders, other than Moore, still will be relatively young.
Cingrani debut
Getting promoted to the major leagues for the first time is an experience like no other for a pro baseball player.
But performing well in your major league debut has to rank as a close second.
Tony Cingrani (Lincoln-Way Central) knows the feeling. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound left-hander, who was promoted to the Cincinnati Reds a week ago, made his debut Sunday during a 5-1 loss to Houston. He worked three innings in relief of Johnny Cueto and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced. Tyler Greene’s solo home run was the only blemish.
In a story on the Reds’ official website, manager Dusty Baker was quoted, “The one shining light was Cingrani had an excellent outing. It was good to get him in there and get him multiple innings.”
“I was pretty relaxed when I went out there,” Cingrani said. “Obviously, I was amped up, but it felt really good to get that out of the way. I just did what I usually do.”
The Reds selected Cingrani out of Rice University in the third round of the 2011 draft. To say the rise to his first taste of the big leagues was meteoric is an understatement.
He has shown he can start or relieve. His strikeout-to-walk ratio and ERA in A-Advanced and Double A this season were outstanding. You never know how rosters will change in the offseason, but Cingrani is among precious few potential left-handed starters currently on upper levels for the Reds. That’s a good position to be in.
Pro football
Fantasy players, listen up.
If you watched the Bears’ 41-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, you probably noted Coby Fleener (Joliet Catholic) enjoyed a productive debut as the Colts’ tight end. The second-round draft pick from Stanford caught six passes for 82 yards and contributed a nice tackle along the sideline after an interception. His long association with quarterback Andrew Luck should help keep him involved in the Colts’ offense as the season progresses.
Another tight end with area ties made headlines. Clay Harbor (Dwight) caught the decisive 4-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick with 1:18 left, the biggest TD catch of his three-year career, as the Philadelphia Eagles escaped the Cleveland Browns 17-16. Harbor reportedly spent extra time this summer working on his hands, and he thinks it will pay off.
Division I college football
Illinois fans would just as soon forget their team’s 45-14 thrashing Saturday night at Arizona State.
However, redshirt freshman running back Josh Ferguson (Joliet Catholic) was a bright spot. He rushed for 101 yards in 14 carries, including a 51-yard scamper. It was his first 100-yard game for the Illini.
Boston College senior linebacker Nick Clancy (Joliet Catholic) has made 19 total tackles, five solo and 14 assists, with three pass breakups in two games. The Eagles (1-1) will visit Northwestern at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, so Clancy’s longtime friends and his family will not have to travel far to see him play.
Boston College has lost 41-32 to Miami and beaten Maine 34-3.
Sophomore linebacker Jake Stockman (Joliet Catholic) has 14 tackles, including five solo, over two games for Buffalo (1-1). He had four total stops when the Bulls played highly regarded Georgia tough before falling 45-23 and 10 tackles in a 56-34 win over Morgan State.
