All Things Alex Illikainen Recruitment Thread: UPDATED 11/12/18: Illikainen leaves UW

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Alex Illikainen, a 6-foot-8, 192-pound rising freshman from Grand Rapids, is considered the top player in the state in the Class of 2015. He made an unofficial visit to Minnesota in May. GopherHole.com caught up with Illikainen this weekend at the Pacesetter Sweet 16 to learn the latest on early recruitment and expectations for his upcoming season.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1456
 

My grandma's from the GR, so I always cheer for players from there. Hopefully this kid can be another Dusty Rychart.
 

Q&A: Freshman Big Man Alex Illikainen - UPDATED (4/14): Gophers Offer Scholarship

Freshman Big Man Alex Illikainen Already Hearing From Gophers and Badgers
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/135954?referrer_id=331171

Alex Illikainen, a 6-foot-8, 192-pound freshman from Grand Rapids, is considered the top player in the state in the Class of 2015. He made an unofficial visit to Minnesota last May and attended a Gopher football game this past fall. He has started to attract interest from several schools, including Minnesota, Creighton and Wisconsin. Minnesota assistant coach Vince Taylor recently watched Illikainen score 20 points in an 83-63 win over Duluth Denfeld. GopherHole.com recently caught up with Illikainen to learn the latest on his season.

Illikainen helped lead Grand Rapids to the Class AAA state boy’s basketball tournament as an eighth grader. Illikainen led the Thunderhawks to a 19-10 mark, losing to Waconia 62-52 in the first round of the state tournament. He finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds in the loss against Vanderbilt signee Shelby Moats.

Illikainen has had a strong spring and summer with the Cyclones AAU program, winning the Hoosier Shootout and Kentucky Hoopfest. They won the 14-and-under title in the Minnesota Comets Tournament and were third in the Spring Jam as they played up in the 15’s division and finished runnerup in the King of the Court tournament in Des Moines.

Illikainen, who also plays baseball, comes from an athletic family. His father, Darin, played hockey at UMD and was drafted by the New York Islanders. The former Hermantown standout is currently the girl’s hockey head coach at Grand Rapids. His mother, the former Mary Zgonc, played women’s basketball at UMD after starring at Chisholm.

His oldest sister, Morgan Illikainen, is a freshman at Dartmouth. She was the Rapids Herald-Review, Mesabi Daily News and Hibbing Daily Tribune Girls Hockey Player of the Year last season.

Molly Illikainen is a senior at Grand Rapids and she recently played for the USA team in the Under 18 World Championships. The Providence signee is one of ten finalists for the Ms. Hockey Award.

GopherHole.com recently caught up with Illikainen to learn the latest on his season.

GopherHole: Obviously a big win over an out-state opponent. How do you feel about the win?

Alex Illikainen: It feels great. A big, long game, three overtimes. They were really physical. Good defense. We kept taking it to them and this whole trip made it excellent.

GopherHole: You had a couple of leads in the game, but they kept coming back.

Alex Illikainen: They just kept fighting and we let them back in. In the last overtime, we shut them off and kept getting a few buckets and ended up with the win.

GopherHole: You are now 16-3 and you have to be awfully pleased with how well you are playing?

Alex Illikainen: Yes, very pleased. We are all playing as a team and everyone is working hard in practice and it is going good.

GopherHole: You had a big win against Duluth East recently, a team that has three very talented players on their roster.

Alex Illikainen: Johnny (Woodard) and them, they are really good. It was fun playing against Akolda (Manyang). Someone bigger than I am. It was tough. I matched up with him most of the time. We were fighting foul trouble

GopherHole: Do you like playing against other big guys since you don’t often face guy that are taller than you?

Alex Illikainen: I love it. I had to box him out.

GopherHole: What things have you been working on to improve yourself as a player?

Alex Illikainen: Ballhandling and shooting. Getting those free throws down and also pump fakes and getting my post moves.

GopherHole: Have you had a chance to go to any college games this year?

Alex Illikainen: I haven’t. We played at St. John’s and watched the St. John’s game after that and that is about it.
 




per Sid:

"New Nebraska basketball coach Tim Miles, who used to coach at Southwest Minnesota State and North Dakota State before going to Colorado State, offered Alex Illikainen, a 6-9 freshman from Grand Rapids, a scholarship on Thursday."

Go Gophers!!
 


Gophers offer per Monter tweet:

"Minnesota Gophers offered freshman Alex Illiakianen of Grand Rapids. His team, the Cyclones, played at 9:10 Sunday after winning their pool"

Go Gophers!!
 




Love the early offer on this kid, I really liked what I saw out of him at the state tourney and think he will end up getting some big time offers before all is said and done.
 

Love the early offer on this kid, I really liked what I saw out of him at the state tourney and think he will end up getting some big time offers before all is said and done.

Agree. The kid has some upside it appears. Also seems to have good touch, which is rare for a young kid his size. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on him since I live in Duluth.
 

I live in Grand Rapids, have seen him play many times. He has the potential to be very special, its going to be fun to watch him the next three years. Very happy to hear the gophers offered early, he could be a gem.
 




Alex helped lead the Cyclones to the 15-and-under title in St. Cloud. I spoke to him after the game and an interview with him will be up soon.

Chris Monter
 

Q&A: Alex Illikainen Discusses Gophers Scholarship Offer

Grand Rapids Freshman Big Man Alex Illikainen Discusses Gophers Scholarship Offer
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/144418?referrer_id=331171

Alex Illikainen, a 6-foot-8, 192-pound freshman from Grand Rapids, received a scholarship offer this past weekend from Minnesota, his fourth recent offer. Illikainen, who is considered the top player in the state in the Class of 2015, helped lead Grand Rapids to the Class AAA state boy’s basketball tournament for the second straight year.

Illikainen shined this past weekend at the Minnesota Comets as he averaged 19.5 points per game as the Cyclones AAU program won the 15-and-under title.

GopherHole.com caught up with Illikainen to learn the latest on his recruitment and Minnesota offer.

GopherHole: You received an offer from Minnesota. How did you get the news?

Alex Illikainen: I went on an unofficial and meet the staff and the team. It was great. It was fun and they offered. It was a great time and experience.

GopherHole: Had the visit been planned for awhile?

Alex Illikainen: No. They just knew that we were coming down for this tournament.

GopherHole: How did you feel about the offer?

Alex Illikainen: I was very excited. It means a lot as a ninth grade. They just said to keep working hard and improving and hopefully in a couple of years, I’ll make my decision about where to play college basketball.

GopherHole: You have four offers right now from Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Creighton. That has to make you feel very proud getting that many offers this early.

Alex Illikainen: Yes, it is great. I didn’t know coming into this year, what was going to happen. I just worked hard and it has turned out good.

GopherHole: Did you a favorite team growing up that you watched on TV?

Alex Illikainen: Not really. I don’t have a favorite team.

GopherHole: What would it mean to play for the homestate school?

Alex Illikainen: It would mean a lot. Family, of course. Being around everyone. Minnesota. It would be great. Having that coaching staff there is great. Everything is great there.

GopherHole: Would it be nice to have your parents to watch you since your sister are going to be playing hockey so far away? (His oldest sister, Morgan, is a freshman at Dartmouth and Molly Illikainen signed with Providence)

Alex Illikainen: It would be nice for them. Three hours away, which isn’t very far. They could come to every game. It would be perfect.

GopherHole: Do people tease you about not playing hockey since your dad played at UMD and your two sisters play?

Alex Illikainen: They did until it turns that I was 6-8. I don’t think that I could do very good on skates.

GopherHole: What things have you been really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?

Alex Illikainen: I like to post up, but now I want to take my game to the outside. Dribble the ball a little bit and get the shots in. Just play a little outside.

GopherHole: How this group of AAU teammates. You had great success last year. Do you think that helps in terms of team chemistry and being comfortable with each other?

Alex Illikainen: Yes and we have a couple of new players, too. We are just starting to figure each other out. We are starting to play as a team a little bit more. In the first couple of games, we just had to have that bond together and know what each other was doing and where they are and it will turn out good.

GopherHole: I know that it is early being only a freshman, but have you even thought about when you would like to try to decide on a school or is that pretty far away.

Alex Illikainen: It is far away. I am just focusing on the summer and doing good.

GopherHole: Your high school team made it to the state tournament for the second straight year, but you lose guard Austin Pohlen and fellow big man Mike Spoden What are the expectations for next year?

Alex Illikainen: Definitely, the highest goal is to make it back to the state tournament. I think that we will have the team to do it. We lose Austin and some other seniors that are great, but I think that we can rebuild. It just takes practice and we will be able to get down there.

GopherHole: Is that a little bit of a motivation since you made it to the state tournament the first year and lost in the first round and this past year, you made it to the second round? Is that something you have talked about getting even farther next year?

Alex Illikainen: Yes. It was definitely a heartbreaker, losing in the second round, but third place is still a huge game and we would like to make it past the second round.
 

Grand Rapids Freshman Big Man Alex Illikainen Discusses Gophers Scholarship Offer
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/144418?referrer_id=331171

Alex Illikainen, a 6-foot-8, 192-pound freshman from Grand Rapids, received a scholarship offer this past weekend from Minnesota, his fourth recent offer. Illikainen, who is considered the top player in the state in the Class of 2015, helped lead Grand Rapids to the Class AAA state boy’s basketball tournament for the second straight year.

Illikainen shined this past weekend at the Minnesota Comets as he averaged 19.5 points per game as the Cyclones AAU program won the 15-and-under title.

GopherHole.com caught up with Illikainen to learn the latest on his recruitment and Minnesota offer.

GopherHole: You received an offer from Minnesota. How did you get the news?

Alex Illikainen: I went on an unofficial and meet the staff and the team. It was great. It was fun and they offered. It was a great time and experience.

GopherHole: Had the visit been planned for awhile?

Alex Illikainen: No. They just knew that we were coming down for this tournament.

GopherHole: How did you feel about the offer?

Alex Illikainen: I was very excited. It means a lot as a ninth grade. They just said to keep working hard and improving and hopefully in a couple of years, I’ll make my decision about where to play college basketball.

GopherHole: You have four offers right now from Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Creighton. That has to make you feel very proud getting that many offers this early.

Alex Illikainen: Yes, it is great. I didn’t know coming into this year, what was going to happen. I just worked hard and it has turned out good.

GopherHole: Did you a favorite team growing up that you watched on TV?

Alex Illikainen: Not really. I don’t have a favorite team.

GopherHole: What would it mean to play for the homestate school?

Alex Illikainen: It would mean a lot. Family, of course. Being around everyone. Minnesota. It would be great. Having that coaching staff there is great. Everything is great there.

GopherHole: Would it be nice to have your parents to watch you since your sister are going to be playing hockey so far away? (His oldest sister, Morgan, is a freshman at Dartmouth and Molly Illikainen signed with Providence)

Alex Illikainen: It would be nice for them. Three hours away, which isn’t very far. They could come to every game. It would be perfect.

GopherHole: Do people tease you about not playing hockey since your dad played at UMD and your two sisters play?

Alex Illikainen: They did until it turns that I was 6-8. I don’t think that I could do very good on skates.

GopherHole: What things have you been really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?

Alex Illikainen: I like to post up, but now I want to take my game to the outside. Dribble the ball a little bit and get the shots in. Just play a little outside.

GopherHole: How this group of AAU teammates. You had great success last year. Do you think that helps in terms of team chemistry and being comfortable with each other?

Alex Illikainen: Yes and we have a couple of new players, too. We are just starting to figure each other out. We are starting to play as a team a little bit more. In the first couple of games, we just had to have that bond together and know what each other was doing and where they are and it will turn out good.

GopherHole: I know that it is early being only a freshman, but have you even thought about when you would like to try to decide on a school or is that pretty far away.

Alex Illikainen: It is far away. I am just focusing on the summer and doing good.

GopherHole: Your high school team made it to the state tournament for the second straight year, but you lose guard Austin Pohlen and fellow big man Mike Spoden What are the expectations for next year?

Alex Illikainen: Definitely, the highest goal is to make it back to the state tournament. I think that we will have the team to do it. We lose Austin and some other seniors that are great, but I think that we can rebuild. It just takes practice and we will be able to get down there.

GopherHole: Is that a little bit of a motivation since you made it to the state tournament the first year and lost in the first round and this past year, you made it to the second round? Is that something you have talked about getting even farther next year?

Alex Illikainen: Yes. It was definitely a heartbreaker, losing in the second round, but third place is still a huge game and we would like to make it past the second round.
 

I live in Grand Rapids, have seen him play many times. He has the potential to be very special, its going to be fun to watch him the next three years. Very happy to hear the gophers offered early, he could be a gem.

I live in GR as well and haven't seen him play but I'm going to have to catch some games this year! From what I've read, I hope the Gophers win this recruiting battle, maybe Dusty can help us out!
 

You should've asked him if he is looking forward to playing in the McDonald's All-Star Game in 3 years or so.
 

6' 8' and 192 lbs., 14-15 years old, sisters at Dartmouth and Providence so there's a lot of "smarts" in the family and he sounds very interested in the "U".

Is everyone sure that this isn't a late "April Fools" story?
 

6' 8' and 192 lbs., 14-15 years old, sisters at Dartmouth and Providence so there's a lot of "smarts" in the family and he sounds very interested in the "U".

Is everyone sure that this isn't a late "April Fools" story?

No, it is not. The thread was not started by station19 on April 1st.
 

GopherHole: Did you a favorite team growing up that you watched on TV?

Alex Illikainen: Not really. I don’t have a favorite team.



The Gophers basically didn't have a basketball program during this kids childhood. Thanks Dan Monson.
 

Re: thanks

GopherHole: Did you a favorite team growing up that you watched on TV?

Alex Illikainen: Not really. I don’t have a favorite team.



The Gophers basically didn't have a basketball program during this kids childhood. Thanks Dan Monson.

I think you can give a bigger assist to Clem Haskin. It was his stool Monson had to clean up.
 

I think you can give a bigger assist to Clem Haskin. It was his stool Monson had to clean up.

Agreed...there is shared blame. But Monson had several years to clean things up and return the program to respectability. He failed miserably.
 

Agreed...there is shared blame. But Monson had several years to clean things up and return the program to respectability. He failed miserably.

Not a Monson fan and I definitely support Tubby but to be fair, the Illikainen is still in 9th grade so he was just starting 5th grade when Tubby came.....so he was and still is basically growing up with Tubby as the Minnesota coach.
 

I think we have a better chance getting commits with the out state players than some of the metro guys: Rychart, Rickert, Sanden, etc.

Speaking of Rickert, I think he is someone with similar body types and skill sets to compare Alex to. I would think Alex will end up at least 6'10" or 6'11" and I would imagine he could add 25 lbs in 3.5 years to be 217. Rickert could handle the ball and shoot outisde by his senior year, not sure what he looked like as a freshmen in high school. Alex is at least as athletic. Hopefully Alex develops both an inside and outside game and commits.
 

I agree that Monson did not do much here, but how much of it was his fault. He was a good coach at Gonzaga and he is doing a great job at Long Beach State. Just saying. I think he came into a situation and had no chance to make this thing work.
 

I agree that Monson did not do much here, but how much of it was his fault. He was a good coach at Gonzaga and he is doing a great job at Long Beach State. Just saying. I think he came into a situation and had no chance to make this thing work.

It would be interesting to compare coaches' records at UM v at their previous and succeeding schools.
 


Tweet from Amelia Rayno: "Three recruits are unofficially visiting Minnesota this weekend: Reid Travis, Rashad Vaughn and Alex Illikainen. #Gophers"

Go Gophers!!
 

Tweet from ISURecruitLists: "2015 Alex Illikainen is taking an unofficial visit to Oregon this weekend per @AmeliaRayno, may also visit Indiana. #Cyclones have offered."

Go Gophers!!
 




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