Class Of 2013 Hidden Gem: Miki Ljuboja

By Roy & Harv Schmidt

December 12, 2011

10:15 A.M. CST

Miki Ljuboja, a 6'7 2013 forward from Riverside-Brookfield High School in Riverside, IL falls into the category "hidden gem" for now, but we have a feeling that isn't going to last long.  That is because after turning an impressive performance at yesterday's Team Rose Classic at Collins High School in Chicago, word is rapidly getting out as to how good Ljuboja could become.

Even though his team suffered a 67-53 loss to Farragut at the Team Rose Classic, Ljuboja put himself on the map by scoring 14 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and more than holding his own against Farragut's highly touted 6'7 2012 forward Rashaun Stimage.  As a result, Ljoboja has emerged as a bona fide sleeper to watch from the 2013 class in Illinois and has people talking.

Ljuboja has good inside scoring ability and really gets after it on the glass.  He also has great hands and does a tremendous job of establishing post position and shielding off defenders.

We also like the fact that Ljuboja has already developed a jump hook which has become a strong offensive weapon for him both along the baseline and in the lane.  In addition, Ljuboja has also shown that he can face up and knock down mid-range shots and that he can defend on the interior.

Ljuboja is also young for his class, as he is only 15 years old.  It is plain to see that he has been well-schooled with respect to the fundamentals of the game.  From what we saw at the Team Rose Classic, Ljuboja has enormous potential and there is no question in our mind that he is a D1 prospect.

Additional Notes

... Farragut's Rashaun Stimage currently ranks as our #4 prospect in Illinois from the 2012 class behind Simeon's Steve Taylor, Rockford Auburn's Fred Van Vleet and Downers Grove South's Jerron Wilbut.  But more importantly, when looking at the remaining unsigned prospects in the state from 2012, he is the one frontcourt player that is worth a high major program taking a chance on.  That is because Stimage has a tremendous work ethic and plays hard from start to finish, which is why he is virtually impossible to contain for a full 32 minutes.  He is a super athlete, an absolute beast down low and can consistently dominate games on the interior.  Stimage is also continuing to work on the skills he is going to need to play at the highest college level--namely improving his face up game.  While he is spending a lot of time on the perimeter right now, it does not hinder his team's success.  His game is in many ways similar to that of current University Of Illinois freshman Mike Shaw.

... Another intriguing prospect from the class of 2014 is 6'0 guard Issaiah Hayes from Crane Tech in Chicago.  We find it amusing hearing people say that Hayes simply needs to learn Crane head coach Chris Head's system.  From what we saw yesterday, Hayes might understand it better than any other Crane player on the floor.  He is a good shooter set or coming off the dribble, exercises good shot selection and plays within the flow of the offense.  We have no doubt that he will continue to get better as he further develops his ball skills.  Hayes is in many ways comparable to former Crane guard and current University Of Cincinnati senior Dion Dixon.

... 6'5 2012 forward Delvon Rencher has unquestionably been Homewood-Flossmoor's most consistent performer since the start of the season.  He has expanded his shooting range and looks like he has gotten stronger in comparison to a year ago.  Still not sure how all of this will translate to the next level, but he is playing extremely well right now.

... And finally, kudos to Mike Oliver, Angela Foster and everyone else at Da Bullz Foundation on another extremely well-run and talented event.  This is an organization that is operated by class people and does things the right way. 

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