Throughout the 2016-2017 season, BTPowerhouse will feature a weekly recruiting roundup. This will be your one stop outlook on all things Big Ten Basketball recruiting. Included will be updates on player visits, offers and statistical updates on the players already committed. Stay tuned all season as we update you on the next best things at you favorite school.

Wednesday marked the beginning of the early signing period. Stars were flying all around the nation and many of the Big Ten’s top recruits signed their Letter’s of Intent. With so many players enrolling early, here is your weekly recruiting update for week one of the college basketball season.

-Illinois Fighting Illini

-Trent Frazier

Frazier is one of the better players in a loaded 2017 class for the Fighting Illini. The 6’2” guard has some bounce. Hailing from West Palm Beach, FL, Frazier is quick off the dribble and has great ball-handling skills.

-Javon Pickett

Pickett is a three-star guard from Belleville, IL. As a junior he averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 rebounds oer game while shooting 55 percent from the field. He has great size, standing at 6’4”, and has a tremendous work ethic.

-Da’Monte Williams

Williams was rated as the 107th best playing in the country by 247Sports. The 6’3” guard is not going far as he hails from Peoria, IL. Williams averaged 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a junior on route to being named to the second-team All-State list. He can guard multiple positions and has the ability to create space and make plays for himself.

***Jeremiah Tilmon***

Tilmon is set to be the crown jewel of the 2017 Illinois class. The 6’10” big man considered one of the country’s 25 best players by 247Sports. There would be no reason to put an asterisk next to his name is Tilmon had joined the other three Illini recruits during the early signing period. Instead he will not commit early which has created speculation he many not be fully on board. Tilmon hails from East St. Louis, IL. His friend and Belleville Althoff Jordan Goodwin is committed to St. Louis in Missouri. This has caused many to believe Tilmon could be taking off for the Billikens.

-Iowa Hawkeyes

-Luka Garza

Garza is a Big Ten player. The 6’11” big man will sit in middle of opposing defenses and reek havoc. He is a max effort guy who runs the court awkwardly but well. While no one is tabbing this Washington, D.C. as athletic, he moves well enough in the post to provide quality minutes on offense.

-Minnesota Golden Gophers

-Isaiah Washington

Washington is the second best player in the state of New York according to 247Sports. As a four-star, Washington is a huge get for the Golden Gophers. The Bronx, NY native is a versatile scorer and plays bigger than he is. At six-feet-tall, Washington is not the biggest guard but has the athleticism top make up for it.

-Maryland Terrapins

-Bruno Fernando

The 6’10” big man is rated as the 70th best player in the nation by 247Sports. He has an already developed post game and is very physical. The Terrapins hope he can fill the front court void left by the departure of Diamond Stone next season. No word has come out if recent guard commit Darryl Morsell will join Fernando and sign early.

-Michigan Wolverines

-Jordan Poole

Poole has been committed to John Beilein and the Wolverines for a while now. The 6’4” guard is a Milwaukee native. He transferred to an Indiana high school in order to make the tradition to Michigan much easier. As a junior he averaged 18.2 points per game.

-Isaiah Livers

Livers is the lone Michigan signee for the Wolverines in 2017. The 6’8” wing is John Beilein’s typical versatile forward and will address a need on the wing for the Wolverines in 2017. Livers is an excellent shooter from the perimeter and very athletic. He does not typically play on the block but his aggressive rebounding tendencies make him a useful piece in Beilein’s offense.

-Eli Brooks

Brooks has technically not signed his LOI just yet. According to a tweet he sent out earlier this week, he intends to sign Friday. There is some speculation that he may be waiting to do so with other athletes from the area. The 6’1” point guard from Pennsylvania has a nose for the basketball and great vision on the court.

-Michigan State Spartans

-Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jackson is part of a small but talented 2017 class for the Spartans. While Jackson Jr.’s playing time will directly reflect the personnel returning next season, he will no doubt become an impact player sometime in the future. The 6’10” power forward is rated a five star prospect by 247Sports and already has a developed game that should translate nicely at the college level.

-Xavier Tillman

Tillman is a top contender for the 2016 Mr. Basketball award in the state of Michigan. He is rated the top player in the state of Michigan by 247Sports and should help address a huge need in the front court for the Spartans. His combination of strength and athleticism allows him to score inside.

-Nebraska Cornhuskers

-Nana Akenten

Akenten attends Bolingbrook High School in Illinois. He is a relentless defender who will give people fits. At 6’6” he is difficult to get a shot off against. Offensively Akenten relies on his jumper as his main form of scoring.

-Northwestern Wildcats

-Anthony Gaines

Gaines was involved with a couple Big Ten teams but committed and signed to Northwestern this week. Gaines averaged 11.3 points, 11 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2 assists per game in the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. He uses his long wing span to his advantage and attacks the rim with aggression.

-Ohio State Buckeyes

-Kaleb Wesson

Wesson was a major part of coach Thad Matta’s mission to take back the state of Ohio in recruiting. According to 247Sports he is the second best player in the state of Ohio. Standing at 6’8”, Wesson is slightly undersized to play the five in the Big Ten. He uses his body very well and is and excellent weak side defender. His time with the U17 national team will only help him going forward.

-Purdue Boilermakers

-Matt Haarms

Another big man with consecutive A’s in his last name has signed with Purdue. Haarms is a 7’2” center from Wichita, KS and is considered a three-star by 247Sports. In high school he has been used as a stretch-four and has played on the perimeter. To compete at the next level Haarms will likely need to add weight and develop as a rim protector.

-Aaron Wheeler

Wheeler feel just outside the top 200 of 247Sports overall rankings. The 6’8” wing attends Brewster Academy in Hew Hampshire. He is very smooth and does not shy away from contact at the rim.

-Rutgers Scarlet Knights

-Geo Baker

Baker is the lone commit for the Scarlet Knights in 2017. The 6’2” guard from Proctor Academy is a huge question mark. According to those who have seen him play he has made great strides in his ball handling and decision making abilities. He has a ton of range as a shooter and could complement the then junior guard Corey Sanders very well.

-Wisconsin Badgers

-Brad Davison

Davison was a two sport athlete at Maple Grove High School in Minnesota. The 6’3” guard averaged 21.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 7.3 assists as a junior. Davison will give the Badgers gritty minutes at both guard positions next season. His toughness is likely a by product of his football past. He was a quarterback in high school football and should transition seamlessly into quarterbacking a team from the point guard position.

-Kobe King

King is the leading scorer in La Crosse Central High School history. He is coming of a stellar junior season in which he averaged 25,5 points and ten rebounds per game while shooting 56 per cent from the field. He should develop into a dynamic scorer if his three point shooting stays consistent.

-Nathan Reuvers

Reuvers is the second player from Minnesota in the Badgers 2017 class. The 6’10” forward attended Lakeville North High School where he put up 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a junior. He profiles as a stretch four whose versatility should show at the next level. He will need to add weight and work on his outside scoring to compliment his already developed post game.

247Sports Commitment List

247Sports have released a list of confirmed list of prospects and when they are expected to announce their commitments. The following players are on the list and have Big Ten offers:

• Quadre Green (Five-Star) - Maryland, Penn St., Michigan St. - Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m.
• Mayan Kiir (Three-Star) - Illinois - Nov. 14 at 12 p.m.
• Gary Trent Jr. (Five-Star) - Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio St., Michigan St. - Nov. 10 at 5 p.m.
• P.J. Washington (Five-Star) - Michigan St. - Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.
• Kris Wilkes (Five-Star) - Purdue, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio St, Illinois, Michigan - Nov 13 at 3:34 p.m.

The complete list can be found here.