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Earlier this week, the Illinois Fighting Illini got some exciting news as 2018 forward Anthony Higgs announced that he would be committing to the program. He subsequently signed a financial aid agreement later in the week. Higgs joins what projects to be one of the deeper and more talented recruiting classes in the Big Ten.
#Illini Nation, welcome Anthony Higgs @Flyhighant to the program! An athletic, 6-8 forward from Baltimore, Higgs is a two-time state champ.
— Illini Basketball (@IlliniMBB) June 29, 2018
More Info: https://t.co/wXnS3NB1P8 pic.twitter.com/r68GlPa7l7
Higgs is listed at 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds by 247Sports and is rated as the 13th best player in Maryland and as a three-star prospect overall. He comes out of the Baltimore area and helped lead Perry Hall High School to back-to-back state championships.
Head coach Brad Underwood said the following in a program release:
“Anthony is a versatile forward with the ability to play multiple positions in our system,” Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood said. “He is a long, athletic lefty who can play inside or step out and face the basket, and he is a strong rebounder. Most importantly he is a winner, as evidenced by being a two-time state champ in Maryland, a place known for tremendous high school basketball.”
With this addition, Illinois now has an impressive seven players in its 2018 recruiting class. The roster was particularly thin last season, so this will be a great opportunity to reload. Higgs primarily looks like a depth piece with the potential to develop into a bigger role in the years to come.
No one can be sure how Higgs will progress once he arrives at Illinois, but Illini fans should be excited about adding another talented piece to the roster.