Illinois High School Basketball All-State Advisory
The Illinois Associated Press All-State basketball process is underway.
ALL MEDIA MEMBERS (NEWSPAPER & INTERNET-SITE
WRITERS & EDITORS; RADIO & TV & INTERNET
BROADCASTERS) COVERING HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
IN ILLINOIS ARE ELIGIBLE TO NOMINATE PLAYERS AND
VOTE FOR TEAMS! Non-voting coaches and athletic directors, from
schools mentioned in the AP state rankings this season, also have been
approached to nominate players.
NOMINATING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Send all nominations in a newly-created, separate email to
preppolls@gmail.com. PLEASE DO NOT send the nominations as a
reply to any other email. (That’s how nominations get lost). Also, clearly
mark the nomination in the subject line (i.e. “1A/2A girls nominations
from Springfield” or “3A boys: LeBron James, St. Vincent’s”).
2) The Illinois AP All-State teams are extremely elite — a five-person
first team, a five-person second team and an honorable mention list that
demands at least two votes to be included in each of the four classes in
both boys and girls basketball. We are talking about the very best of the
best, so please keep that in mind when nominating players for
consideration, especially in the case of teammates (rare are the
teammates receiving first or second team honors in the same season;
multiple honorable mentions from the same team are more common, but
still a difficult proposition when considering each media member
voting has only 10 spots on their ballot).
3) Media members from across the state, whether newspaper, radio, TV
or Internet-only, are eligible to nominate and vote on the teams with a
circulated ballot full of bio information. One write-in candidate per
ballot is allowed.
4) Here is an example of the information we are hoping you will include
in your nomination:
— Players’ name
— School & Class (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A)
— Year (Senior, Junior, Sophomore, Freshman)
— Height
— Position
— College plans
— Include any pertinent season and career stats, as well as any records,
honors, and accomplishments
— Include the team’s win-loss record and accomplishments
5) The nominations will be included in a ballot sent statewide via a
media email chain. (If you are a media member and not regularly
receiving emails about the Illinois AP state rankings, please email
preppolls@gmail.com for inclusion on the email list).
6) Here is an example of what will be send out in the ballot compiled:
— 2A boys: Michael Jordan, Mile High (6-6, Sr., G): Leading scorer
(31.9 ppg) for a 29-0 state-ranked Elite Eight repeat qualifier. Also
averages 4.2 assists and 4.9 steals for the defending state and ACC
champions. League’s 3-time Player of the Year a unanimous first-team
AP All-State performer the last two seasons. All-tournament performer
at the Galesburg Thanksgiving, Centralia Holiday and Peoria MLK
events. A 3,000-point career scorer. Member of an AAU national
champion. First-team All-ACC & All-Academic ACC performer. AllState baseball player, too. Signed by Division I North Carolina for a
basketball scholarship.
7) Also, if you saw somebody this season who really should be on the
ballot, but perhaps you do not cover their school (or in the case of
coaches, coach those players) and have no way of getting their stats,
please drop me their name, so I can email their coach in hopes of
receiving information to include them on the ballot.
ALL-STATE CALENDAR:
— Monday, Feb. 7: Nominations process officially opens for all girls
basketball classes. (NOTE: Regionals begin Saturday, Feb. 12).
— Monday, Feb. 14: Nominations process officially opens for all boys’
basketball classes. (NOTE: Regionals begin Saturday, Feb. 19).
— Thursday, Feb. 24: Girls’ nominations for all classes due by the end
of the night at preppolls@gmail.com (NOTE: corresponds to sectional
finals).
— Sunday, Feb. 27: All-State Girls’ Basketball Ballot released on
statewide email chain (voting opens).
— Tuesday, March 1: All-State Girls’ Basketball votes due by the end
of the night at preppolls@gmail.com (NOTE: Super-Sectionals on
Monday, Feb. 28).
— Wednesday, March 2: All-State Girls’ Basketball teams released by
email and on the AP wire that afternoon (NOTE: State finals March 3-
5).
— Friday, March 4: Boys’ nominations for all classes due by the end of
the night at preppolls@gmail.com (NOTE: corresponds to sectional
finals).
— Sunday, March 6: All-State Boys’ Basketball Ballot released on
statewide email chain (voting opens).
— Tuesday, March 8: All-State Boys’ Basketball votes due by the end
of the night at preppolls@gmail.com (NOTE: Super-Sectionals on
Monday, March 7).
— Wednesday, March 9: All-State Boys’ Basketball teams released by
email and on the AP wire that afternoon (NOTE: State finals March 10-
12).
FYI:
When voting you will vote for five first-team players and five secondteam players in each class. A player must be named on two ballots to
earn honorable mention. (Reminders will accompany the release of the
official all-state ballots — see above).
Please forward this information to any of your colleagues who should be
included in this process to be sure they are receiving this packet.
Any questions or concerns? Please let me know via
preppolls@gmail.com!
Thanks ahead of time for your consideration on this worthy statewide
project to recognize kids by rewarding their hard work and promoting a
positive goal for future student-athletes to aspire toward!
Steve Tappa,
Illinois AP All-State basketball chair
