Sunday, November 4, 2018

Former Tip-Off stars excelling in college

The 205 Tip-Off Classic is entering its fifth season and the roster of players who have gone on from the Classic to major college basketball continues to grow.

This year, there are at least 12 players on NCAA Division 1 or Division II rosters. Here's a look:

Tajuan Agee, Chicago Hyde Park, Iona College
Agee was First-Team All-Classic in 2015
This is Agee's first season with the Gaels. He's a junior.

Ralph Bissainthe, Hollywood McArthur, Illinois-Chicago
Bissainthe was First-Team All-Classic in 2016
Bissainthe red-shirted last season for the Flames. He remains a freshman.

Xavier Castaneda, Chicago Whitney Young, South Florida
Castaneda was the starting shooting guard for Whitney Young's 2017 Classic champions
Castaneda is a freshman.

Delundre Dixon, Rockford Auburn, Chicago State
Dixon was Second-Team All-Classic in 2014
Dixon is a red-shirt junior for CSU after sitting out last season. He averaged 2.2 points in 25 games as a freshman in 2015-2016 and 4.6 points in 25 games - with 12 starts - in 2016-2017.

Antoine Pittman, Bradley
Javon Freeman, Chicago Whitney Young, Valparaiso
Freeman was First-Team All-Classic in 2017.
Freeman is a freshman.

Anthony Lynch, Elgin Larkin, Lewis University (Division II)
Lynch was Second-Team All-Classic in 2016 and 2017.
Lynch is a freshman.

Yahmir Muhammad, Rockford Auburn, Missouri S&T (Division II)
Muhammad was First-Team All-Classic in 2017.
Muhammad is a freshman.

Christian Negron, Elgin Larkin, Loyola
Negron was Second-Team All-Classic in 2014 and First-Team All-Classic in 2015.
Negron red-shirted last season, recovering from an ACL injury his senior year at Larkin. He remains a freshman.

Antoine Pittman, Rockford Auburn, Bradley
Tahjai Teague, Ball State
Pittman was First-Team All-Classic in 2014.
Pittman red-shirted last season for the Braves. He remains a junior. Pittman averaged 8.2 points per game as a freshman with 26 starts. He averaged 5.6 points as a sophomore with 19 starts.

Dulan Scott, Chicago Farragut, Missouri S&T (Division II)
Scott was First-Team All-Classic in 2015. Scott averaged 7.1 points per game as a freshman and lifted that to 10.0 points per game as a sophomore. He is a junior.

Tahjai Teague, Indianapolis Pike, Ball State
Teague was Second-Team All-Classic in 2014.
Teague red-shirted his freshman year at Ball State. He averaged 7.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 2016-2017 and upped that to 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds in 2017-2018.

Justin Thomas, Indianapolis Pike, Morehead State
Thomas was First-Team All-Classic in 2014.
Thomas sat out last season after transferring from Northern Illinois. He averaged 4.0 points and 1.7 for the Huskies in 2015-2016 and 6.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 2016-2017.