Usually, when people think of top basketball talent from the state of Illinois, their mind immediately jumps to Chicago.
The schools in the city and the suburbs boast outstanding future Division 1 players. However, if you travel a few hours down south to St. Joseph, you’ll find one of the best high school players in the state.
Ty Pence impressed during his sophomore year at St. Joseph-Odgen, as he averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds a game with the Spartans. These numbers earned Pence the right of being on the Class 2A First Team All-State for Illinois.
Pence has received offers from several different D1 basketball teams in the country such as Illinois State University, Bradley University, and University of Akron.
In early June, Pence received an offer from the University of Illinois. After the Illini’s stellar basketball season, head coach Brad Underwood is clearly aiming to add more talent to his squad.
Even though he received all those offers only as a rising junior, Pence hasn’t arrived at a conclusion yet of where he will be attending college.
“Right now I’m keeping all of my options open,” said Pence. “But I just want to find the best fit for me where I’m going to get the best education, along with the place where I want to be for the next four years of my life.”
With basketball being such a prominent part of Pence’s life, he is showing a great deal of maturity, as he is focused on making sure academics come first.
“At St. Joseph, our teachers really support student-athletes,” said Pence. “They want us to do well and they allow me to manage my time, but they still make sure we are getting everything done in the classroom.”
This summer, Pence has been playing with the Mid-Pro Academy, as he looks to improve his game even more ahead of his junior year at St. Joseph-Ogden.
