Youngest Finkes recruitment turned up a notch

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First Word with Jeremy Werner is a quick take on the latest in Illini athletics. Enjoy it every weekday morning with your morning coffee.

When John Groce called Tim Finke on Thursday morning, the rising sophomore guard's recruitment immediately was turned up a notch.

Many knew it was a matter of when, not if, Illinois would offer the youngest son of former Illini football/basketball player Jeff Finke and the youngest brother of current Illini redshirt freshman forward Michael Finke. Illinois's offer will only start the recruiting whirlwind for the 6-foot-5 Champaign guard.

"He's excited," Jeff Finke said of Tim. "It's one of those opportunities that doesn't come around very often for many young men. He's humble about it, and he's grateful and appreciative. But he knows it really is the beginning of continuing to have to work. It raises the stakes and it raises the pressure and all those types of things."

As a freshman, Tim Finke immediately established himself as one of the best talents in central Illinois, averaging 11 points per game for Centennial last season. He's opening even more eyes on the recruiting circuit with the Illinois Irish.

The lanky guard has added strength --- Jeff said Tim is up to 195 pounds --- is an increasingly explosive player with a good jump shot and a solid handle. He is one of the state's best talents in the Class of 2018 and just the second player in that recruiting class to receive a scholarship offer from the Illini. Expect more offers to follow shortly.

Illinois is the second Division I program to offer Tim Finke (UIC was first) but the first high-major. Pressure will be felt on both ends of this recruitment: for Tim Finke to follow in his family's footsteps, stay home and pick Illinois; and for Illinois to land the talented local kid with family ties to the program.

"Obviously, a lot of people talk about it and think in those ways," Jeff Finke said. "From Illinois's side, we love the staff, respect the staff. They obviously are coaching Michael, and we trust him with that. We know they do a great job. Each player is different. Each student-athlete is different. Each recruit's different. We respected that they had to do their evaluation to make sure that they thought Tim was at the right level and he could help them."

Michael Finke ended his recruitment just as it was taking off. After a breakout summer on the AAU circuit prior to his junior prep season, Michael Finke committed to Illinois the following December. Tim Finke's recruitment is taking off before his sophomore season --- one year sooner than Michael's --- so he and his family are not in any rush.

Some fans and maybe even some other high-major programs might assume Tim will take the same route. Maybe he will. But the Finke family will ensure that Tim chooses what he wants over what he's expected to want.

"From our end, it'll be the same," Jeff Finke said. "Laura (his wife) and I are taking it a day at a time and trying to guide the process. Ultimately, though, Michael made the decision to go to Illinois not because I played there or because we live here. He really just connected with the staff. We'll approach it the same way with Tim. Their two recruiting classes in front of Tim's class is still unknown, so it's about the criteria we establish, which changes all the time with every player with what's important. Is it the staff? Is it the school? Is it the conference? Is it the style? What are the teammates like? There are a lot of unknowns. We just want to enjoy the process and see what schools have interest in Tim and what's the best fit for him long-term."