Illinois State men's basketball signs four high school seniors

NORMAL – Four high school basketball standouts have signed Athletic Financial Aid Agreements to join the Illinois State roster next season.

Nick Allen of Bradley-Bourbonnais, Waubonsie Valley's Tyreek Coleman, Mason Klabo of Fargo (N.D.) Davies and Isaac Ericksen of Cary Grove, N.C., will be freshmen with the Redbirds next season.

"We are absolutely thrilled about this four-man recruiting class," said Pedon. "All four of these young men fit our program at a high level. Collectively, this group will address some of our roster needs for the 2025-26 season and beyond. They are impressive young men that want to be a part of something special here."

Allen is a 6-foot-11 center and is rated as the top center and the No. 7 player overall in Illinois by 247 Sports. The first team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Stater of last season is ranked as the No. 48 center nationally. He averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds and blocked 52 shots as a junior.

"Early on, we identified Nick as a primary target, and we have felt all along that he was the best big man in the state of Illinois in this year's recruiting class," said Pedon. "Nick is extremely versatile for his size and can affect the game at both ends of the floor.

"He can score the ball in a variety of ways and has a real knack for blocking shots on the defensive end. He is a perfect system fit for us and we can't wait to see him in a Redbird jersey."

A 6-2 guard, Coleman was named the DuPage Valley Conference Player of the Year and to the Chicago Sun-Times All-Area team last season. He helped Waubonsie Valley to a 27-3 record.

Coleman was a third team IBCA all-state selection after averaging 14.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals.

"Tyreek Coleman is a true gem," Pedon said. "We have followed Tyreek for the past few years and have been able to witness his remarkable growth and development as a basketball player.

"He really emerged on the AAU circuit last spring and parlayed that into an extremely impressive summer. He will provide our program with a true combination of speed, skill and athleticism. He can score the ball and can also make plays for others on the perimeter."

Klabo is a 6-1 guard and a three-time first team All-State pick who averaged 27.3 points as a junior. Klabo has already broken his school's career scoring record and is on pace to become the all-time leading prep scorer in North Dakota history.

"We feel that Mason is a perfect fit for our program," said Pedon. "He is a versatile guard with a mixture of size, skill, and athleticism. Through the recruiting process, we felt that Mason's ability to pass the ball was really undervalued.

'We knew from the very beginning that he could score the ball at a high level, but through our evaluations we learned that his ability to pass and make his teammates better were equally as impressive. Coupling those traits with his eye-catching athleticism really excites us for his future as a Redbird."

A 6-9 forward who attends Green Level High School in Cary, Ericksen is the No. 13 rated prospect in North Carolina. He helped his team to a 29-2 record by producing 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

"We began recruiting Isaac this past summer and we were instantly enamored with his combination of high-level skill, coupled with his 6-9 frame," said Pedon.

"His ability to dribble, pass and shoot at his size is rare, and we love what his future holds as a member of our basketball family. Isaac and his family have Midwest roots and loved the idea of Isaac being a Redbird."