Illikainen says he loves Minnesota.
Alex Illikainen, a 6-9, 210-pounder recently announced that he is transferring from Grand Rapids to prep power Brewster Academy. Illikainen had been considered one of the top players in the state in the Class of 2015 and was thought to be the leading candidate for Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball.
Illikainen helped lead Grand Rapids to a 16-10 mark this season, but they missed making their fourth straight appearance in the Class AAA state boys’ basketball tournament, losing to Hermantown 53-47 in the section semifinals.
Illikainen, who has scholarship offers from Boston College, California, Creighton, Green Bay, Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Oregon, Providence, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt, will play this week with his Howard Pulley team at the Peach Jam in Augusta, South Carolina.
Illikainen talked to Gopher Hole Tuesday evening after playing with the Howard Pulley AAU program to learn the latest on his recruitment and his recent transfer.
Gopher Hole: You are heading out to the Peach Jam. I know that you guys have played better and better each week during the EYBL. What are the expectations for this week?
Alex Illikainen: Like you said, we have been playing good. I feel really confident about this, going out there. We have great team chemistry and we are going out there to win it. That is the attitude that we have right now.
Gopher Hole: I know that you open up against the Mac Irvin Fire, a team that you just played in Chicago. Was that the type of game where you try not to show too much because you are going to play them again?
Alex Illikainen: Yes. We didn’t want to give it all away, but we feel pretty confident with the pieces that we have. Go in there and play hard and I definitely think that we can get that win.
Gopher Hole: You have never been to the Peach Jam before, but like the first week of the open period in the EYBL, there are a ton of coaches there. What are you expecting to see from the coaches?
Alex Illikainen: From what I have been heard, it is the coolest experience in AAU basketball. I heard that the coaches are crazy there, just packed in the gym. It is definitely going to be a cool experience for me. I am glad that I got this opportunity and I am going to make the most of it.
Gopher Hole: Have you heard from most of the coaches that are recruiting you that a coach or two from each program will be there to watch you?
Alex Illikainen: Yes. Every school that I have been talking to has someone there.
Gopher Hole: Did you notice a lot of coaches watching you last week in Chicago?
Alex Illikainen: There were a couple of new ones like Virginia, Wisconsin and Oregon State that I have been on contact with. They are going to watch me in the Peach Jam.
Gopher Hole: Any new offers?
Alex Illikainen: No new offers.
Gopher Hole: You decided that you are going to transfer since the last time I interviewed you. How tough of a decision was that?
Alex Illikainen: It was tough just because you are leaving your hometown. Somewhere where you grew up your whole life with friends and family that were there, but on the basketball note, just looking at my future, my future in basketball. I feel that it was the best decision for me. I am playing the best competition. I am playing with great guys who have that same goal. That same work ethic. I am definitely excited for it and I don’t regret my decision.
Gopher Hole: Was it tough because I’m sure a lot of your friends want the best for you, but they wanted to play with you for your senior season?
Alex Illikainen: They wished me the best, but they definitely were sad to see me go, especially with my family. They don’t want to see me go, but they want the best for me. It was a tough decision, definitely.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that it will help you for the following year because you are going to be away from home as a freshman?
Alex Illikainen: Absolutely. I’ll be used to it. I’ll be a little more mature and handle it more when I am out there taking classes and working hard in practice. In my first year of college, I feel I’ll be used to being on my own.
Gopher Hole: How far away will you be from your sister?
Alex Illikainen: I’ll be about an hour away.
Gopher Hole: So you’ll be able to see her a lot more?
Alex Illikainen: Yes. Absolutely.
Gopher Hole: Is that a nice bonus?
Alex Illikainen: Yes. Molly was out in Providence and she was about two hours away from Brewster. She transferred back to St. Cloud State and if she would have stayed, we would have all been in about a two hour radius, so that would have been pretty cool for my parents to come out there.
Gopher Hole: How often were they able to come out last year?
Alex Illikainen: They went out two or three times, but that is because they can watch all of our games online. They definitely make trips out there and they will come out to see me a couple of times this year.
Gopher Hole: How much do you think that you have improved as a player in the EYBL? We had talked previously about the outside shooting and you seem like you are a more confident player.
Alex Illikainen: Yes, I am more confident with my outside shooting. I still have got a lot to work on. I am getting beat up down low. My dribbling. I am still a little shy with the ball. I just can’t get it and be comfortable with and go to the basket. That is just something I’ll have to work on. It is something that I need to improve on besides my outside shooting.
Gopher Hole: I know that Creighton is a school that you have been looking at pretty hard and they got a commitment from a big man recently (6-foot-10 Justin Patton of Omaha). Do you look at that to see if the schools that are recruiting you are getting commitment from players who play the same position as you?
Alex Illikainen: Yes. Absolutely. That is everything. As much as I love a school, I’m not going to a school that has one or two guys ahead of me that are freshmen. I want to be able to play and I am looking to play all four years, so that is definitely something I look at.
Gopher Hole: I know that a lot of Minnesota fans would love for you to stay here and are wondering if transferring for your senior year will have an impact on going to Minnesota? Will that help or would that hurt?
Alex Illikainen: It doesn’t hurt at all. I mean, I love Minnesota. I’m not leaving because I don’t like it. I would definitely love to come here and spend four years in college. Who knows, maybe it will help. Maybe, I hate being away and want to come back. It definitely does not hurt it at all.