Cuonzo Martin has added another highly-coveted recruit to his 2017 class at Missouri.
Jeremiah Tilmon – a 4-star power forward from Martin’s hometown of East St. Louis – is staying home to play for the Tigers, the school announced via Twitter on Monday morning:
✒️ East St. Louis ➡️ #Mizzou has a nice ring to it. Welcome, @jeremiahtilmon_! #MIZ ?? pic.twitter.com/bJBwMIBkAB
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) May 15, 2017
Tilmon decommitted from Illinois in April, which led many to believe that Missouri was ultimately his final landing spot.
He joins a 2017 class highlighted by the nation’s top overall recruit Michael Porter Jr., and one that also includes point guards Blake Harris and C.J. Roberts.
Tilmon’s addition pushes Missouri up to No. 6 in the 247Sports rankings for 2017, giving the SEC six teams in the Top 20.
Lovell’s Analysis:
Tilmon to Missouri was inevitable. After he left Illinois, it was just a matter of time before Martin added the big man on board in Columbia.
It’s rather incredible how quickly things have changed for the Missouri basketball program in the span of a few months. Let’s remember that this team set an SEC record with three straight seasons of 20 or more losses after another dreadful year.
But now, there’s reason for optimism if you’re a Missouri fan.
It’s too early to proclaim that the Tigers will challenge Kentucky or Florida for the SEC title, but this is a program that is rising up the ladder.
Games aren’t won in the offseason, so it’s still a matter of seeing how quickly these new players gel with the likes of Jordan Barnett, Kevin Puryear, and Terrence Phillips – three players that bring a lot of talent and experience to the table.
However, if Martin can build on what was an already decent defensive team and translate that into more consistency on the offensive end of the floor, Missouri could be an NCAA Tournament team come March.