Illinois basketball signs Chester Frazier    

[NOV. 13, 2004]  CHAMPAIGN -- Illinois head basketball coach Bruce Weber announced Friday the signing of Chester Frazier, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound point guard, to a national letter of intent.

Frazier is a fifth-year player at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., under the direction of head coach Bill Barton. Frazier hails from Baltimore, Md., and attended Lake Clifton-Eastern High School, where he was coached by Herman Harried. Known as an unselfish, team-first point guard, Frazier averaged 16 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals for the Lakers last season, earning first-team All-Baltimore City/County honors and second-team All-Metro accolades by the Baltimore Sun. He helped lead Lake Clifton to a 19-5 record and a final ranking of 10th by the Baltimore Sun.

Frazier also made a name for himself on the summer circuit, playing for the widely successful Cecil-Kirk AAU program out of Maryland, coached by Anthony Lewis. Cecil-Kirk was runner-up at the 128-team Main Event, held in Las Vegas July 22-26, and then won the 48-team National Youth Basketball Championships in Las Vegas July 27-31.

"Chester Frazier is a true point guard," Weber said. "He has a good feel for the game and knows how to create for himself and others. Chester has shown toughness; he is quick on his feet and has good, quick hands. His year of prep school should give him a great advantage since he's playing against good players every day in practice and is playing what is practically a collegiate schedule. He has the reputation as a point guard, but Chester has also shown signs of becoming a really good shooter. We've now stretched our recruiting to the East Coast, which may give us some added exposure there."

Frazier becomes the second player to sign with Illinois during the fall period, joining 6-3 shooting guard Jamar Smith of Peoria Richwoods High School.

[Derrick Burson, assistant sports information director, University of Illinois]

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