The University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team announced that six newcomers have joined the roster for the 2023-24 school year. The newest Prairie Stars are Britton Dutton, Jayden Johnson, Nelson Reynolds, Khalil Ross, Jorden Williams and Donaven Younger. 

Britton Dutton
Dutton is a 6'2 guard who comes to UIS from Ellinwood, KS. Dutton, who signed with UIS in November, scored 2084 career points ranking him 18th in Kansas state history. The three time all-state selection led Ellinwood to a 76-17 record including 30 straight league victories. 

He averaged 26.9 points per game on 60% field goal shooting as a senior and earned his fourth straight unanimous all-league selection. He will be a freshman this season. 

"Brit is a very skilled player," said head coach Matt Brock. "We are very excited to have him at UIS. He is point guard that can make plays all over the court for himself and others." 

Jayden Johnson
Johnson is a 6'5 guard who comes to UIS from Illinois State. Johnson was had a career high 13 points last year against Belmont. He has been at ISU for three seasons and has two years of eligibility left. 

Johnson averaged 19.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a senior at Batavia High School, while making 38 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. He was named Honorable Mention All-State from the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. 

"Jayden is a knockdown shooter that can space the floor with deep range." Said Brock. "Having played at the D1 level for the last three years, he adds another veteran with experience to our program." 

Khalil Ross
Ross is a 6'7 forward who comes to UIS from Brother Rice High School in Chicago. Ross led his team to 30 wins in 2022-23 and averaged 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks per game. 

Ross will be a freshman next season at UIS. 

"Khalil is a versatile playmaking forward who can grab a rebound and start the break in a hurry. He had a great senior year on one of the best teams in Illinois. We are excited to see him in a UIS uniform." 

Jorden Williams
Williams is a 5'11 freshman guard from Whitfield high school in St. Louis. He was a four-year starter and 1000 point scorer. He averaged 15.4 points and 3.9 assists this season. He played for Gateway Basketball Club on the Under Armor circuit. 

Williams will be a freshman at UIS next season. 

"Jorden is a fast and crafty PG who will defend, create for others and finishes well around the rim. He's an excellent student and brings leadership qualities on and off the court." 

Donaven Younger
Younger is a 6'10 forward from Bolingbrook, IL. He fought through injury in his senior season. As a junior in 2021-22 he led Bolingbrook to a 30-6 record and IHSA final four appearance. He averaged 8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. 

"Donaven is a mobile big man with good length and athleticism. He has a lot of potential and has a chance to be a very good GLVC forward in the future." 

"We are very excited about this group. They all bring something different to the table, but align with our program's core values," said Brock. "The development of these six high character young men will be fun to watch this year!"