BLUEDUDE SPORTSTALK Sports Shorts Take 18...they were 1991 STATE CHAMPS in ILLINOIS...3 Players all Top 70 in the US...from Fame Maywood, Illinois PROVISO EAST HS PIRATES..the THREE AMIGOS

Sandwiched in between the likes of Former Marquette Warriors Star, NBA All Star, and current Celtics Coach Doc Rivers and former Sparty Sniper and Lakers Combo now Phoenix Sun Shannon Brown was a Trio of the best the State of Illinois could offer in Hoops. All Three Players were Top 70 in the Country and they all went onto to have prominent careers in Division1 Hoops and they were all apart of the Same NBA Draft in the 1st Round.

I know one name rings a Bell as he was a Flat Out Superstar in Big D in Reunion Arena, the University of Wisconsin, and World Champion with the San Antonio Spurs. The Other was a Big Time Sniper in Boulder, Colorado and if it wasn't for a Broken Leg in College he might have had an even bigger impact than his Guy in Big D. The Last of the trio stayed Home and went to University of Illinois Chicago and dominated the Conference and he was the most sought after of the three in High School. He might have also had a major impact if he wasn't on a team that had the Glove and Rain Man among others on a loaded Seattle Supersonics Squad.

They called them the 3 Amigos and they starred at Fame Maywood, Illinois Powerhouse Proviso East HS Pirates. Michael Finley, Donnie Boyce, and Sherrel Ford were their names and they dominated a State and Chicago Area that was a Top 3 by State in the Nation among talent.

Ford was about 6'8" and played Center or PF and he manned the Paint and did all the Rebounding but it was his versatility from Inside Out that made him so dominant. He was rated at high as Top 20 in the US and had the likes of Nebraska, Illinois, and UIC among others after him and chose UIC.  Ford dominated at UIC moving to the SF and stayed 4 Years at UIC playing three.

Boyce was a 6'5" Athletic and Long as he played the Point through the SF. He was consensus Top 40 in the US and he was a Finisher on the break with Mid-Range to boot and if he got to the paint you were flushed on that simple. D.B. had the likes of Colorado, Iowa, and DePaul after him among others and chose the Buffaloes to everyones surprise. Dominated the then Big 8 and was arguably the Best of the Three with what many thought the higher ceiling. Don't think Donnie Boyce was getting it in...finished his Buffs' Career as the School's All-Time Leading Scorer in 1995....Get Buckets.  

Finley was a 6'7" Sniper if I ever saw one. As Athletic as Boyce he was a Finisher as well and like Boyce they used their superior length and quickness on the defensive end to get out in Transition and who was going to be in the next Pirate Highlight. Smooth Shooting Wing who could also get you off the bounce.  Recruited by now NBA VP Stu Jackson, who was Head man at Wisconsin Madison back then, Finley was a consensus Top 70 Player and really started to hit his ceiling at Wisconsin as he also made hay in the Big Ten. Finley was also the Badgers All-Time Leading Scorer when he left Campus.

the LOGO for the AMIGOS....

They all entered the 1995 NBA Draft and were all 1st Round Picks. Finley (Suns), Ford (Sonics), and Boyce (Hawks). Boyce never could get going as his lingering issues with his injured Leg cut him short. Ford was on a 1995-96 Sonic Team as Rook that played Mike, Scottie, and the Bulls for the Larry O'Brien and he could never crack even the 2nd Rotation under Coach George Karl. For Mike Finley on the other hand it was time to shine.

Finley made frequent Highlights in the Valley of the Sun until he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks with a Point Guard named Steve Nash. FINdawg carried the Mavs for at least 4 years and was among the Logo Leaders in Minutes, Points, and Games played. The Bluedude worked with the Mavs in the 1999-2000 Season and saw #4 FINdawg's Work closely and he was the Mavs and Big D's Meal Ticket. He carried the Mavs until DIRKiliscious found his stride as well as NASHty.

FINdawg went onto to Play for the Spurs and Pops and get a Chip in 2007. As for the Three Amigos now they are all back home where it started. Fin is near the Proviso East Pirate Program that Donnie (current Head Coach) and Sherrell (Lead Assistant and Freshman Head Coach) are both leading back to prominence. Just this past season the Pirates were ranked as high as Top 15 by USA Today and had 2 All-Staters including 1st Team All State Guard Keith Carter and Sterling Brown (the younger Brother of Former Lakers and Suns Combo G Shannon Brown). Boyce and Ford led the Pirates to a 32-0 State Final Game where they lost to Chicago, Illinois Simeon Career Academy and 2013 #1 Ranked Nationally SF Jabari Parker.

The Three Amigos have had their 15 minutes of Fame and now it is Time to Give back and that is just what the Amigos are doing...giving back and putting back the Proviso East Pirates back on the Illinois Powerhouse Watch.

Note: In 1991 the 3 Amigos beat South Holland, Illinois Thornwood HS Team led by Illinois HS Baseball Player of the Year and Sun-Times and Tribune Athlete of the Year MLB Top 5 Pick Cliff Floyd (Expos, Marlins, Cubs among Others) who signed with Creighton but chose to go to the Minor Leagues.