Former Oswego East Star Named Best MAC Basketball Player By Blog

OSWEGO, IL - A Montgomery native and former Oswego East High School basketball star has been named the best player in the Mid-American Conference heading into the 2017-18 season by a sports blog. SB Nation's "Hustle Belt" blog that covers college basketball in the Midwest counted down the best men's basketball players heading into the MAC season and named Thomas Wilder No. 1.

Wilder has"already had a heralded career" at Western Michigan University, according to the blog. He was on the MAC All-Freshmen Team, then on the Second Team All-MAC as a sophomore before being a First Team All-MAC player as a junior.

He's also gauged interest from NBA teams, but did not enter the NBA Draft last year. He could be on the radar for an entry to the pros after his senior season at Western Michigan.

"The stats for his junior season were fantastic," the blog reported. "He averaged 19.3 points per game and shot a blistering 44% from beyond the arch. From the charity stripe he hit 83% of the time. He also added 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest."

More via SB Nation - Hustle Belt

Photo: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press: UCLA guard Aaron Holiday, right, shoots over Western Michigan guard Thomas Wilder during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016.