NORMAL - Chicago products Zeke Upshaw and Terry Johnson won't be strangers when they join Illinois State's basketball program next fall. | ISU women eyeing NCAA berth and beyond | 30 local students signing Division I

Upshaw and Johnson, who were AAU teammates with Mac Irvin Fire, signed national letters of intent to play for the Redbirds on Wednesday, the first day of the one-week fall signing period. Johnson is a 6-foot guard from North Lawndale College Prep High School, while Upshaw is a 6-5 swingman from Chicago University High.

ISU has verbal commitments from a pair of players from Chrisman High School in Independence, Mo. - guard Justin Clark and forward Jon Ekey. Because of a death in Ekey's family, they are not expected to sign and fax their letters of intent until late this week or early next week.

One of Tim Jankovich's priorities when he became ISU's coach in March 2007 was to recruit Chicago hard. Thanks to the efforts of ISU assistant coach Paris Parham, a former Chicago Public League coach, the Redbirds came away with two players ranked among the state's top 25 by chicagohoops.com (Johnson No. 21, Upshaw No. 24).

Upshaw averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds per game for U-High last season while being named most valuable player in the Independent School League. He is ranked as a two-star recruit nationally by rivals.com.

"Zeke is an exceptional ball handler for his size. He's even played the point at times in high school and AAU, and that really impressed us," said Jankovich. "He's long, athletic and is a good 3-point shooter.

"Because he can shoot the 3 and handle the ball, he's not one-dimensional."

Johnson played last season for St. Rita, averaging 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. He can play either guard spot.

"I would call him a prototypical combo guard," said Jankovich. "He's the type of guard that makes our system go. He's a guard who can take you off the dribble and also shoot the 3."

Jankovich cannot comment on Clark and Ekey until they sign.

Clark, a three-star recruit by rivals.com and scout.com, is a high-scoring guard who averaged 25.6 points while sinking 103 3-point baskets last season. Ekey, a three-star scout.com recruit, is expected to be a power forward after leading the state of Missouri with 151 blocks while averaging 13.7 points and 6.3 rebounds.

The four recruits would put ISU's scholarships next season at 14, one over the NCAA limit. Freshman guard Kenyon Smith was declared academically ineligible by the NCAA last month and must pass 24 hours with a 1.8 grade-point average to be eligible next season.