It’s officially been a month since the national championship game, and the remainder of Illini fans have emerged from their respective caves and taken a breath of fresh air.

Meanwhile, the players have separated themselves from their loss that ended the deepest tourney run in Illini history.

This highly competitive squad won’t stop thinking about the shots down the stretch that wouldn’t fall, but more than that, they are celebrating the season they shared while looking towards the future.

“I still look back because of the things we accomplished and we still reminisce,” said senior guard Luther Head. “We are still living off of it. But now I have to start thinking of next year and what I want to be doing and the process that I have to go through.”

Head hopes to be drafted into the NBA come June and has to start researching his options in professional basketball, but other players will be back on campus and have other goals. Returning players such as redshirt freshman Calvin Brock spent the year being tutored by the best backcourt in the country, and have stopped reminiscing to prepare for next year, when it’s their turn.

“I’m over the season,” Brock said. “We made a great run but now we are just concentrating on next year. I’m trying to work hard on all my weaknesses. I am working on my defense, working on my jump shot and my ball handling, basically just becoming a smarter player.”

Last month the Alma Mater took off its basketball jersey and headband, but Illini fans are still passionate about their team.

When asked whether the craziness is dying down and if he could get to class without signing countless autographs, Head smiles with his naturally understated tone.

“It hasn’t died down at all,” he said.

“We still sign a lot of autographs and take pictures and stuff but it’s cool,” Head said. “It’s for the fans, and we like doing that stuff. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

“Some students talk about the past season but most already talk about next,” Brock said. “They will ask me if Dee (Brown) is staying or if I’m going to play next year.”

The team that had been hawked by the media for almost half the year got a well-deserved break at season’s end. On campus the local demi-gods still had their celebrity status to adhere to, but their playing duties were lifted. Meanwhile, in the past month, coaches have gone into overdrive trying to restock the talent pool and make impressions.

“Since the day after we returned, the next morning I got up and went recruiting,” Bruce Weber said. “Between that and speaking obligations, trying to get as much done as possible and having as many workouts with the players that are allowed by NCAA, I haven’t been home much. We have also been trying to get everyone out of here on a positive note academically and basketball wise. Then enjoying a couple weeks in May with some peace and quiet.”

For the NBA-bound, it must be hard to get in the library for study time. For the rest of the graduating seniors, the fact that college is closing seems strange.

For the rest of the returning players, the confetti dropping on a team in baby blue will drive them into next year. The final month of the year on campus after the magical season will remain with every player for different reasons, but it will remain.

“I definitely enjoyed it,” Head said. “We had a ball this last month. I went out with a bang, I got to spend time with my teammates and it’s been fun.”

Weber to coach Big Ten All-Stars

Bruce Weber had always been about waiting his turn. Lately, though, he has been jumping to the front of the line, taking his team to the championship in his second season and now coaching the Big Ten All-Star team in Europe nearly a decade ahead of schedule.

Minnesota head coach Dan Monson was scheduled to coach but because of family difficulty he was looking for another coach to replace him.

“The Big Ten sent a memo out and asked for somebody to volunteer, and my time wouldn’t be for another eight or nine years down the road,” Weber said. “So I’ve enjoyed my experiences taking teams overseas and wanted to do it again. The big thing is that I made sure my family could go with on somewhat of a vacation, make sure my coaches could go if they wanted to.”

Another incentive for Weber to take the team is the head coach gets to take two of his players on the trip. After seeing how the trip helped forward Warren Carter last year, Weber sees a chance to develop two of his young players.

“We went from a very experienced team to a very inexperienced team so the more minutes we can get with any of the guys will help them.”

Weber joked saying that obviously Dee Brown and James Augustine will not be the two invited to go along. This trip is usually designated for younger players who didn’t get the minutes they might have wanted. Illinois has not decided who it will take, but it will come down to Brian Randle, Calvin Brock, Marcus Arnold, Shaun Pruitt or Rich McBride.

“We are going to look at what opportunities our guys could have over the summer; we want to get everyone involved,” Weber said.